december 4, 2019 vol. 68 no. 48 military scene dickinson

RedstoneRocketMilitary Scene

coMMunity newSGold Star familiesembraced for holidays.Page 5

PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF PERSONNEL AT REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALDecember 4, 2019 Vol. 68 No. 48

www.theredstonerocket.com

win or loSeTrashed Pandas enjoybanner rookie year. Page 35

Military SceneWest Point cadetstackle aircraft project.9

SMDC’s outgoing commanderjoining U.S. Space Command

By JASON CUTSHAWSpace and Missile Defense Command Public Affairs

The Army’s senior air defender is pre-paring to go from defending the high ground to defending the “final frontier” for the Department of Defense.

Lt. Gen. James Dickinson assumed command of the Space and Missile De-fense Command and the Joint Function-al Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense in January 2017, and on Friday, he will leave to assume the role as U.S. Space Command deputy com-mander.

Prior to his change of command, Dickinson talked about his time as SMDC’s leader and how the command has prepared him for his future role at USSPACECOM.

“My almost 36 months in command have been during one of the most dy-namic times in our Army, the Depart-ment of Defense and for the nation,” Dickinson said. “If you look at what has happened over the past three years from an operational readiness perspec-tive I think the command has increased its overall readiness in support of then Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark Milley’s number one priority, which was readiness.

“My focus for the first year was to ensure the command was ready. This included making sure the 100th Mis-sile Defense Brigade and the 1st Space Brigade were ready and able to do their missions in accordance with my priori-ties, the first of which is protecting the homeland.”

Dickinson said he spent a lot of time at the beginning of his command getting to know and understand SMDC from both operational and institutional sides.

“I was very pleased with how far we came in the first year to ensure we were operationally ready to perform our mis-sions,” he said. “Institutionally, we have made great strides reorganizing within

Dickinson ready to embark on final frontier

Photo by Ronald Baileylt. gen. James Dickinson, commander of the Space and Missile Defense com-mand, gives an outgoing interview about his time in command at redstone arsenal. He served as the SMDc commanding general as well as commander of the Joint Functional component command for integrated Missile Defense from January 2017 until his change of command Friday when he will leave to assume the role as the u.S. Space command deputy commander.See Frontier on page 24

2 Redstone Rocket December 4, 2019 Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of Excellence

The Redstone Rocket is published weekly on Wednesday. The publisher will receive editorial content for publica-tion in the Redstone Rocket through the Public Affairs Office, Army Garrison-Redstone, Bldg. 4488 Room A-213, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898.The civilian enterprise printer of the Redstone Rocket is Tennessee Valley Media Co., Inc., located at 201 1st Ave., SE, Decatur, AL 35603.Retail advertising deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday before Wednesday publication. Classified advertising deadline is 5 p.m. Friday before Wednesday publication.Email: [email protected] classified ads to [email protected]

Rocket articles are available at:http://www.theredstonerocket.com

Rocket StaffEditor-in-chief: Col. Kelsey Smith, Garrison commander Director of Public Affairs: Julie FrederickEditor: Skip VaughnAssistant editor: Jonathan StinsonStaff writer/Social media: Katie Davis SkelleyStaff writer: Wendy ReevesStaff photographer: Eric SchultzCopy Editor/Design: Kelley LaneGeneral Manager: French SalterAdvertising Sales: Donna Counts, 256-714-7152, or [email protected]

The Redstone Rocket is published in the interest of the personnel at Redstone Arsenal, by Tennessee Valley Media

Co., Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the Depart-ment of the Army. Opinions expressed by writers herein are their own and are not to be considered an expression by the Department of the Army. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, to include inserts and supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army or the civilian publisher TN Valley Media, of the products or services advertised within this publication.The Redstone Rocket is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Redstone Rocket newspaper are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or the Public Affairs Office.The editorial content of this publication is the responsi-bility of Redstone Arsenal Public Affairs Office.Published by Tennessee Valley Media, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of Defense, under

exclusive written contract with the Department of Army. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, physical handicap, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser will result in refusal to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected.The Redstone Rocket is distributed free of cost to any per-sonnel at Redstone Arsenal and Research Park, Huntsville. Mailing rates for off post for the Redstone Rocket are $35 per year, tax included. We do not guarantee timely delivery. “Third class mail may receive deferred service. The Postal Service does not guarantee the delivery of third class mail within a specified time.” (Article 630 of the Domestic Mail Manual). We do not send subscription renewal notices.

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Send your letters to editorThe Redstone Rocket invites your signed letters to the editor and your commen-

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RocketViews

“Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 – a day which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately at-tacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

– President Franklin D. Roosevelt asking Congress to declare war Dec. 8, 1941

Quote of the week

My neighbor took the day off last week.

Now, I don’t know my neighbor. I think I might have met his wife once when I locked myself out of my house, but I’ve never met him.

I know he took the day off because when I went to work, it didn’t look like Santa Claus had dropped a bomb of Christmas cheer all over his yard. We’re talking a Clark-Griswold-level of Christ-mas lights here.

He does this every year. And, every year, it gets more challenging to get into my driveway thanks to everyone who wants to drive by and see his house.

The amount of traffic our street gets each year amazes me. There are only two or three houses that put up lights. It’s not like we’re a winter wonderland. Yet, peo-ple will still load up the kids and drive by the one house that goes all out.

I’m all for people doing what makes them happy, and I can only assume he gets some joy from his display.

Because, one, that many lights have to cost a fortune in electricity.

Two, the amount of time it takes to untangle all of those lights has to be a yearlong project.

Here’s the problem, though, and this happens every year, too, it triggers a fight or flight response the first time I see it.

That first night, I stopped my SUV in front of his house and said to myself, ‘That’s it. I’m going to Home Depot.”

Then my stomach growled, and I drove on home. It’s never good to make big decisions on an empty stomach.

After eating and thinking it over, I realized two things: One, I never go to Home Depot. I’ll say, “Oh, I can just run up to Home Depot and grab such-in-such,” but I always end up at Lowe’s. They’re right next to each other. It makes no sense. Why don't I just go to Home Depot?

And, two, I would not get any enjoy-ment out of spending 14 hours hanging Christmas lights. So, this year, I think I’m just going to put a sign in my yard that says Ditto and have an arrow point-ing at my neighbor’s house.

Living next door to winter wonderland

SnippetsBy Jonathan Stinson

Assistant editor

On this date in history: Dec. 4

In 2015: A firebomb was thrown into a restaurant in the Egyptian capital of

Cairo, killing 17 people.

In 2005: Tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong protested for democracy

and called on the government to allow universal and equal suffrage.

In 1977: Malaysian Airline System Flight 653 was hijacked and crashed in Tan-

jong Kupang, Johor, killing 100.

In 1967: U.S. and South Vietnamese forces engaged Viet Cong troops in the

Mekong Delta.

In 1918: President Woodrow Wilson sailed for the World War I peace talks in

Versailles, becoming the first U.S. president to travel to Europe while in office.

In 1619: Thirty-eight colonists arrived at Berkeley Hundred, Virginia. The

group’s charter proclaimed that the day “be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a

day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

Rocket takes holiday breakThe Redstone Rocket will take its annual holiday break after the Dec. 18 paper. Our first issue of 2020 is Jan. 8. We wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season.

December 4, 2019 Redstone Rocket 3Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of Excellence

First responder spotlightBy SKIP VAUGHNRocket [email protected]

What do you think of your job?

“I had some cousins and family mem-bers that worked for Huntsville Fire & Rescue. And that’s where I actually worked for nine years (from 2009-18),” Wes Jones, a firefighter/emergency medi-cal technician at Station 2, said. “And just the thought of being able to help somebody at their worst moments. And knowing that they’re depending on you for some kind of help and care. I was out there serving the city. But being able to help guys that are in the Department of Defense and in the military who are out there on the front lines risking their lives, now being able to serve them is a great honor.”

Jones, 31, from New Market, graduated from Buckhorn High in 2006. He graduated from Athens State University in 2009 with a bachelor’s in business management. Jones was a firefighter at Fort Rucker in 2018 and at Fort Knox, Kentucky, from January through July. He arrived at Redstone July 21. The New Market resident and his wife of three years, Charity, have a combined five chil-dren – four girls and one boy. He likes hunting, woodworking, playing golf and spending time with his family. Jones roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

wes Jones

Crimes, accidents & other occurrences

Directorate of Operations, Law En-forcement Division, provided the fol-lowing report for Nov. 17-23:

Nov. 18: A victim reported to Red-stone police that a larceny of govern-ment property had occurred and several items were allegedly taken. Access logs showed one person in the area between specific times and that was the individ-ual who had removed the items. After making contact, the individual agreed to meet at the police station. After in-terviewing all individuals involved, police investigations determined the al-legations were unfounded, because the property belonged to a contractor. No government equipment has been listed as missing or stolen from the site.

Nov. 21: Redstone police stopped a

vehicle on Mills Road for a traffic vio-lation. The driver was cited for driving with a suspended license and not wear-ing a seatbelt. The vehicle was removed by a licensed driver.

Nov. 21: A vehicle entering a space in a parking lot struck a parked vehicle. Both vehicles had minor damage.

Citations included one for driving while license is suspended or revoked, four for failure to obey traffic control device, one for possession of a con-trolled substance, one for no driver’s license/unlicensed, one for failure to yield right of way, one for driving un-der the influence, one for failure to use seatbelts, two for expired tags and 20 for speeding.

@TeamRedstoneRocket

@TeamRedstone

By WENDY REEVESStaff writer

[email protected]

name: James Nicholson

Profession: Audiovisual technician, Garrison

what did you want to be when you grew up? Policeman.

what do you hope to accomplish within the next year? Get the security-plus certification. who is your hero? The American Soldier.

if you could choose to do any-thing for a day, what would it be? With a baby in the house it’d be nice to just be able to do nothing for a bit, and get a full night’s sleep – ha ha.

what is the best piece of advice someone has given you? Always and never are two words you should always remember to never use.

