Vigilant Hunters - Fort Bliss Bugle

2A • May 1, 2014 • FORT BLISS BUGLE
DOD looks at Bliss’ progress on women in the services
By Master Sgt. Kelly McCargo
1st AD Public Affairs
A three-member Department of Defense
committee met with Fort Bliss leaders and
military members April 17 in preparation
for the 2014 annual report to the secretary
of defense on the progress of women in the
military.
According to their website, the Defense
Advisory Committee on Women in the Services was established in 1951 “to provide
advice and recommendations on matters and
policies relating to the recruitment and retention, treatment, employment, integration and
well-being of highly qualified professional
women in the armed forces.”
The committee members conducted eight,
rank-immaterial focus groups with Reserve
and active duty military members, of both
genders, for a broad assessment of how the
military is working to progress women serving in traditionally male dominated positions.
“DACOWITS was interested in how integration of female Soldiers into combat arms
was going here at Fort Bliss and what Soldiers thought about it,” said Chaplain (Lt.
Col.) Karen Meeker, 1st Armored Division
chaplain. “DACOWITS wanted to get Soldier and leader perspectives on how (Sexual
Harassment and Assault Response program)
reports are handled and processed.”
The focus groups’ discussions were private to encourage open, honest dialogue.
“The DACOWITS group seemed genuinely interested in issues that matter to
women in the service,” Meeker said. “Representatives of Sisters in Arms had lunch
with DACOWITS on day one of their visit.
Each member sat with three to five leaders
and Soldiers from across the post who talked
about SIA – what the program is and how it
functions.
“DACOWITS expressed interest in the
program since it promotes professional development, establishes mentoring relationships and reaches out to the community,”
Meeker said. “They wondered if the program might become an Army-wide official
program.
“I hope DACOWITS went away from 1st
AD and FBTX (Fort Bliss, Texas) confident
that our leadership is leading the way in
preventing sexual assault and harassment,”
Meeker said. “And when there is a SHARP
report, our command takes a comprehensive
approach in providing care and conducts
thorough, efficient investigations.
“I hope the committee also saw that female Soldiers are given every opportunity to
serve and advance here at Fort Bliss,” Meeker said. “… Our female Soldiers are strong,
smart and are the best of what our nation has
to offer.”
DACOWITS has made many contributions to the military throughout the years.
“Historically, DACOWITS’ recommendations have been very instrumental in effecting changes to laws and policies pertaining
to military women,” said Jorge Rio, 1st AD
strategic plans and policy official.
Each year, DACOWITS compiles an annual report for the secretary of defense about
potential policies DOD could or should initiate to facilitate womens’ progression in
the military. The focus groups’ discussions
are compiled from different military installations, and become the basis for an annual
report.
“This has been an ongoing event for over
40 years,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Lance
P. Lehr, 1st AD and Fort Bliss senior enlisted advisor. “These representatives came
to ensure that we are integrating women into
combat units in the most effective manner as
well as to ensure that women were getting
treated fairly within all of the services.”
DACOWITS members who visited Fort
Bliss were Holly Hemphill, committee
chairperson and senior counsel at the National Women’s Law Center; retired Maj.
Gen. Gale Pollock, former U.S. Army Medical Command and acting surgeon general of
the Army in 2007; and retired Navy Fleet
Master Chief Jacqueline L.K. DiRosa, former command master chief of the Navy Cyber Warfare Development Command.
“I was very pleased at the level of character in these representatives,” said Lehr.
“They were truly out to get the real answer.
... I think the division gave it to them in the
focus groups and from the command group.”
During a senior leader focus group, inclusion of women in combat units, which included prevalent “opinions and perceptions”
among all military members, was discussed.
According to Lehr, leaders also highlighted
Fort Bliss policies specifically designed to
combat sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Lehr expressed that his goal was to reiterate the Army’s basic corps values. “We all
wear the same color uniform. We all do the
bidding of our government. There is no difference in male and female leaders. We have
the privilege of leading our nation’s sons
and daughters, and we should do it in a manner worthy of this great responsibility,” said
Lehr.
Former Secretary of Defense George C.
Marshall created DACOWITS. For more information about the committee, visit http://
dacowits.defense.gov/.
Master Sgt. Kelly McCargo / 1st AD Public Affairs
During a senior leader focus group at 1st Armored Division Headquarters April 17, discussion focused on inclusion of
women in combat units, which included prevalent “opinions and perceptions” among all military members.
Department of Defense
releases Human Goals Charter
By Army News
Today, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Gen. Martin Dempsey, and several other senior civilian and military leaders signed the
2014 Department of Defense Human Goals
Charter in a ceremony held in the Pentagon
auditorium.
The Human Goals Charter is the cornerstone document governing the Defense Department’s fair treatment of people, as well
as its diversity and equity programs.
“Today we re-affirm that people are this
institution’s most important resource,” said
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Publisher/Commanding General
1st AD and Fort Bliss
Maj. Gen. Sean B. MacFarland
1st AD and Fort Bliss Command Sergeant Major
Command Sgt. Maj. Lance P. Lehr
1st AD Public Affairs
Lt. Col. Lee Peters, Master Sgt. Kelly McCargo,
Sgt. 1st Class Dave McClain, Sgt. 1st Class Tawanna Starks
Garrison Commander
Col. Brant V. Dayley
Hagel. “We must ensure that every man and
woman in this department has the opportunity to succeed, excel and reach their full potential. That is the purpose of DOD’s Human
Goals Charter.”
