Message from the Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter President

Transcription

1 Message from the Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter President A Message From John Crutchfield At our last General Membership Meeting on November 19, LTG MacFarland gave a thoughtful presentation on the things provided by AUSA for which he is thankful. He also talked about challenges faced by the Army where AUSA could be helpful. Primary among those challenges is making the case for funding readiness. Historically, after every engagement, there is a drawdown accompanied by a reduction in defense funding. That is the case today. The problem is that these drawdowns are often based on inaccurate or incomplete assumptions about future conflicts. The track record is that we most always get it wrong. Readiness of our Army is always negatively impacted during a drawdown. The example given to illustrate how fast readiness can deteriorate, that I often hear sited,is the story of Task Force Smith. Combat operations ended in World War II on VJ Day, September 2, At the end of that war, the U.S. had more than 12 million in the armed forces. The first engagement of the Korean War, The Battle of Osan, began on July 5, 1950 less than five years later. Task Force Smith, named for its commander, consisted of 400 infantry and a single artillery battery. The task force was moved to Osanand ordered to fight as a rearguard to delay advancing North Korean forces while additional U.S. troop arrived in the country to form a stronger defensive line to the south. History records that our forces were both poorly equipped and understrength. They were equipped with obsolescent 2.36-in. rocket launchers and a few 57 mm recoilless rifles. Aside from a limited number of HEAT shells, crew-served weapons capable of defeating the T-34 Soviet tank had not been distributed to Army forces in Korean. History also records that most of the soldiers of the task force were teenagers with no combat experience and only eight weeks of basic training. Only one third of the officersand one in six enlisted soldiers had combat experience. Soldiers were each equipped with only 120 round of ammunition and two days of C-rations. A North Korean tank column equipped with ex-soviet T-34/85 tanks overran the task force in the first encounter and continued its advance south. After the North Korean tank column breached U.S. lines, the task force opened fire on a force of some 5,000 North Korean infantry temporarily holding up its advance. North Korean troops eventually flanked and overwhelmed American positons. Sixty Americans were killed, 21 were wounded, 82 were captured, 32 of whom died in captivity. That is the price of a reduction in readiness. We owe it to those who defend us to give them what they need to be ready to do so. Each of us should take the time to make the case for readiness to our elected officials. During this holy season, we should all pray that those who lead our Army receive divine inspiration to make the case for readiness and that those arguments fall on receptive ears. And, when you see a Soldier, thank them for their service. They stand ready to provide it ready or not. December 2014 December AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER 1

2 AUSA thanks Hagel for his leadership in a very tough environment A Message from Gordon Sullivan The Association of the U.S. Army is appreciative of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel s leadership in a very tough environment. Secretary Hagel had a soldier s touch, and was very open with military and veterans service organizations. As a former sergeant, he understood readiness and combat capability is always a top priority even as there are significant needs for personnel, weapons modernization and other programs. It is a delicate balance, and often nobody is happy. Secretary Hagel found himself balancing shortages, as there wasn t enough money to do everything well. His successor, whoever it might be, will face the same dilemma. There is no end of national security threats, as almost every region of the world is facing some crisis demanding U.S. response, while cuts in defense spending and the renewed threat of sequestration interfere with our ability to respond. See more at: 2 December AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER December 2014

3 Fort Hood commander issues call to action at AUSA meeting Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, center, commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, chats with retired Lt. Gen. Paul Funk, left, and Greg Schannep during an Association of the United States Army membership meeting Wednesday night at Club Hood. FORT HOOD III Corps new commander put out a call to action to attendees of the Fort Hood-Killeen chapter of the Association of the United States Army s membership meeting Wednesday night at Club Hood. Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commander of the Phantom Corps and Fort Hood since August, addressed the largest chapter of the nonprofit for the first time. He said while the $4 million donated over the last seven years has done great things to support soldiers and families at Fort Hood, there s a much more important way AUSA members can help sharing the Army story. The Army is small, and getting smaller, he said, adding that shrinking troop levels and the possible closure of posts only further separates the general public from active-duty service members. It takes people like yourselves talking to the influence-shapers in America, MacFarland told a filled ballroom. Let people know what our American soldiers do and what they sacrifice and what it costs not just in monetary terms. It will take constituents interested not just in the success of weapons manufacturers or keeping well-paid soldiers spending money in communities, but in mission readiness and the need to fund training, he said. The three-star general also provided an update about III Corps activities. Made up of four divisions and a sustainment command, the Army s armored corps contains eight of the nine armored brigade combat teams and three of its eight Stryker brigades. It has soldiers on six continents protecting America from the Islamic State in Iraq, maintaining peace in Korea and Egypt, training with allies in Europe and preventing the spread of the Ebola virus in Africa. MacFarland spoke directly about the mission of those Fort Hood soldiers deployed to West Africa. Just like we kept the Germans out of Bastogne, we ll keep Ebola out of the U.S.... They re doing their job. They re not doing some strange job, he said. He also explained those soldiers are required to spend 21 days isolated at sites, including North Fort Hood, upon their return stateside for their safety and for that of their families and the surrounding community. December 2014 December AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER 3