Getting to know you


There are legal restrictions on De-partment of Defense military and ci-vilian employees’ political activities because of their unique roles as public servants.

The “Dos and Don’ts” are listed un-der the federal Hatch Act, originally legislated in 1939 and updated since. The Hatch Act restricts the political activity of executive branch employ-ees, including DOD civilian employ-ees, and the employees of the District of Columbia government and certain state and local agencies.

According to an archived article

from the DOD website, military re-servists or Guardsmen working as federal government civilians also are subject to the Hatch Act. Members of the active-serving armed forces are subject to Department of Defense Directive 1344.10, titled: Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces. The intent of this directive es-sentially mirrors Hatch Act provisions for federal civilian employees.

Allowable activities under the Hatch Act include running for nonpartisan public office; registering and voting as one chooses; assisting in voter reg-

istration drives; attending political fundraisers, rallies and meetings; and holding office in political clubs or parties.

As examples of prohibitions, fed-eral employees generally may not solicit or receive political contribu-tions, and they may not engage in political activity while on duty, in a government office or while wearing an official uniform.

Editor’s note: This is based on an archived article on the Department of Defense website.

Know your laws: Hatch Act voting restrictions

Tell us about …By SKIP VAUGHNRocket editor

[email protected]

What you’re thankful for.“I am thankful to be healthy. I’m thank-

ful for my family,” Erika Stair, a fitness specialist at Marshall Wellness Center, said. “I’m thankful to have a job with awe-some co-workers. I’m thankful for my new house I just bought. I’m thankful for my friends.”

Stair, 24, from Meridianville, has worked at the Marshall Wellness Center since July. She graduated from the University of Ala-bama in 2017 with a bachelor’s in exer-cise science and human performance. The Huntsville resident likes to work out, eat good food and go shopping. Stair roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

erika Stair

Lunch and Learn Program

Save the Date: February 20, 2020

DAU-South Acquisition Update – a Free Event “Acquisition 20/20: Navigating DoD Acquisition in an Age of Transformation”

DAU-South Campus – Huntsville, AL and Via WebEx

Registration Coming Soon!

December 11, 2019

“ Cyber Resilience Test & Evaluation”

11:30 a.m. EST

https://daunet.dau.edu/LunchandLearn/SitePages/Home.aspx

Save the Date: DAU-South Acquisition Update


By JASON CUTSHAW Space and Missile Defense Command Public Affairs

On an evening of remembrance, sur-vivors honored the sacrifice of family members who gave their all in service to the nation.

The Space and Missile Defense Com-mand hosted a holiday party for the families of Survivor Outreach Services at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Nov. 22. More than 100 family members and guests attended.

“This is a hard time of year for sur-vivors who miss having their loved ones home for the holidays and it gives us a chance to show them a little holiday cheer,” Kerrie Branson, SOS coordinator for Redstone Arsenal, said. “The out-reach provides a chance for volunteers to give out some comfort hugs to survivors. Hugs can go a long way and makes them feel like someone cares.”

Branson said it is important to have an event like this around the holidays be-cause it provides a chance to bring new and more seasoned survivors together to promote mentorship between them to help newer survivors through their grief.

“There is an unspoken common bond be-tween them and it helps them to know oth-ers understand what they are going through. It’s also a way to let them know that the military supports them and will continue to remember their loved ones’ service and sac-rifice,” she said. “They are amazing people who are much stronger than they think they are. I know they are hurting but I also know that they have a resiliency to push forward and fight to keep their loved ones’ memo-ries alive. They love their military family and appreciate SMDC’s long-term support so much. I hope that the command knows how much it means to them that they have such a strong partnership with the SOS pro-gram.”

One survivor said she was appreciative of all those who came out to support the Gold Star families who were present and that these events mean more than people will ever know.

“These events make me glad people are thinking of us enough to do this,” said Kylee Little, daughter of Spc. Kyle Little who served with the 3rd Infan-try Division. “I have dealt with this for a while, and I feel I can help other kids here going through this season.”

A spouse of a fallen Soldier said she was grateful for SOS and SMDC for

hosting an event during the holiday sea-son and recommended that others reach out to SOS and join.

“This means a lot,” said Jennifer Hen-derson, who lost her husband Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Henderson who served with the 1st Infantry Division. “When you transfer out of the military world you kind of feel lost, and when you come here you are back in a community. When you are out in the civilian world, you may not feel as connected. When you come here, you instantly feel the connection of peo-ple who are two months or 20 years.

“Christmas was Chris’ favorite holi-day so for us it always means a lot. This is the star on top of the tree this season.”

The event included creating a keep-sake ornament for survivors to write their loved one’s name to put on tree, an interactive singing session, various group events and enjoying a hot choco-late bar prior to beginning the garden’s Galaxy of Lights Walking Trail.

One SMDC volunteer said he wanted to help out because one of the reasons he joined the Army is to serve any way he can.

“If we can do any tiny little thing to give, that is what we need to do and what we should do,” Trent Huntsinger, SMDC G-3 noncommissioned officer in charge, said. “This time of year is sometimes hard, and if they have lost a family mem-ber, it can be even more difficult. This is awesome that volunteers in our com-mand at SMDC are willing to do this just to bring these survivors together to remind them they are not really alone.”

As the event began to end, retired Capt. Mike Rose, Medal of Honor re-cipient and surviving family member of his fallen son-in-law, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Scott Bowen, offered thanks to Redstone Arsenal and local community

members for their support of Soldiers and their families, especially fellow Gold Star families.

“What our fallen Soldiers have done for you and me and people who are not even born yet is protect that thing called the U.S. Constitution,” Rose said. “This is the greatest country in the world. More diverse people from different eth-nic groups and religions have prospered in this country than in any place else. And that is only because a sacrifice has been made in blood.

“To paraphrase Gen. George Patton, we shouldn’t mourn the loss of their lives, but we should celebrate that men and women like this lived.”

Gold Star families receive embrace for the holidays

CommunityNews

counSelor reaDy to HelP Military FaMilieS Page 6reDStone cHriStMaS ornaMentS await orDerS Page 7FaMily aDvocate PuSHeS HealtHy coMMunication Page 10MiSSile ‘goDFatHer’ keePS uP witH battle buDDieS Page 12MoDeSt volunteer HonoreD by HiS Fellow veteranS Page 18

In this section...

Photo by Jason Cutshaw Santa claus visits with family members during Space and Missile Defense command’s Survivor outreach Services Holiday Party at the botanical gardens in Huntsville, nov. 22.


By JONATHAN STINSONAssistant editor [email protected]

Holidays can be hard. Sandra Bruno, Redstone’s military

and family life counselor, is working to make it easier.

“At this time of year, it is important to remember our military families and give them support as they may be experienc-

ing separation and loss from deployed loved ones,” she said.

The military and family life program is a free, confidential, non-documented, program for military families. It’s de-signed to remove some of the perceived barriers to counseling.

“So, that’s the unique thing about the military and family life counseling pro-gram. What we talk about, unless it’s abuse, homicidal, or suicidal, it stays

with me,” Bruno said. “It’s not docu-mented in the healthcare system.”

The program is for active duty Sol-diers, reservists and National Guard members and their families, along with Gold Star families.

Bruno offers help with things like anxiety, depression, communication and life skills, and covers parenting topics, deployment-related stress and coping skills, and she helps military members reintegrate back into the home after be-ing deployed.

“I see a lot of marital distress,” she said. “And, there again, it could be a Sol-dier reintegrating back into the home, or due to being deployed, they’ve forgot-ten how to communicate or sometimes things have changed at home.”

Bruno is also there to help the entire family and works from ages 3 and up.

“Sometimes children begin to act out because their parents are not around,” she said. “And, depending on the age of the child, they may not be able to com-municate that, they just know that mom-my’s gone.”

Bruno works at the Pershing Welcome Center, building 3443 on Aerobee Road.

Her number is 226-7317 and her email is [email protected].

“It’s OK to ask for help,” she said. “That’s why the Department of Defense has this program is because they want to support the Soldiers and their families. We want our families to enjoy their lives.

“I just think, a lot of times, families just wait too long before they say ‘I need help.’”

Counselor ready to help military families Community News

Photo by Jonathan Stinson Sandra bruno, military and family life counselor, works in the Pershing wel-come center, building 3443 on aerobee road.

December 4, 2019 Redstone Rocket 7Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of ExcellenceCommunity News

By KATIE DAVIS SKELLEYStaff writer/Social [email protected]

Need a gift for a friend, family mem-

ber or co-worker? The June M. Hughes Arts & Crafts

Center will create a custom ornament of any Redstone Arsenal organization logo. Small ornaments under three inches are $6 and large ornaments three inches and over are $8. The ornaments are available in engraved wood, engraved acrylic and sublimated.

Any Team Redstone logo can be digi-tized for this process. If the center does not have the logo on file, they will accept it in JPEG form. Not just limited to lo-gos, engraver Carl Bell can also create ornaments of photos.

“You can turn virtually any idea into an ornament,” Kate Kelly, manager of the June M. Hughes Arts & Crafts Cen-ter, said.

Kelly said the custom ornaments are what they strive to create at the center – unique products that cannot be found off post.

But don’t wait too late, the deadline to order for the 2019 holiday season is Dec. 12.

Kelly invites anyone with access to the

installation to stop by the center and or-der a personalized, unique ornament gift for the holiday season.

The June M. Hughes Arts & Crafts Center is at 3615 Vincent Drive, or call 876-7951 for more information.

Redstone Christmas ornaments await orders

Courtesy photoJune M. arts & crafts center is taking orders for custom team redstone orna-ments until Dec. 12.


By JONATHAN STINSONAssistant editor [email protected]

Preventing domestic violence and oth-er types of abuse can be difficult.