The 2014 Human Goals Charter establishes 10 goals, two of which are to make military and civilian service in the department
a model of equal opportunity for all. The
charter is updated to reflect current changes
in law and policy. Additionally, the charter
strives to affirm the department’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusiveness.
Garrision Command Sergeant Major
Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Mendoza
Garrison Public Affairs Officer
Jean Offutt
EDITORIAL STAFF
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Community Editor: Dustin Perry; Journalist: Wendy Brown
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UNIT NEWS
UNIT NEWS
FORT BLISS BUGLE • May 1, 2014 • 3A
Training is the oil that keeps the
>> engine of our Army running
Junior leadership takes aim ‘Hooligan’ reenlists
with ‘Ready First’ Blackhawks n 9A
>> GAS,
Is staying Bulldog
n 16A
CAB celebrates SHARP
week n 18A
Louisiana NG return
from Gitmo n 22A
GAS, GAS TRAINING
Photos by Sgt. Larry B. Barnhill / 24th Press Camp Headquarters
Sgt. Alexander Neely, 24th Press Camp HQs, leads a group of Soldiers into a gas chamber near Tobin Wells
training area April 9. Soldiers assigned to 24th Press Camp prepared for the chamber with a week of Chemical,
Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense training in an effort to gain trust in the equipment.
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Woods
‘Vigilant Hunters’
Soldiers assigned to 204th Military Intelligence Battalion, conduct weekly preflight-aviation maintenance.
strive for excellence through Mission Command
By Maj. Ann M. Allen
204th MI Bn.
Sgt. Jose Ramirez, 24th Press Camp HQs, sheds a tear after exiting a gas chamber near Tobin Wells training area
April 9.
Sgt. Adam Garlington, 24th Press Camp Headquarters, instructs a Soldier to break the seal of his protective mask
in a gas chamber near Tobin Wells training area April 9.
It’s Monday morning at 204th Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Reconnaissance)
motor pool. “Fall In!” commands, Command
Sgt. Maj. Andrew M. Woods, 204th MI Bn.
command sergeant major, an intelligence professional for more than 26 years. The 204th
begins the week with a battalion formation
and motor stables, emphasizing the importance of ground maintenance to the entire unit.
Meanwhile, much of “Vigilant Hunter’s”
aircrew members and intelligence professionals remain forward deployed as part of
mission tailored packages performing daily
Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AISR) missions in direct support of combat and contingency operations.
The 204th MI Bn. is the Army’s only echelon
above corps aerial reconnaissance battalion
performing AISR operations with the EO-5C
Airborne Reconnaissance Low and Medium
Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance
System (MARSS-13) aircraft. The unit’s mission provides aerial signals and geospatial
intelligence products designed to support the
Warfighter within Geographic Combatant
Commands.
The unit’s motto, “Silently We Defend” is
a testament to the way Soldiers of the unit
continuously perform intelligence operations
every day of the year.
“Vigilant Hunters always strive for excellence,” said Lt. Col. Kodjo S. Knox-Limbacker, 204th MI Bn. commander. “This year, we
were acknowledged as reaching that level
through effective Mission Command.”
Awarded the Army Aviation Association of
America (AAAA) Army Aviation Fixed Wing
Unit Award for 2013, 204th was recognized
for excellence in aviation training, safety,
logistics, operations and support to the Warfighter. In 2013, the battalion executed more
than 850 mission sorties, including combat
and imminent danger missions, and approximately 400 support sorties in the C-12U air-
A civilian assigned to 204th MI Bn., conducts weekly
ground maintenance during motor stables.
craft totaling more than 7,700 accident and
incident-free flight hours.
The “Vigilant Hunters” directly contributed to the destruction or capture of a classified number of high valued individuals in
USCENTCOM and USNORTHCOM areas of
responsibility, and provided thousands of intelligence reports supporting the USSOUTHCOM team.
In the same year, 204th won the FY2012
Army Award for Maintenance Excellence
(AAME) for INSCOM’s active small unit category and was the Department of the Army
runner up of the AAME in the same small unit
category.
“This has been by far one of the best years
for the battalion,” said Woods. “Our Soldiers
perform a very important mission every day;
the kind of mission that makes a big difference in the operating environment.”
4A • May 1, 2014 • FORT BLISS BUGLE
FORT BLISS BUGLE • May 1, 2014 • 5A
>> ‘Ready
FiRst’ conducts sHaRP standdown
Photos by Capt. Jennifer Dyrcz
1st Bde., 1st AD Public Affairs
(Clockwise from top)
From left, Sgt. Michael Darden, Spc. Victor Mercado and
Pvt. 1st Class Dakota Sonnier, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd
Field Artillery Regiment, fire each time one of the battalion
colors pass Ready First Combat Team headquarters April
16. The 1st Bde., 1st AD, started off their SHARP standdown day with a brigade run.
Soldiers assigned to 1st Bde., 1st AD, head out to their
land navigation points. The brigade combined the navigation course with its SHARP stand-down day. Once Soldiers
reached their point, they received a mini-SHARP class at
each location. This was a timed event from point-to-point
and fostered esprit de corps throughout the ranks as company formations competed against each other April 16.
“Ready First,” 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention program (SHARP) representatives, prepare for a brigade-wide SHARP stand-down.
6A • May 1, 2014 • FORT BLISS BUGLE