4 General Membership Meeting Receiving the trophy for the 2014 AUSA National Largest Active Duty Division for Membership at the November 19 General Membership meeting are (left to right) 1st Cavalry Division Command Sergeant Major, CSM Andrew Barteky and the 1st Cavalry Division Commanding General, MG Michael Bills. Presenting the trophy is AUSA 4th Region President Ron Taylor. Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter President John Crutchfield is on far left, serving as master of ceremony for the meeting. Immediate Past Chapter President Bobby Hoxworth and wife Pat Hoxworth receive framed letter and certificate of commemoration in appreciation for service to the chapter from AUSA 4th Region President Ron Taylor at the General Membership meeting November 19 at Fort Hood s Club Hood. III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General, LTG Sean MacFarland at the podium giving his featured address to the November 19 general membership meetting of the Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter AUSA at the post s Club Hood. The Central Texas Fort Hood Chapter AUSA is participating in the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Program. COL Ralph Gauer, USA retired, delivered the Vietnam moment at the beginning of the November 19 General Membership meeting. His message was given from the note below. It was 49 years ago (November 18), when the United States first battle of the Vietnam War, now known as the Battle of the IaDrang Valley concluded. During that horrendous 96 hour period, Troopers from 1-7 Cav and 2-7 Cav of the 1st Cavalry Division engaged in conventional operations against the North Vietnamese Army at Landing Zones X-Ray and Albany in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The United States Military Assistance Advisor Group (later MACV) had assumed responsibility for training South Vietnamese forces from the French in However, it was not until September 1965 that the first full American division the 1st Cavalry Division was deployed into country as the political and military situation worsened. Two months after arrival, the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Team was committed into the IaDrang Valley on what was presumed to be a reconnaissance in force mission. The story of 1-7 Cav under the command of then-ltc Hal Moore at LZ X-ray was well Vietnam moment documented in the book and the movie We Were Soldiers Once and Young. For two days, on a patch of ground barely larger than a football field, 1-7 Cav held off repeated attacks by the 33rd Regiment, People s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) inflicting an estimated 1,215 casualties. U.S. casualties included 79 Garry Owen Troopers who paid the ultimate sacrifice, with another 121 wounded. For their actions, 2LT Walter Marm, CPT Ed Freeman, and CPT Bruce Crandall were awarded the Medal of Honor. LTC Moore and SGT Ernie Savage, who brought in relentless fire in support of the Lost Platoon received the Distinguished Service Cross. 2LT John Geoghogan was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. Civilian journalist Joe Galloway was the only civilian during the Vietnam War to be awarded the Bronze Star with V device. I close with the words of LTC Hal Moore: Too many men had died bravely and heroically, while the men who had witnessed their deeds had also been killed... Acts of valor that, on other fields, on other days, would have been rewarded with the Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or a Silver Star were recognized only with a telegram saying, The Secretary of the Army regrets... 4 December AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER December 2014

5 Toy Drives support disadvantaged soldiers for Christmas Those wishing to assist the Central Texas-Fort Hood Chapter, AUSA with supporting soldiers who are in need for Christmas they can contact the AUSA Office at Fort Hood National Bank on TJ Mills Blvd. or call December 2014 December AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER 5

6 To join or renew your AUSA membership you may go online at or stop by Fort Hood National Bank at the TJ Mills Blvd. location to receive the Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter of AUSA Coupon Booklet worth over $10, in savings from local merchants. In addition, you may complete the above membership application and mail to the Central Texas Fort Hood Chapter, AUSA, PO Box 10700, Killeen, Texas Thank you for your support. To advertise in the AUSA Chapter Newsletter, please contact your sales representative or call (254) December AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER December 2014