Many variables play a role in trigger-ing abusive situations, but there’s help available on Redstone.

“There are so many variables that cause triggers because our experiences are so unique and different. Therefore our triggers are unique and different as well,” Tim Rolfe, the Family Advocacy Program manager, said.

Each situation is unique, but Rolfe combats that by providing a variety of educational and awareness events throughout the year.

The program is part of Army Com-munity Service and serves active duty military, Reserve and National Guard members and their families.

The program will hold various lunch and learns and other events through-out the year like a personal safety class during Domestic Violence Awareness month in October and a 5K race in April

for Child Abuse Awareness month. One of the keys to prevention lies in

educating families on how to communi-

cate and manage their emotions, accord-ing to Rolfe.

“Healthy communication often times can prevent escalation,” he said. “It can prevent the situation from turning physical. If we’re learning to manage our stress, we’re less likely to engage in ag-gressive and violent behaviors.

“When we learn resiliency skills, we’re more likely to in stressful situations and not resort to, you know, the name-call-ing, degrading, the physical intimidation and violence.”

Another stressor Rolfe pointed out was differing parenting philosophies. Families can get help navigating those waters, too.

The victim advocate program has two ways a person can report abuse and get help.

The first is restricted reporting. According to Rolfe, when someone

chooses to report domestic violence under the guidelines of restricted re-porting, they can disclose the details of their assault to specific individuals like the victim advocate, medical provider or chaplain, and receive medical treatment, counseling, and other services, but this

type of reporting doesn’t require a report to command or law enforcement, which would trigger the investigation process.

Unrestricted reporting gives the same access to services to the victim, but it does inform command and law enforce-ment and trigger an investigation.

Rolfe said there is a victim advocate on staff to help people navigate those choices and find help.

There are several ways to reach out for assistance. Army Community Ser-vice is located at building 3443 on Aer-obee Road. Its main number is 842-8706. Other resources include Redstone po-lice, 876-2222 or 911; domestic violence victim advocate, 876-5397 (during duty hours) or 508-6613 (after hours); Fam-ily Advocacy, 842-8706; Military One Source, 800-342-9647; chaplain, 842-2964; or Behavioral Medicine, 876-9085.

“It takes a community to manage something as complex as family vio-lence,” Rolfe said. “Especially when you have a family that’s so interconnected, and then you have a situation that could potentially pull that family apart, it takes a community of support.”

Family advocate pushes healthy communication Community News

Photo by Jonathan Stinsontim rolfe manages programs for do-mestic violence prevention for the Fam-ily advocacy Program at redstone.


By SKIP VAUGHNRocket [email protected]

LAWTON, Okla. – Retired Sgt. 1st Class Tom Leon volunteers from noon to 4 p.m. every Tuesday at the armed forces lounge at the airport.

He welcomes the incoming Soldiers on their way to Fort Sill, where he spent much of his more than 20-year career. He can spot the ones who need directions and then he helps them. Leon can also pick out Soldiers who are absent with-out leave. He calls the military police phone number to have them taken away. Leon has caught five AWOL Soldiers with-in the past year.

Leon, who his former Army buddies call “the godfather of Lance” because of his age, 81, is planning to attend the 2020 Lance and MLRS Homecoming Celebration at Red-stone Arsenal.

“If the good Lord lets me, I’ll be in Huntsville, Alabama,” the Vietnam-era veteran said. “It’s only a 10-hour drive.”

The local event is tentatively scheduled Sept. 3-4. The 2021 reunion is in San Antonio, Texas.

Leon was drafted in 1962 and he initially specialized in Little John and Honest John rockets. After basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, he joined the 1st Cavalry Division in Korea. Some of his subsequent assignments included Fort Carson, Colo-rado, Okinawa, Germany and Greece.

He helped form the Army’s second Lance missile unit, the 3rd Battalion of the 79th Field Artillery, in Giessen, Germa-ny, from 1970-74. Lance was in the Army’s inventory from 1972-92. From 1976-79, Leon led an evaluation team for Lance firings while stationed on the island of Crete, Greece. He was the senior noncommissioned officer evaluator.

Retired Sgt. 1st Class John Williams, of San Antonio, is tentatively planning the 13th annual reunion event for Sep-tember in Huntsville.

Williams was a private first class when he first met Leon in 1979. Leon was evaluating Williams’ Lance assembly and transport section in Crete.

“Probably one of the nicest persons on Earth you’d ever want to meet and very professional,” Williams said of his friend.

Leon attended Williams’ second event in 2009 and he has been to most of the reunions. The two stay in touch.

“He stood out,” Williams said of meeting him for the first time as a Soldier. “Kind of a broad-shouldered guy. You couldn’t miss him. He was so technical. He just stood out.”

“I’m the oldest Lance missile veteran living. I’m 81,” Leon said. “They call me the godfather of Lance.”

In the late 1960s, he thought he was on his way to Viet-nam when he was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington. But the Army didn’t send him to Vietnam because his brother Dennis, three years older, was already there. Dennis served in Vietnam as an engineer Soldier from 1968-69 and retired as a first sergeant. He died five years ago.

Leon, like many service members during the unpopular Vietnam War, encountered people who called him names and berated him for his military service. The Little Falls, New York, native would just walk away from them.

“I don’t get in conflicts with idiots like that because they’re total idiots,” he said. “They never ate in the field. They don’t know what it’s all about, what we did. I don’t argue.

“I served my country. I’m proud of it. I wear my (veter-ans) hat. I get a lot of thank-you's from people. I get a lot of people who come up and shake my hand.”

He retired in 1982 at Fort Sill after more than 20 years of service and he resides in Lawton. He worked as a contractor for three years and then on the Fort Sill golf course before forming his own lawn service. He has been retired since 1992.

His wife of 53 years, Sarah, died in 2014. Leon has nine children, seven boys and two girls, 28 grandchildren and sev-en great-grandchildren.

He is a life member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans, and he is a fourth de-gree Knight of Columbus. He was a city councilman in Law-ton from 1994-95.

“We lost a lot of good Soldiers in Vietnam,” Leon said. “Once you lose a life, you feel for that comrade.”

He remembers escorting a fellow Soldier’s body from Fort Sill to his young comrade’s hometown in California in 1975. The Soldier had died in a traffic accident.

“You never leave a Soldier behind. You take him back home,” Leon said. “I was honored to do that. I wear a fallen Soldier pin on my hat.”

Editor’s note: This is the 248th in a series of articles about Vietnam veterans as the United States commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Lance missile ‘godfather’ keeps up with battle buddies

Vietnam revisitedPart 248 in series

Courtesy photovietnam-era veteran tom leon resides in lawton, okla.

Courtesy phototom leon, then a staff sergeant, was among the first Soldiers assigned to the lance missile system. lance was in the army’s inventory from 1972-92.

Community News


By KATIE DAVIS SKELLEYStaff writer/Social [email protected]

Looking back, Tom McKinney can see where it was a little suspicious that he was told to wear his dress blues to this year’s Veterans Dinner.

McKinney, both a volunteer with For-ever Young Senior Veterans in Alabama and an active member of Madison’s American Legion Post 229, dutifully donned his Marine uniform to attend the dinner with wife Sandra. Even after arriving and seeing the wide variety of attire, he did not suspect that his friends and fellow veterans had an ulterior mo-tive.

Then his name was announced as the

2019 Veteran of the Year.“I practically fell out of my chair when

I heard my name,” McKinney said with a laugh. “I did not know beforehand. Everybody in Forever Young Senior Vet-erans and everybody in the American Legion, lots of people knew and were emailing back in forth – and I was oblivi-ous! Nobody spilled the beans and that is kind of remarkable in and of itself.”

While McKinney had no idea that his volunteerism would be recognized, those around him had long taken note.

“Tom always steps forward to help his fellow veterans,” Post 229 Commander Larry Vannoy said. “There couldn’t be a better fit to lead our Americanism Com-mittee. His enthusiasm and pride in being a patriot veteran is contagious when en-gaging the youth in our sponsored pro-grams – be it running the county oratori-cal contest, making presentations to our sponsored JROTC programs or making awards to firefighter and police officer of the year.

“It was an honor working with the Forever Young Senior Veterans or-ganization to nominate Tom for this award. A humble man who doesn’t seek accolades, what is important to him is serving his fellow veterans and their families.”

McKinney exhibits that modesty when speaking about his award. To him, he was simply helping his friends and do-ing what he loved. Whether it is serving on Post 229’s Honor Guard or building a shadowbox to hold a veteran’s medals, each effort and every cause is equally im-portant.

“Tom McKinney never says no when one of his fellow veterans or our organi-zation needs him. His whole life is about service to others,” Forever Young Senior Veterans in Alabama’s Chris Batte said.

That service began in the Marine

Corps. During his years in uniform, McKinney completed two Vietnam tours in 1965 and 1966. For a long time McKinney did not speak of his time in Vietnam, the friends that he left there or the reception he received when he re-turned – or lack thereof.

“I came home to protests on every corner,” McKinney said. “Just recently in the past five, six, seven years or longer, the American people have started to re-alize, ‘these guys didn’t light that fire.’ … I didn’t talk about it for fifty years. My involvement in the veteran organizations I belong to – now we talk about it. Now I feel like I was welcomed home for the first time.

“The (Vietnam Veterans Memorial) Wall is phenomenally emotional for me. … Every name up there was a human just like me and you. And I know seven from my unit on that wall. I got inscrip-tions of their names when we did a trip

to Washington with Forever Young Se-nior Veterans. And that was quite a trea-sure.”

After leaving the Marines, McKinney and his family settled in Madison where he and Sandra started their own compa-ny building computer systems for public safety organizations and fire depart-ments. One could say that every stage of McKinney’s life has had a component of service – to his country, his community, its first responders and fellow veterans.

