COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- In keeping America safe, the sun truly never sets on the Soldiers of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command.
As the Army's proponent for space and ground-based midcourse defense and the operational integrator for global ballistic missile defense, USASMDC/ARSTRAT oversees a number of elements around the globe.
One of these elements is the 1st Space Brigade which provides 24-hour satellite communications support and early missile warning around the world. In the Europe and Pacific regions specifically, 1st Space Brigade has two primary space support missions, according to its leader.
"One is enduring and the other is on call," said Col. Eric P. Henderson, 1st Space Brigade commander. "Forward stationed units such as Joint Tactical Ground Stations, or JTAGS, and Wideband Satellite Communications Operations Centers, or WSOCs, live day in and day out within these areas. They are a part of the tactical, operational and strategic community providing early missile warning and satellite payload control.
"Additionally, deployable units such as Commercial Imagery Teams and Army Space Support Teams, residing within the brigade, stand ready to deploy on short notice to support operational plans to units that reside in these two areas of operations," he added.
There are definite technical skills that are required of Soldiers assigned in these two areas of responsibility.
"These Soldiers must be proficient in both operational and maintenance areas of expertise," Henderson said. "Soldiers with innate leadership and unflappable demeanor are the norm within these mission areas."
Although no more important than an infantry or quartermaster unit, Henderson proudly described his unit's mission as unique.
"There is no '2nd Space Brigade.' We are a one-of-a-kind organization with a vast global area of influence," Henderson said. "The Soldiers, civilians and contractors on my team, do not have the luxury of 'taking a knee' while someone else or some other Soldier performs the mission that is ours.
"We are the provider of trained and ready space and missile defense forces for this command," he added. "It is not a mission that is taken lightly."
Another element of the command, the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense), is responsible for providing trained and ready missile defense forces to the commander of U.S. Northern Command in support of his mission to defend the homeland against ballistic missile attacks.
"We do this by operating key command and control nodes in Colorado, Alaska and California 24/7/365 with highly trained and certified Soldiers," said Col. Gregory S. Bowen, commander, 100th MDB (GMD). "In addition to operating the GMD system, the 100th is responsible for protecting and securing the Missile Defense Complex at Fort Greely, Alaska. The military police from Alpha Company 49th Missile Defense Battalion conduct the security mission 24/7/365, enduring all of the weather extremes the interior of Alaska has to offer.
"Finally, the 100th is a force provider for the AN/TPY-2 (Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance) radars," he added. "These radars provide fire control data to the GMD system as well as supporting regional operations in several geographic combatant command areas of responsibility."
Bowen says that being the only missile defense brigade in the U.S. military brings distinctive challenges.
"The rest of the Army does not understand what we do or how we do it," Bowen said. "Most Army units train, deploy and perform their mission, then return home and reset. In contrast, the 100th is essentially deployed in place, executing its wartime mission 24/7/365. We never get the down time, and as a result, we don't 'fit' well into what the rest of the Army is doing.
"Certified GMD operators are a very scarce commodity; at any given time, there are about 75 Soldiers certified to operate the system," he added. "Managing the careers of these low-density specialists is one of the critical challenges we face."
Bowen said the training and mastery of the system are paramount as this is a no-fail mission.
"Beyond the tactical and technical skills you would expect the Soldiers to have, they must display a high level of commitment to the mission," Bowen said. "We have a very demanding certification program which the GMD operators must complete every six months in order to remain qualified.
"There are similar programs for the military police and for the Soldiers in the radar detachments," he added. "The commitment comes into play as the Soldiers battle complacency. "There are threats out there, so the missile defense crews and the MPs must maintain a very high state of readiness at all times, and under all types of conditions. They maintain this 'razor's edge' of readiness without any fanfare or accolades.
"They are quiet professionals who are doing a critical job on behalf of our nation. Our citizens can go to sleep at night knowing they are out there, ready to defend the homeland at a moment's notice," Bowen added.
These two unique brigades provide support to numerous customers around the globe. Some of these customers spoke highly of the brigades' unique abilities in support of the warfighter.
Delta detachment, 1st Space Company, 1st Space Battalion, supports the Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines stationed at Misawa, Japan. Delta Detachment is one of four JTAGS detachments around the world.
"Simply put JTAGS is indispensable for this base. Every second counts," said Col. Al Wimmer, vice wing commander at Misawa Air Base. "You can imagine how amazed the command and I were when we got here and understood what JTAGS was, never having been exposed to what they do.
"But then also to know they understand the threat to us and give us a lot of instruction," he added. "They pick up the phone and call us directly to give us that warning, and they get it before anyone else."
Another "customer" said he appreciates the role space Soldiers play in ensuring the troops on the battlefield know more than their enemies.
"I don't think SMDC is getting out and beating their chests about all the thing they do on the battlefield. They just do it," said incoming International Security Assistance Force Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas R. Capel. "It's amazing now how we can look at our objectives by the imagery technology from space and missile defense satellites, look at our targets before we get out and hit them. We know exactly where we're going, we can see the enemy first, and that comes from communications, electronics and computer satellite systems provided by SMDC."
Although many Soldiers may not be aware of the critical roles space plays in providing communications, early missile warning and even missile defense capabilities, their leaders are quite aware of this important mission.
"I'm not sure if knowing who provides these capabilities is all that important to them. They just know that it works," said outgoing ISAF Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin L. Hill. "They know that there are far more capabilities to forge the fight, provide force protection, and locate potential threats than there were during their last deployment. They are familiar with the menu and often select the appropriate tools from the menu."
Hill talked about JTAGS and Army Space Support Teams providing missile warning and commented on their contributions in supporting and defending the warfighters in theatre.
"I am aware of both elements," Hill said. "It's kind of hard to comment on a unit whose job is to keep stuff from happening. In all fairness to them, missile defense was not one of the things that kept me up at night. Unfortunately for them, they do not have the pleasure of saying, 'my bad, it won't happen again,' they are always in the title game."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Full article will be published in upcoming winter edition of the Army Space Journal which will be available at www.smdc-armyforces.army.mil/ASJ/.
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