REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s senior leader said the command’s top priority should be providing trained and ready forces to accomplish the command’s and the Army’s critical missions.
“I truly believe our top priority should be supporting the warfighter to be trained and ready,” said Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, USASMDC commanding general.
After visiting team members around the globe and learning about the command’s organizations in his first 100 days, Gainey said the command is a great organization.
“It’s really great to see the enthusiasm across the command,” Gainey said. “I haven’t found a person in the command who’s not excited about what they do and who doesn’t love their job.”
Those jobs include missions as diverse as protecting the homeland from intercontinental ballistic missile threats, providing strategic and tactical space surveillance support and training Army Space operators.
Gainey said the Army sees value in the work being done by the command’s Technical Center, Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence, and the warfighting brigades, but that as resources become scarce the command must demonstrate through innovation its increasingly important value to the Army.
“The chief of staff of the Army highlights innovation,” he said. “We have to continue to integrate innovation into our priorities to keep up with modernization efforts and emerging threats.”
One area the command is innovating and showing value is in its implementation of the “Army Space Vision for Multi-Domain Operations.” Released in December 2023, the vision communicates the importance of space domain effects to successful Army operations and the need to invest in space capabilities and formations.
“We’re seeing an increase in requests for space-based capabilities,” Gainey said. “And for getting these capabilities down to the user level and getting the user in the ground forces familiar and comfortable with space capabilities.”
Warfighters will need to integrate space capabilities into their plans just like they do with air and missile defense capabilities.
“Whether you’re working at the division, corps or multidomain task force level across the Army staff or synchronizing these efforts, it is going to take that holistic effort as we move forward with space, and it’s really exciting,” he added.
Gainey said the command’s roles in homeland missile defense, space capabilities and high-altitude balloons is generating a lot of excitement.
“We provide capabilities against future threats and are constantly looking at ways to innovate,” he said. “We have a very bright future, but we can’t rest on our laurels. We’ve got to continue to demonstrate value.”
During the recent Army 2030-2040 Strategic Guidance Summit, Gainey talked about the importance of Army space capabilities and how delivering these capabilities can directly contribute to the land component commanders’ fight.
“The feedback I’m getting for our command is great,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to echo the voice of this command not only for space capabilities, but the integrated air and missile defense capabilities and homeland defense capabilities moving forward.”
Looking back on his initial communication with team members, Gainey reflected on his “One Team!” vision and how USASMDC Soldiers and civilians could maintain that team perspective across a global command.
“I’m a true believer that every person in this organization should feel like a valued member of this team,” Gainey said.
Part of feeling valued is feeling heard and Gainey said he takes that communication seriously. He encouraged team members to use the USASMDC Forum to share their thoughts.
“Every member of the team has a voice and I will make sure that voice is heard,” he said.
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