“I find that the veterans I meet, it doesn’t matter what conflict you were in, doesn’t matter what your job was – you could be a cook – it took a lot of differ-ent people to do a lot of different things. A certain allegiance and camaraderie ex-ists and builds a bond that is just there.”

McKinney has a close relationship with World War II veteran Sherwin Cal-lander, who he accompanies to veterans events. Callander was in on the Veteran of the Year secret.

“I am particularly fond of World War II veterans, I think for a couple of rea-sons,” McKinney said. “They are my fa-ther’s age – my father was in the military and has been gone for quite some time. And also, from a historical standpoint I really feel like that particular war had a great impact on us as a country, other-wise we might be speaking another lan-guage.”

As for the war that his generation fought, McKinney hopes to visit Viet-nam again and see the change and progress that has occurred in the half a century since his time in country. As for Veteran of the Year, he remains con-vinced that he isn’t worthier than his fel-low volunteers – but the recognition is definitely appreciated.

“Pretty big honor. I guess I’ll just have to keep doing it,” McKinney said with a smile.

Modest volunteer honored by his fellow veterans Community News

Photo by Eric Schultztom Mckinney accepts the award for veteran of the year at the 2019 veter-ans Dinner in november.

Photo by Eric Schultztom Mckinney and world war ii veteran Sherwin callander visit with garrison commander col. kelsey Smith, left, dur-ing the 2019 veterans Prayer break-fast.


By JOE MENDIOLACCDC Aviation & Missile Center Public Affairs

Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point have completed a capstone design and research project with the Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center Aviation Development Directorate-Eustis at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

The capstone program exists as a partnership between senior cadets at the acad-emy and Army organizations. Teams of three to six cadets design, build and test a mechanical device to support the sponsoring agency.

For the cadets supporting ADD-Eustis, the project was to find a way to monitor the condition of aircraft composites. On current Army aircraft, all damage is in-spected visually. With Future Vertical Lift as the Army’s No. 3 priority, the goal is to increase the maintenance-free operating period, or the time the aircraft is in service.

“Unlike metals, composites can live with a certain level of damage without having any catastrophic failure. (It) requires a new frame of mind – that we don’t necessarily have to fix everything the second we find it,” explained Delaney Jordan, Aviation & Missile Center aerospace engineer and capstone sponsor.

The idea is that work on less critical damage can wait until the aircraft undergoes a larger maintenance period, especially when the inspection process can be costly and time-consuming.

“A lot of times, there’s skin or instruments or parts that need to come off just so we can get in and look at the structure of the aircraft,” Lt. Col. Andrew Bellocchio, U.S. Military Academy department of civil and mechanical engineering assistant profes-sor, said. “How do we determine the structural health of an aircraft or components of an aircraft without that invasive, intrusive visual inspection?”

“It would be ideal if we could monitor damage, without having to inspect it vi-sually, and (instead) we could do it using cameras or using sensors of some kind,” Jordan said. “That was the topic that we put out to the cadet team.”

Cadets Dante Carrillo, Thomas Schuette and Anthony Villandre spent their first semester assessing different technology options and they decided to pursue a fiber optic solution. They built and tested a system during the second semester.

Their design placed fiber optic strain sensors between carbon fiber layers, which was cured to create a solid piece. The piece went through ballistic and drop testing to determine if the fiber strains can detect damage. Jordan said the team was also researching if damage to the sensor could be detected in real-time. She added that, no matter what, the project will be beneficial to ADD-Eustis in the future.

“There’s so much that you learn by doing something the first time and being the first one to do it. We hadn’t worked with this fiber optic composite system before,” Jordan said. “They were the first ones to do it, and getting to see what problems they ran into makes it a lot easier for us when we work with it because we don’t have to learn those lessons ourselves. We’re able to use what they (learned).”

That experience is happening Armywide. Twenty-six of the 32 West Point capstone projects involved one of the six Army modernization priorities.

Lt. Col James Bluman, director of the Center for Innovation and Engineering, which coordinates research at West Point with partners from across the Army and Department of Defense, said the academy is “very excited and grateful” to work with ADD-Eustis.

“It is especially valuable to work on problems for Army aviation since many of our cadets hope to become aviation officers, and they are very interested in supporting a technology that might make its way into Future Vertical Lift, such as the structural health monitoring project this last year,” Bluman said.

As a whole, the capstone program is a huge benefit for the sponsor, Bellocchio said. “For a relatively quick turnaround time – we’re talking one academic year or eight months or so – a project can be conceived, designed, built and tested, and pro-vided to the sponsor. In terms of contracting, that’s relatively quick,” he said.

“It’s a chance for the sponsor to explore an idea that maybe they don’t have dedi-cated funding for, or say ‘we’re just curious about this, let’s have a cadet team look at it’ and see if it looks promising,” Bellocchio said.

West Point cadets tackle aircraft monitor project MilitaryScene

year-rounD training aiMeD at StoPPing SSault Page 23karbler to leaD SPace anD MiSSile DeFenSe coMManD Page 24reSearcH center giveS HelPing HanD to MentorS Page 26leaDerSHiP DeveloPMent ProMoteS growtH Page 31Security enterPriSe aFter better Hiring ProceSS Page 32aviatorS, inDuStry converge at cribbinS SyMPoSiuM Page 33Strategic enterPriSe HelPS booSt PoliSH Military Page 34

In this section...

Courtesy photoFrom left, u.S. Military academy cadets anthony villandre, Dante carillo and thomas Schuette measure carbon fiber test pieces and place fiber optic sensors between them at Mahan Hall in the Department of civil and Mechanical engineer-ing at west Point in March. the composite piece is part of their capstone project in partnership with combat capabilities Development command aviation & Mis-sile center aviation Development Directorate-eustis.

20 Redstone Rocket December 4, 2019 Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of Excellence Military Scene

Pearl Harbor attack Dec. 7, 1941

353 Japanese aircraft from four heavy carriers launched a surprise at-tack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

2,403 U.S. personnel were killed, including 68 civilians.

19 U.S. Navy ships, including eight battleships, were destroyed or dam-aged.

3 aircraft carriers of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were out to sea on maneuvers. The Japanese were unable to locate them and were forced to return home with the U.S. carrier fleet intact.

Source: The National WWII Museum

By the numbers:


By JO ANITA MILEYGarrison Public Affairs

Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention is an Armywide effort to change a culture; and training is a huge part of it.

Redstone employees have an oppor-tunity to sign up to receive the required mandatory annual Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention train-ing that is being offered from January through September at various locations on post.

Larry Gray, Sexual Assault Response Program coordinator for the Garrison, helps coordinate the yearly SHARP training schedule. The training, open to Soldiers, civilians or contractors as-signed to Redstone, provides informa-tion about sexual assault and sexual harassment and educates employees on how to prevent sexual violence.

The Sexual Harassment/Assault Re-sponse Prevention program’s mission is to reduce, with an aim toward eliminat-ing, sexual offenses within the Army. SHARP training is focused on awareness and prevention and speaks to a serious issue in the Army. Gray said the over-arching goal for the SHARP program is to reduce the stigma of reporting and increase prevention, investigation and prosecution capabilities while ensuring protection of sexual assault victims from retaliation and threats. It is the Army’s policy to use training, education and awareness to prevent sexual harassment/assault; promote sensitive handling of victims; offer victim assistance and coun-seling; and provide timely and thorough investigation of all reported incidents.

“I have worked with victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault in both the civilian and military populations. So I know this is not a preferred subject for everyone, and it’s a challenging task to administer the training. However, it’s a very important subject for the Army,” Gray said. “This training is about chang-ing the culture and the behavior within the federal government. Sexual assault is a serious crime that has no place in the Army, and will not be condoned or tol-erated.”

Gray said sometimes it’s a challenge to relate training built for Soldiers to the civilian workforce. That’s why his office is working hard to fully integrate the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Re-sponse and Prevention program within the civilian working environment and

get buy-in. Gray and Stephanie Young, a victim

advocate for Redstone Arsenal, work to-gether to support survivors and prevent sexual violence year-round. He stressed how important it is for organizations to move beyond thinking SHARP is a topic that can only emphasized once a year during Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in April. Tak-ing the mandatory training each year is just a start. Sexual violence is an ongo-ing problem that requires a continuous effort.

Each Army organization on Redstone is required to have a SHARP program manager, who facilitates a year-round program to raise awareness on the prob-lems with sexual harassment/assault in the workplace, and teach employees how to prevent it and report it. They also provide support for the sexual assault re-sponse coordinators and victims’ advo-cates within their organization.

Rachel Arceneaux, Sexual Assault Re-sponse Program coordinator and instruc-tor at Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center, is responsible for the SHARP program at her organization. She also partners with other Redstone professionals to facilitate the postwide SHARP training.

Arceneaux emphasized the impor-tance of leaders making sure the em-ployees within their organizations are taken care of. Her team has implemented a monthly SHARP physical spot check to ensure the work environment is free

of anything offensive in nature that may become a problem for employees. There is an added focus on their employees be-ing able to correlate SHARP with other topics such as domestic violence and alcohol abuse and prevention. She also distributes SHARP posters with focused preventive measures and shares monthly “SHARP Tips” to the center’s workforce to ensure that SHARP remains an inte-gral topic within the organization.

Gray has implemented a yearlong campaign to raise awareness on the im-pact of sexual violence within the Red-stone workforce. Beginning in January, he is presenting silhouettes (in the Red-stone Rocket) of people who live or work here who have been personally impacted by sexual violence.

“Victims will have an opportunity to help others by sharing their stories. This is just another way that we are working to support survivors and prevent sexual violence,” Gray said. “One of the biggest mistakes many persons make is to as-sume this topic doesn’t affect them or the people around them. They don’t realize this problem may be a lot closer to them. They don’t stop to think that their fam-ily member, friend, co-worker – the per-son sitting next to them may be a victim of sexual harassment or sexual assault. Both can happen to anyone, at any time. The Redstone Arsenal SHARP teams strive to be agents of change.”

The Team Redstone fiscal 2020 SHARP training schedule includes the following:

Jan. 21 at 8:30 a.m. in Bob Jones Audi-torium by the Army Materiel Command SHARP team

Jan. 22 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Toftoy Hall by the CCDC Aviation & Missile Center SHARP team

Feb. 20 at 8:30 a.m. at Toftoy Hall by the CCDC Aviation & Missile Center SHARP team

Feb. 27 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. by the Garrison SHARP team

March 11 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Garrison SHARP team

March 19 at 8:30 a.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Security Assistance Command SHARP team

April 1 at 8:30 a.m. in Bob Jones Audi-torium by the Army Materiel Command SHARP team

May 21 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Garrison SHARP team

June 18 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Garrison SHARP team

July 16 at 8:30 a.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Security Assistance Command SHARP team

Aug. 20 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Garrison SHARP team

Sept. 10 at 8:30 a.m. in Bob Jones Au-ditorium by the Army Materiel Com-mand SHARP team

Sept. 17 at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Toftoy Hall by the Garrison SHARP team

Year-round training aimed at stopping sexual assault Military Scene


the command in support of the U.S. Space Command.“I came here in the beginning with my background in missile defense and com-

manding a few of those units at various levels in the Army, and I came in here with a critical eye asking why we do certain things and why certain organizations are where they are in the command. Then I came back to ask where do they fit in with the rest of the Army and how does that help us move into the future.”

Dickinson said SMDC headquarters is geographically split and it is responsible for the entire Army space enterprise within the command, both which make it a unique organization.

“We are responsible for not only the operational piece but also the institutional side,” he said. “So having those two functions within the same command has really shown me during the past three years that we are very agile and we can go very quick-ly from doctrine; tactics, techniques and procedure development; to implementation of that in the operational force.”

For example, Dickinson listed several areas he takes pride in including the success-ful launch of Flight Test Ground-Based Interceptor; his role as Army air and missile defense leader; the publication of the Army’s AMD 2028; the command’s role in Army hypersonics; launch of the Kestrel Eye small satellite; SMDC’s directed energy accomplishments; Army Space Training Strategy; and the standup of the Army’s first Satellite Operations Brigade.

In relation to those successes, the general said that the most valuable assets at SMDC are its Soldiers, civilians and family members, and that the mission accom-plished by the SMDC team on a daily basis protects the joint warfighter and defends the homeland.

“This is a very diverse organization,” he said. “It never ceases to amaze me that with all the civilians I meet every day, I still haven’t met them all. I am always im-pressed with how talented they are and how passionate they are in the work they do, because they ultimately know that it supports the Soldiers who defend our nation.

“Our Soldiers never cease to impress me, whether they are space Soldiers, missile defense Soldiers or any Soldier in the Army. They all have incredible stories and they all do incredible things for our nation. I thank them very much for what they do each and every day. We have enjoyed meeting the Soldiers and civilians who make up this

organization who are located around the world doing things at all times of day or night. They do a great job.”

Dickinson said the command’s military and civilian family members are equally important to the command.

“Every civilian and Soldier who works for us has to have a very strong family standing behind them,” he said. “We have many of those families today.”

Besides leading SMDC at Redstone Arsenal, Dickinson has served in numerous command and staff assignments, both overseas and in the continental United States. Places he has served include Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Germany, Korea, Ala-bama, Hawaii, Nebraska, Texas, the Pentagon and others.

Dickinson said he was honored to be named the USSPACECOM deputy and proud to represent the Army in this new role. He said he could not have had a better job to prepare him for his new role at USSPACECOM.

“In the past year-and-a-half we have been an integral part of all of the space plan-ning efforts that happened at USSTRATCOM and at the Department of Defense,” Dickinson said. “I couldn’t have had a better opportunity to understand the new domain that we are protecting.

“This has been the most professionally rewarding job I have ever had. Only former commanding generals of this organization really understand what that means. This command does so many different things, in so many different areas, with so many different types of experts that it took me probably a year and a half to really get my arms around all of the different things we do. From the science and technology out of the Technical Center to all of the institutional functions out of the Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence to the operations we do at the 1st Space Brigade and the new Satellite Operations Brigade. And then on top of that you add in the 100th Missile Defense Brigade with the 300 Soldiers protecting the 300 million Americans, we are probably the most unique Army service component command the Army has.”

Dickinson said it has been both rewarding and challenging to command SMDC’s various mission support elements.

“I want to thank everybody who is in this command for what they do every day,” he said. “They have made my wife, Angie, and I better people as we leave here because we have had the opportunity to meet so many of them and interact with them. We wish we could stay longer but the Army says it is time to move on. We are certainly excited about what will come in the future for this command. I know this command will become more and more significant to not only the Army but to the joint force as the years go by.”

FrontierContinued from page 1

Military Scene

By RONALD BAILEYSpace and Missile Defense Command Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. Daniel Karbler has been confirmed by the Senate for appointment to lieutenant general and for assignment as commander of the Space and Missile Defense Command.

The promotion and subsequent change of command is scheduled Friday at Redstone Arsenal.

Currently serving as special assistant to the commander of Army Materiel Command, Karbler brings more than 30 years of leadership and technical experi-ence to the job, particularly air defense artillery, joint command and staff as-signments, and test and evaluation.

His recent assignments include: chief of staff, U.S. Strategic Command; com-mander of Test and Evaluation Com-mand; director, Joint and Integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff G8; commander of 94th Air and Missile

Defense Command; and commandant, Army Air Defense School.

Karbler is succeeding Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, who took command of the organization in January 2017 and will become the first deputy commander for the newly activated U.S. Space Com-mand.

Karbler to lead Space and Missile Defense Command

Maj. gen. Daniel karbler

Currently serving as special assistant to the commander

of Army Materiel Command, Karbler brings more than 30 years of leadership and technical experience to the job, particularly air defense artillery, joint command and staff assignments, and test

and evaluation.

26 Redstone Rocket December 4, 2019 Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of Excellence Military Scene

By AMY TOLSON CCDC Aviation & Missile Center Public Affairs

Even mentoring programs need a little guidance from time to time.Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center Execu-

tive Director Juanita Christensen met with Army Contracting Command-Redstone personnel Nov. 18 to share best practices and lessons learned when it comes to man-aging a mentorship program. ACC-Redstone will officially stand up its mentorship program Jan. 6; the meeting served as the launch for the program’s mentors.

“You will have challenges with it,” Christensen said. “I’m telling you – mentoring is challenging, but it is so rewarding. I look at a lot of the people that I mentored and I see where their career has gone. My goal, my measure of success, is not about me, it is about where I see my team members going. That’s how I measure success.”

Aviation & Missile Center established a center-sponsored mentoring program in 2014 and has since assisted other Redstone Arsenal organizations in standing up similar programs. Best practices and tips Christensen shared with the ACC-Redstone group included ensuring participants understand what mentoring is and what it is not; that mentors review and offer recommendations on their mentee’s resume and individual development plan; and that the program include a variety of activities, such as a lecture series, mock interviews, tours or breakfast meetings.

“When you’re looking at mentoring you can open up the door broader than just talking to someone across the table,” said Christensen, who wrote her doctoral dis-sertation on mentorship.

Twenty-eight mentors and 32 mentees are participating in ACC-Redstone’s men-torship program. Over the course of the next few weeks, mentors and mentees will be paired with each other. Once the program officially kicks off in January, the pairings will meet for an hour each month through June.

“Aside from the benefits that the mentees will receive and the benefits that you will receive as being a mentor, the center will receive benefits as well,” said Stephen Hayes, ACC-Redstone director for space, missile defense and special programs. “We believe it will increase retention. We believe it will have a positive impact on the performance of employees. Most importantly, we believe it will enhance the growth and develop-ment of our future leaders at ACC-Redstone.”

ACC-Redstone is a major contracting center of the Army Contracting Command. ACC-Redstone is the largest contacting center in the Army. ACC-Redstone’s civilians and Soldiers support Soldiers worldwide by contracting for major weapon system production, sub-systems and services vital to the Soldiers’ mission and well-being. Joseph Giunta is the executive director and senior contracting official for the center.

Research center gives helping hand to mentors

Photo by Amy Tolsonangela williams, branch chief, workforce development, for army contracting command-redstone, speaks to employees who will serve as mentors in the com-mand’s mentoring program, which will become fully functional in January.

Photo by Amy Tolsoncombat capabilities Development command aviation & Missile center executive Director Juanita christensen speaks to army contracting command-redstone members about the benefits and challenges of running an employee mentorship program.

December 4, 2019 Redstone Rocket 31Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of ExcellenceMilitary Scene

By GINA BALTRUSCHAviation and Missile Command Public Affairs

With graduation in sight, participants in the 2019 Intermediate Leader Investment for Tomorrow program met with the Aviation and Missile Command’s deputy to the commanding general Nov. 26 to reflect on their leadership development experience.

Bill Marriott encouraged candid feedback about the program that could be con-sidered in making improvements for future iLIFT participants.

“We always need to be looking at our programs and processes, and assess them for effectiveness,” Marriott told the group. “You have to foster a work environment in which employees feel empowered to make suggestions to improve things if you want an organization to change and grow.”

The iLIFT program, hosted by AMCOM’s G1 Training and Career Management Division, began in 2005 and is open to applicants from all federal agencies on Red-stone Arsenal in positions equivalent to GS-11 through GS-13. Since its inception, successive AMCOM commanders and deputy commanders, along with a host of other senior leaders across Redstone Arsenal, have supported and grown the pro-gram to meet the needs of Army civilian leader readiness.

Leadership training includes time management, public speaking, communications, self-awareness and development exercises, networking and more, according to Tom Olszowy, who coordinates the iLIFT program for AMCOM. Classes also work on projects that allow them to practice leadership skills within a group.

Twenty-seven iLIFT participants from organizations across Redstone will gradu-ate Dec. 11 at Toftoy Hall’s auditorium.

For more information about LIFT and other leadership-development opportuni-ties, contact your organization’s training coordinator.

Leadership development promotes organizational growth

Photo by Gina Baltrusch aviation and Missile command Deputy to the commanding general bill Marriott meets with intermediate leader investment for tomorrow program participants nov. 26 to get input to benefit future classes.

By Criminal Investigation Command Public Affairs

QUANTICO, Va. – As part of the Criminal Investigation Command’s continued effort to recruit the best of the best to become special agents, CID is seeking military police investigators from Career Management Field 31 to become CID special agent warrant officers.

“The MPIs possess valued training, investigated skills and experience,” CID’s Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joel Fitz, who served as an MPI early in his Army career, said. “These Soldiers will undoubtedly bring a lot to the fight and have a positive impact on CID’s highly-skilled teams by providing what they have learned from the Military Police Corps. MPIs are strongly encouraged to take the next step and take advantage of this career growing opportunity by applying now.”

The application timeframe begins in December and runs through May 2021. Ap-proved applications will be considered by warrant officer accession boards convening in fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021. Qualified MPI applicants are encouraged to coordinate with the USACIDC Recruiting Operations Cell at [email protected] to speak with the USACIDC recruiting team regarding questions about the process and to start the application process.

Eligible applicants must be Regular Army Soldiers who hold Military Occupa-tional Specialty 31B or 31E in the ranks of staff sergeant, staff sergeant (promot-able), and sergeant first class (nonpromotable). They are required to have completed V5 training at the Army Military Police School and have at least two years of inves-tigative experience in the past four years, according to Military Personnel Message 19-346, MPI Application Requirements for Appointment to CID Warrant Officer (MOS 311A). Upon completion of the required military and law enforcement train-ing, the Soldiers will qualify for appointment to warrant officer as a 311A. Agents receive training at the USAMPS and advanced training in a wide range of special-ized investigative disciplines.

“CID agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers who investigate felony crimes with an Army nexus,” Thomas Seaman, chief, Special Agent Management

Division, and retired CID special agent, said. “Our highly trained special agents re-ceive some of the most state-of-the-art law enforcement training in the world today.”

CID special agents routinely work closely with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to solve serious crimes of corruption, fraud, homicide, sexual assault, cybercrimes and drug trafficking. They also provide protective services to high ranking DOD and Army officials.

Once individuals become CID special agents, opportunities exist to become foren-sic science officers, digital forensic examiners or even polygraph examiners. There are many other professional opportunities for career growth within CID.

For questions about application procedures, see MILPER 19-346, MPI Appli-cation Requirements for Appointment to CID Warrant Officer (MOS 311A), or contact the CID Special Agent Management Division ROC team at [email protected] 571-305-4348/4369/4337/4112.

CID recruiting special agent warrant officers


By Security Assistance Command Public Affairs

For the Security Assistance Command, its greatest asset is its people – the Soldiers and civilians who serve as the Army’s Face to the World – executing a foreign military sales process that builds partner capacity in support of Army readiness.

Because people are the center of gravity to achieving USASAC mission priorities, the hiring process is critical to maintaining a workforce that requires knowledge and skills that range from military supply, logistics, and transportation, to resource man-agement and cultural awareness.

A new hiring policy and an updated hiring handbook were developed at the re-quest and direction of USASAC’s Commander Maj. Gen. Jeff Drushal. The update was based on employee feedback, an employee “Get After It” working group (work-force volunteers who addressed various 2018 Command Climate Survey issues), and three different reviews of the command’s previous policy.

The three reviews included: self-identification from the workforce responses on its 2018 Command Climate Survey, a technical review through Lean Six Sigma, and a comprehensive external review from its higher headquarters, Army Materiel Com-mand.

“The updated policy will help build trust throughout the command,” Drushal said. “People are our strategic advantage, and we will invest the time and resources needed to hire in an equitable, effective and efficient manner. We will apply fair, consistent, impartial and transparent techniques throughout the hiring process.”

Rick Calnon, director of USASAC’s Human Resources office, said all three re-views helped to build the new policy and hiring handbook. The responses and fo-cus on the command climate issues joined with the technical review by a USASAC Lean Six Sigma team that strenuously evaluated issues and provided recommended courses of action for senior leadership.

“When this was followed by an external review from AMC, it really validated our findings,” Calnon said.

The policy maintains the same standards for hiring at all levels based on the merit

system principles and explicitly forbids prohibited personnel practices as defined by the Office of Personnel Management. It also sets what Calnon refers to as the three “Cs” all hiring selections will be based on: competencies, character and communica-tion.

The only variables in the policy correspond to the selecting and approving officials for grade levels; for example, the approving officials for all GS-13s and above are the deputy to the commanding general or the commanding general. And while all hiring panels have the exact same requirements for panel members and execution of the process, the policy emphasizes “the judicious use of hiring panels as instructed by the secretary of the Army.”

“We are really proud of the policy because it addresses the legal, ethical and moral aspects of hiring,” Calnon said.

Calnon also emphasized its transparency. “We are making the hiring policy and handbook available to anyone and everyone, meaning those external to the com-mand and to those already in our workforce. There should be no questions on how we are doing this, and we want every applicant to be competitive and know the pro-cess is exactly the same for every candidate,” he said.

The hiring handbook, which complements the hiring policy, is a reference tool for employees, especially if they are asked to sit on a hiring panel for an open position within the command.

“The handbook will help to educate current and potential employees about the fair hiring process” at USASAC, Calnon said.

He envisions these new processes will have a “RIPPLE effect” throughout the command having the Right Individual at the Proper Place with a Lasting Effect.

Calnon credits Drushal and his “Get after it” Command Climate Survey working group with driving many of the issues for the update that allowed multiple reviews and buy-in to ensure a legal, ethical and moral basis for hiring actions.

“Our strategy is not only to hire the best people, but to keep them,” Calnon said. “Our intent is build a climate of trust and transparency, and the best place to start is with your hiring policy.”

Security enterprise gets after better hiring process Military Scene


By MILES BROWN Aviation and Missile Command Public Affairs

Leaders from across the Army’s aviation enterprise gathered with key industry

representatives to identify solutions for some of the most challenging sustainment is-sues facing today’s Army aviators during the 47th annual Cribbins Aviation Product Support Symposium Nov 20-21 at the Von Braun Center.

The theme for this year’s Army Aviation Association of America symposium was “Sustainment of Army Aviation in Multi-Domain Operations.” The AAAA’s Ten-nessee Valley chapter hosted the event with help from Aviation and Missile Com-mand, Program Executive Office for Aviation, Army Futures Command and indus-try partners.

AMCOM Commander Maj. Gen. Todd Royar highlighted some of the challenges facing AMCOM and the Army in an ever-changing and complex world during his address at the symposium.

“The reality is we need more ‘trigger-pullers’ to go out there and fight the fight,” he said. “If we can reduce the logistics burden, we have an opportunity to have more trigger-pullers.”

Royar discussed the Army aviation enterprise sustainment objectives and existing sustainment gaps. These gaps range from issues with aviation enterprise synchro-nization and reporting to expeditionary sustainment solutions and training. Royar drilled-down to some of the underlying issues for nine sustainment process gaps identified by an aviation enterprise cross-functional team over the last year. He also addressed industry representatives in the audience to solicit their help to reduce these gaps.

Throughout Royar’s discussion on sustainment strategy needs, he identified op-portunities for industry to help the Army reduce Soldiers’ maintenance burden, ex-pand test and tooling commonality and improve performance to promise rates across the aviation enterprise.

“We have a lot of work to do, and it is my job to lead the aviation sustainment community through the challenges, in conjunction with the rest of the aviation lead-ership, and all go down the same path together,” he said.

A recurring theme on both days of the symposium was the importance of identify-ing sustainment requirements early when the Army starts the process of procuring new aircraft. Both the Program Executive Officer for Aviation, Maj. Gen. Thomas Todd, and the Director of Army Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team, Brig. Gen. Walter Rugan, stressed this theme during their presentations.

The key, according to Royar, is to keep aviation sustainment front and center as the Army continues to develop strategies for Multi-Domain Operations.

“There are decisions to be made about tradeoffs of time, resources and priorities, but we want to make sure sustainment is not forgotten,” said Royar, who is also the Army airworthiness authority. “We need to make sure sustainment stays at the fore-front in every decision, along with all the other parameters, to ensure Army readi-ness. The enduring Army aviation systems are going to be in service for a while, and we need everyone’s help to reduce the Soldier’s burden and give commanders more time to use the aircraft. Ultimately it is about that Soldier in the field and enabling Army readiness.”

Gary Nenninger, president of the Tennessee Valley chapter, said Huntsville is the perfect place to hold this annual event.

“Redstone Arsenal is now the home of Army aviation development, engineering, testing, acquisition and sustainment,” Nenninger said. “What we do here is focus on those things needed to advance Army aviation readiness and sustainment. The objec-tive from the start of these meetings is to bring operators from the field together with the Redstone community to address readiness and sustainment with industry. There is a passion about aviation in this community, and this (event) is an opportunity for open discussions with industry to find solutions that address Army aviation needs.”

The Cribbins two-day symposium is one of several professional forums available to Army aviators in Huntsville annually. AMCOM hosted more than 200 aviators during AMCOM 101 in August. The professional forum gave Army general officers, combat aviation brigade commanders, aviation maintenance and supply officers, se-nior noncommissioned officers and other personnel the opportunity to learn how AMCOM can help them remain combat-ready.

Aviators, industry converge at Cribbins symposiumMilitary Scene

Photo by Miles Brown aMcoM commander Maj. gen. todd royar addresses attendees at the 47th an-nual cribbins aviation Product Support Symposium in Huntsville, nov. 21.


By ADRIANE ELLIOTSecurity Assistance Command Public Affairs

In support of its security coopera-tion objectives, the United States has inked an agreement to sell mobile rocket launchers to one of its staunchest allies.

Poland purchased a $411 million for-eign military sales total package that includes M142 High Mobility Artil-lery Rocket Systems, Unitary Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems Pods, Army Tactical Missiles Systems Pods, Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems and Humvees.

The purchase was made through the Army’s main executor of foreign mili-tary sales – the Security Assistance Com-mand – and it’s one of many examples of the longstanding U.S.-Polish partner-ship.

This recent case, combined with Po-land’s $4.6 billion FMS purchase of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 last year, is a significant boon to the nation’s wide-ly touted military modernization plan.

The Patriot is one of the most pow-erful air defense missile systems in the world and its purchase marks Poland’s largest military procurement ever.

“Not only were we able to execute these really major cases with our close ally and partner, but it was done in an extraordinary timeframe,” Edmond Be-dard, a USASAC country program man-ager, said.

Bedard said the request was officially submit-ted in October and a letter of offer and acceptance was finalized by USASAC 71 days later. According to Bedard, the standard timeline for similar cases is about 150 days.

“This is a win-win for everyone. Not only does this acquisition help our part-ners modernize their armed forces and defend their borders, but it helps stabilize

the region and contributes to interoper-ability with the U.S. and other NATO partners during coalitions operations,” he said.

With a volatile Russia on its eastern flank, Poland has stepped up its efforts to acquire more advanced weapons and

expand its defense capabilities. Along with NATO allies, thousands of U.S. troops routinely rotate in and out of Po-land. And those numbers are expected to rise.

In June, after a year of negotiations, President Donald Trump and Polish An-drzej Duda signed an agreement that will increase the rotating troop numbers and infrastructure.

Trump noted that the agreement will continue to enhance our security co-operation and that Poland will provide basing and infrastructure to support military presence of an additional 1,000 U.S. troops. He also said the Polish gov-ernment will fund the projects at no cost to the U.S.

Then acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said this “enhanced bilateral cooperation in security will deepen our Polish-American partnership, which is vital to addressing today’s current threats and challenges.”

Strong U.S.-Polish relations date back

to the American Revolution when Pol-ish citizens like Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski aided the U.S. cause. America was the first country to recog-nize an independent Poland in 1919.

Since then, Poland has contributed to operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, as well as operations against ISIS, along with hosting a multitude of military exercises and forums to promote peace in the Middle East and throughout the world.

Once a recipient of U.S. Agency for International Development funds, Po-land is now a provider of assistance to other countries in the region.

“There’s no doubt that our shared his-tory of military cooperation has helped secure the region, provided deterrence and ensured democracy and sovereign-ty,” Bedard said. “This partnership has been beneficial for both nations as we help secure one another and our global allies.”

Strategic enterprise helps boost Polish military Military Scene

Photo by Sgt. Timothy Masseyu.S. and Polish Soldiers conduct water survival training during day one of the water Survival course hosted by 15th Mecha-nized brigade in gizycko, Poland, aug. 12.


I just finished watching something special in sports.This was a performance worth savoring.Lamar Jackson just put on a show in his Monday Night Football debut. The Balti-

more Ravens quarterback threw five touchdown passes in a 45-6 romp over the Rams on Nov. 25 in Los Angeles.

He dazzled with his arm. He dazzled with his legs. Jackson was Action Jackson personified.

On this night he looked like the greatest quarterback ever. I was nervous when he was still in the game with a 35-6 lead in the third quarter. I didn’t want to see him get hurt.

Finally he left the game after his fifth touchdown pass. He made a believer out of me and probably the same for most NFL fans.

Jackson, who won the Heisman Trophy at Louisville, is my new favorite player for my new favorite team. I hope he leads the Ravens to the Super Bowl and wins the MVP award.

Action Jackson is the real deal

Win orLose

your glory DayS in SPortS Page 39baSketball SeaSon rollS uP witH new teaMS Page 39no HolDing back tHoSe lSu tigerS Page 40

In this section...

From the sidelinesBy Skip VaughnRocket editor


Matt Pensa was playing in Marshall’s soccer league last year when he heard about softball.

So he told his friends about it and put together the Brew Crew team which played this year in the softball league. They went on to compete in the newly-organized flag football league as the Trashed Pandas team.

The Trashed Pandas won the flag foot-ball championship by beating No Punt Intended 30-19 on Nov. 21 at the Army football field on Patton Road.

“It’s been fun so far,” Pensa said of their successful first year in Marshall Space Flight Center sports. “We all love being active so it’s nice to be able to play organized sports.”

Pensa and his friends work for vari-ous Department of Defense contractors. Many had played sports in high school.

“Every new sport that’s come up ev-eryone’s been interested in playing,” he said.

Pensa was the team captain for soft-ball, flag football and now basketball. He and teammate Chase Pendley both played at Austin High School. Deacon Aldridge, the flag football quarterback, won a state title at quarterback for Hartselle High. Hunter Olive and Nick Haas went to Madison Academy. Scott Montgomery is from Mississippi. Myles Kelley and Trey Jensen are also from out

of state. Michael McCreless and Kyle Mann went to Grissom High.

“I rounded a bunch of the guys up to make a softball team,” Pensa said. The Brew Crew competed in Division A. As the Trashed Pandas, the same guys won the inaugural flag football championship and they’ll compete in the basketball

season scheduled to start this week.“Some of us are co-workers. I grew up

with a couple of the guys. So it’s kind of a group of friends from all over I guess that ended up working on base,” Pensa said.

Additions to their basketball team include Joe Keywood, a Georgia native

who works at Dynetics and played soccer at the University of Alabama in Hunts-ville. At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, he’ll play center. Colby Crossfield, of Tele-dyne Brown Engineering, played basket-ball at Madison Academy. Forrest Ford, of Torch Technologies, went to Austin High with Pensa and Pendley.

Trashed Pandas enjoy banner rookie year

Photo by Patrick Fussellthe flag football champion trashed Pandas include, from left, Hunter olive, Scott Montgomery, Matt Pensa, Myles kelley, kyle Mann, chase Pendley, Michael Mccreless, nick Haas and Deacon aldridge. not shown is trey Jensen.

December 4, 2019 Redstone Rocket 39Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of ExcellenceWin or Lose

Last year’s Marshall basketball season started late because of the government shutdown.

But the 2019 season is scheduled to start this week with 11 teams, including two newcomers, at the Marshall Wellness Center.

The Mavericks won the 2018-19 Divi-sion A championship and finished un-

beaten at 17-0. The Division B champion was 2Slow4Show. Marske & Crutch took Division C.

This year’s teams include the Maver-icks, Space Jam, Almost SemiPro, Blous-es, Court Controllers, Hard Knox, Hot Cheese Soup, Marske & Crutch, Mon-stars, RTC and the Trashed Pandas.

Basketball season rolls up with new teams

Photo by Skip Vaughnwyatt brandt scores for the Mavericks during a game against almost SemiPro, March 25 at the Marshall wellness center.

Your glory days in sportsBy SKIP VAUGHNRocket [email protected]

What is the highlight of your athletic endeavors?

“I started running, jogging, at age 40,” Roger Kroes, retired NASA physicist,

said. “And I ran several years in the Cotton Row (10K) and a couple of the other races – the Winter Winds (4 mile) and others. I ran half of the Rocket City Mara-thon about 1985. I’m 84 so I stopped running about the mid-‘90s. I’ve been retired but I come out to the Marshall Wellness Center about three times a week. The nice part about it is I meet retired friends out here almost all the time and that gives us encouragement. They’re also NASA retirees.”

Kroes, from Racine, Wisconsin, re-tired from Marshall Space Flight Cen-ter in 2000 with 32 years of service and he resides in Madison. His daughter, Katherine Rigby, and four grandsons also live in Madison. He enjoys read-ing, working on his computer, going to the gym and photography. Kroes roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Photo by Skip VaughnnaSa retiree roger kroes visits the Marshall wellness center about three times each week.

40 Redstone Rocket December 4, 2019 Redstone Arsenal: Federal Center of Excellence Win or Lose


Skip’s Picks were 428-151 for 74% af-ter 14 weeks. Here are my predictions this week in college football:

Georgia at LSU – LSUBaylor at Oklahoma – OklahomaHawaii at Boise State – Boise State Utah at Oregon – UtahLouisiana at App. St. – App. St.Miami (Ohio) at C. Mich. – C. Mich.UAB at FAU – UABCincinnati at Memphis – CincinnatiVirginia at Clemson – ClemsonOhio St. at Wisconsin – Ohio St.

No holding back those LSU Tigers

Photo by Skip Vaughn

Space Station Spikers rule Mikayla Kockler serves for the Space Station Spikers during the Division A volleyball tournament at Marshall Wellness Center. The Spikers won their third con-secutive title Nov. 21 by beating KAOS 25-13, 25-17.


Sergeants major associationThe Redstone Arsenal Sergeants Major Association conducts a monthly meeting

every third Thursday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Garrison build-ing 4488, conference room D-101. The meetings are open to all E-9 ranks, from all services -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard. Membership into the association is $20 for a one-year membership, $50 for a three-year membership and $100 for a lifetime membership. “We encourage all active, retired, reserve and National Guard senior Soldiers to come out and join us,” a prepared release said. “Let’s try and make a difference in the lives of the Soldiers, families and retirees in the Tennessee Valley area.” For information visit www.redstonesma.org and www.facebook.com/redstonesma.

toastmasters club Are you interested in improving your public speaking skills or learning to effective-

ly organize a speech? If so, Toastmasters International can assist. Strategic Speakers Toastmasters Club 6054 meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in building 4488, conference room D-254. For more in-formation, call Claudinette Purifoy 651-3621 or email [email protected]. Last year the club achieved the highest distinguished club rating available in Toastmasters, President’s Distinguished Club.

Hi-noon toastmastersHi-Noon Toastmasters invites you to visit as their guest any Tuesday at 11:50 a.m.

at the First Baptist Church, 600 Governors Drive, in room 343. Visiting is free. Toast-masters enables you to practice public speaking, improve your communication and build leadership skills.

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Protestant women of chapel Protestant Women of the Chapel is a place where women can seek God and con-

nect with each other through Bible study, prayer and friendship. Redstone Arsenal PWOC meets Thursdays at 930 a.m. and 6 p.m. throughout the school year. For more information, call Bicentennial Chapel 842-2173 or connect with the group on Facebook at www.FB.com/PWOCRSA.

Premier Providers club The Premier Providers, Toastmasters Club 05606202, meets on the second and

fourth Wednesdays of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Army Ma-teriel Command, headquarters building 4400 on Martin Road, Suite A1SE050-A1SE052. Employees can earn 1 CPE for every hour of training. Officers include president Rontario Hicks, vice president for education Lt. Col. Burt Fisher and area director Lisa Owens. For more information, call Marticia Banks-Booker 450-6738 or 690-7385.

Military and civilians clubThe Redstone Arsenal Military and Civilians Club meets for a luncheon on the

second Tuesday of each month, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Summit. For more information, visit http://rsamcc.org/activities/luncheons/. Reservation is required by the Friday prior to the luncheon, and can be made by emailing the reservations chair at [email protected]. The goals of RSA MCC include fostering and preserving good fellowship; providing educational, cultural and fun activities for its membership while maintaining its military roots; and empowering members through camaraderie and networking. RSA MCC is open to everyone connected to Redstone Arsenal with independent gate access who wish to promote community assistance and support community activities through fundraising.

40 and 8 veterans group Founded in 1920, the 40 and 8 veterans organization draws its origin from WWI

where Soldiers were transported via French boxcars which could hold 40 men or

eight horses. Remembering the close brotherhood of those days, the 40 and 8 was formed. Locale 1012 meets at 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at American Legion Post 237 on Drake Avenue. They also have a women’s auxiliary. All veterans with an honorable separation (DD 214) are eligible to join.

engineer society Huntsville Post of the Society of American Military Engineers meets on the sec-

ond Thursday of each month at the Redstone Federal Credit Union, 220 Wynn Drive. For more information, call Ted Foster 799-0262 or email [email protected].

Marine corps league The Brandon-Wilbourn Marine Corps League Detachment 820 has a monthly

meeting every second Saturday at noon at the American Legion Post 237, 2900 Drake Ave. Detachment 820 is open to all active, retired and former Marines. The league is a veterans/military service organization formed for promoting the interest of the Marine Corps, to provide camaraderie and assistance to Marines and preserve the traditions of the Marine Corps. For information call commandant Stephen Cecil 829-1839, senior vice commandant Earl Hokanson 881-2852 or adjutant Charlene Antico 778-7093.

Space societyThe Huntsville Alabama L5 Society offers free STEM talks at the Huntsville/

Madison County Public Library. On Dec. 12 at 7 p.m., Les Johnson, principal inves-tigator of NASA interplanetary solar sail missions, will present “Setting Sail for the Sun.” The event is open to the public. For more information, visit www.hal5.org or email [email protected].

Purple Heart chapterMilitary Order of the Purple Heart, George A. Rauh Chapter 2201, meets the

second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 237 at 2900 Drake Ave. All combat-wounded veterans are invited. For more information, call Leonard Robinson 337-8313.

air defenders/field artillery dinner The Huntsville/Redstone Arsenal Chapter of the Air Defense Association and

North Alabama Chapter of the U.S. Field Artillery Association will hold the annual St. Barbara’s Dinner and Induction Ceremony on Feb. 8 at The Summit. The Order of St. Barbara is awarded to those who have demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and moral character, displayed outstanding competence and professional-ism, and have made significant contributions to the Air Defense Artillery and Field Artillery branches. Nominations for awards are made through local organizations and submitted by Nov. 25 to the ADAA and NAFAA. For more information and nominating instructions email Mike Steves of ADAA at [email protected], or Lt. Col. Michael Fitzgerald of NAFAA at [email protected].

warrant officers The Warrant Officers Association meets the second Wednesday each month from

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Redstone Lanes bowling center, meeting room 1. Join the meeting and have lunch. For more information, visit www.redstonewarrants.com.

vietnam veteransVietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 1067, meets the second Thursday of each

month from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 237 on Drake Avenue. For information call first vice president and membership chairman Richard Knight 722-3027 or visit www.vietvethsv.org.

Men’s ministryMen’s Ministry addresses the needs of men and plants seeds for spiritual growth in

Christ. Call Harry Hobbs at 783-1793 for more information.

young citizen of monthDo you know a young citizen in grades 7-12 who has done something special and

deserves recognition? Rocket City Broadcasting/Community Awareness for Youth conduct the Young Citizen of the Month award program. Each month’s recipient will meet the Huntsville mayor and City Council members, receive a Huntsville Hu-man Relations Commission certificate and other prize packages. Sponsors include

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Rocket City Broadcasting, Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville Optimist Club, Huntsville Police Department, CAFY and the Florida Institute of Technology Huntsville Site. To nominate a young citizen, visit mystar991.com or call Kenny Anderson 883-3993.

community grants The Thrift Shop will take applications for the 2019 grants until Feb. 29. These

grants are open to all nonprofit groups (no individuals please) that impact the Red-stone military community. Applications must be mailed through the post office be-fore deadline date to be considered. They ask that applications not be dropped off at the Thrift Shop. For more information, email Ruth Soracco at [email protected] or call 539-0606.

Shop with a heroDec. 14 at 9 a.m. will bring the annual “Shop With a Hero” event for those in need

in the community. Youngsters will be paired with service members, veterans and oth-er designated heroes (defined on the website) so they can go shopping at the Walmart on Sparkman Drive and the Walmart in Hazel Green. Participants are encouraged to sign up now. Register at http://shopwithahero.info/.

winter chill partyThe “Winter Chill” Holiday Party is Dec. 13 from 7-11:30 p.m. at the HFA Build-

ing, 2606 Artie St. in Huntsville. The event features music by DJ Jolly; there will be food, free raffles, and it is BYOB. Proceeds will support the Suits for Scholars pro-gram. A $10 donation is requested. For tickets go to Eventbrite.com, search Winter Chill. Sponsored by The Coalition for Advancement and Progress in Education, a 501-c3 organization. For information call Larry Vance 529-5870.

Holiday craft show The North East Alabama Craftsmen’s Association annual Holiday Craft Show is

Friday through Sunday at the Von Braun Center South Hall. Friday and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. There is no admission fee

and it is open to the public. Note that the Von Braun Center does charge for parking. There will be more than 100 crafters with items ranging from jewelry, pottery, home decor, outdoor decor, dolls, clothing, kitchen accessories, children’s items, food and more. There will a drawing for a $20 gift certificate every two hours that can be used during the show. This event benefits the Huntsville Senior Center, CASA, Boy Scout Troop 400, St. Paul’s Pantry, Manna House, Downtown Rescue Mission and World of Work. For information visit www.neaca.org or Facebook at www.facebook.com/northeastalabamacrafter.

gala fundraiser The 100Black Men of Greater Huntsville Gala Fundraiser (Mentoring, Educa-

tion, Health and Wellness, Economic Empowerment) is Dec. 21 from 6-11:30 p.m. at the Von Braun Center North Hall. They will celebrate 20 years of service to the Greater Huntsville community. The formal evening will offer entertainment (clean comedian, music), dining, dancing, fellowship and the satisfaction of knowing that each attendee/partner/sponsor support will be an investment in the community. Gala fundraiser tickets are $62.50 individual seats and $500 for table of eight seating. For tickets call James Matthewson 714-8921 or the Business Office 536-8050.

Dinner dance The MARS Ballroom Dance Club will hold its 2019 Christmas Dinner-Dance

on Dec. 14 at the UAH Conference Training Center Exhibit Hall, 1410 Ben Graves Drive. Semi-formal attire is suggested. The social will begin at 6 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner at 6:30. Dancing to the music of the Edd Jones Band is 7:30-10:30. Tickets for MARS Ballroom Dance Club members are $43 each. Nonmembers are welcome and their tickets are $48 each. Reservation forms are due by Dec. 5. You can locate mail-in reservation forms by selecting “Club Forms and Documents” at the website, https://sites.google.com/site/marsballroomdanceclub, or by requesting a form by email at [email protected]. For more information, call MBDC presi-dent John Weir 714-6886 or contact any of the MBDC board members listed on the website.

Soldiers tree lightingThe seventh annual Lighting of the Soldiers Tree is Saturday from 1-4 p.m. at the

Huntsville/Madison County Public Library auditorium, 915 Monroe St. Presented by Rosie’s International Services Inc., this event honors Soldiers, veterans, retirees and their families. There will be music, art and food. Children can make a Christmas card with a message to a Soldier. There will be coloring art for Soldiers and families; and music by a saxophonist. The public is invited. Admission and food are free. For information call 429-8039.

Health department reportThe Madison County Health Department released its weekly food/lodging estab-

lishment ratings for Nov. 18-22. Establishments with the highest scores included Eu-ropean Market, 2745 Bob Wallace Ave., 100; Urban Cookhouse at SES, 248 Dunlop Boulevard, 100; and Huntsville/Madison County Senior Center, 2200 Drake Ave., 100. Establishments with the lowest scores included Days Inn 48390, 3141 University Drive, 87; Minit Man 316, 3490 Wall Triana Highway, 81; and Dolce Pan Bakery, 2818 Governors Drive, Suite C, 79.

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