FORT BLISS’ ONLY AUTHORIZED NEWSPAPER 2018 tion for ublica Print P s Best . Army’ Named U.S National Army Museum MWR to host 5th annual quickly taking shape ■ 7A cardboard regatta ■ 1B Thursday, August 8, 2019 Connect with the Bugle at: Fort Bliss, Texas @FortBlissTexas 1st AD and Fort Bliss fortblissbugle.com • Click on the eEdition Spc. Keisha Brown / U.S. Army Gen. Joseph M. Martin, left, is sworn in as the Army’s vice chief of staff at the Penta- gon, Arlington, Virginia, July 26. He succeeds Gen. James C. McConville who served in the position since June 2017. McConville was confi rmed by the Senate to succeed Gen. Mark A. Milley, pictured right, as the ser- vice’s chief of staff. Seasoned combat leader sworn in as Army’s vice chief of staff By Joe Lacdan | Army News Service WASHINGTON – Experience on the battlefi eld helped earn Gen. Joseph Mar- tin the nomination to the Army’s second highest military rank. Martin was sworn in as the Army’s 37th vice chief of staff in a Pentagon ceremony July 26, following a steady progression of the service’s senior lead- >> UNITED WE STAND ership into higher positions within the Robert Aranda / Special to the Fort Bliss Bugle Department of Defense. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the Army’s chief A sign describing the relationship between Fort Bliss and the local community is part of a makeshift memorial outside of a Walmart in East El Paso, of staff, said Martin’s extensive time in where a gunman killed 22 people and injured 24 others on the morning of August 3. combat during several deployments am- ply qualifi ed him for the job. “This is probably one of the top two, maybe three, general offi cers with com- bat experience,” said Milley, who pre- Blissfully happy to be back sided over the ceremony. “He has been in combat at every level of command. This guy’s got fi ve combat tours. He’s New garrison got over 40 months in combat. It’s an amazing combat record.” A 1986 graduate of West Point, Mar- commander excited tin deployed to Iraq fi ve times including stints as a company commander during to support the Operation Desert Storm, as a battalion and brigade commander during Iraqi warfi ghter, mission Freedom and he commanded the famed By David Burge | Special to the Fort Bliss Bugle 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan- sas. Fort Bliss’ new garrison commander thinks Martin also served as the com- he is the perfect t for the job. mander of the Combined Joint Forces Col. Stu James has been stationed here be- Land Component Command during the fore, understands the installation’s complex pivotal Battle of Mosul, a major multi- mission and now wants to take his turn to national offensive that helped the Iraqi provide support for units and Soldiers who are government retake control of the Iraqi about to deploy. city from ISIS forces. “People don’t start their career, saying Martin has said that he will continue ‘I want to be a garrison commander,’” said to emphasize the Army’s priorities of James, who took over in this key role on July 9. readiness, modernization and people, “But as you mature and go through the and to recruit the “best and brightest” Army, you realize the importance of those into the force. who support the war ghter forward,” he con- David Burge / Special to the Fort Bliss Bugle Martin, the Army’s former director tinued. “ ey can’t do their mission without Col. Stu James took over as garrison commander at Fort Bliss on July 9. He and his family were stationed of Army Staff, succeeds Gen. James C. support from the installation and the home here previously in 2014-17. McConville, who will take over for Mil- station. Now, it is my turn to do that.” ley as the service’s chief of staff. Milley e garrison commander is the Army “I’m excited,” said the 50-year-old who is installation and the area,” he said. and former Army Secretary Mark Esper equivalent of a city manager. He also serves originally from Wheeling, West Virginia. James and his family were previously sta- both received nominations for higher as an uno cial ambassador to El Paso and the “I have been here before, deployed out of tioned at Fort Bliss from 2014-17. During that leadership positions within the DoD. rest of the Borderland. here, and have a lot of knowledge about the HAPPY See Page 2A The Senate confi rmed Milley on July 25 to succeed Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff inside this issue FORT BLISS ■ Unit News .........................3A and President Donald Trump swore in Holloman hosts civic Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday ■ Community .......................1B Esper as secretary of defense July 23. outreach day ■ 4A A graduate of the U.S. Army War ■ Sports ...............................7B College who holds a master’s degree in Army looks at cadets ■ Off Duty ............................9B education, Martin earned such military to bolster Army space force ■ 6B awards and decorations as the Distin- ■ Commercial Classifi eds...10B guished Service Medal, Bronze Star VA increases urgent care Mostly sunny Sunny, hot Partly cloudy Partly cloudy access ■ ■ 4B Hi 100, Lo 76 Hi 99, Lo 75 Hi 97, Lo 76 Hi 99, Lo 75 Puzzles ...........................11B Medal with “V” device, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Army See LEADER Page 2A 2A • August 8, 2019 • FORT BLISS BUGLE HHH ACROSS THE FORCE HHH LEADER Continued from Page 1A Commendation Medal with “V” device. The Michigan native credited his former Army awards military mentors and his wife Leann in help- ing him reach this career milestone, which laser weapon included a promotion to four-star general. Martin was joined on stage by several fellow members of the West Point class of 1986, in- system contract cluding Esper. “Today is an opportunity … to see what By Claire Heininger | army.mil can happen when a family of families, a REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – The U.S. band of brothers, a lifetime of friends can do Army issued a contract award to accelerate when they combine the incredible power of the rapid prototyping and fielding of its first tough love, friendship and care while raising combat-capable laser weapon system. a leader and supporting his family over the This prototype will deliver 50 kilowatt- course of a lifetime,” Martin said. class lasers on a platoon of four Stryker Serving as the deputy to the Army’s chief vehicles in fiscal year 2022, supporting the of staff, the vice chief is charged with the Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense mis- management of the Army staff and the many sion. The directed-energy M-SHORAD ca- programs that fulfill the Title 10 responsibil- pability is intended to protect maneuvering ities of the department. The vice chief often brigade combat teams from unmanned aerial will take the duties of the chief of staff when systems, rotary-wing aircraft, and rockets, Claire Heininger / Army News Service A 5 kilowatt laser integrated on a Stryker participated in the Maneuver Fires Integrated Experiment at the chief must engage in interservice respon- artillery and mortar. Fort Sill, April 5, 2017. The Army is now accelerating the rapid prototyping and fielding of 50 kW-class sibilities, such as those of the Joint Chiefs “The time is now to get directed energy lasers on a platoon of Strykers. of Staff. weapons to the battlefield,” said Lt. Gen. L. Milley, who said he has known Martin Neil Thurgood, director of hypersonics, di- mately one year to produce the required laser gram in order to increase its combat effec- for nearly 10 years, said Martin’s humility rected energy, space and rapid acquisition. subsystems, integrate them onto the Stryker tiveness and speed up its delivery to Soldiers. and experience were deciding factors in his “The Army recognizes the need for directed platform, and complete a competitive perfor- The Army will adjust the current HEL- nomination. energy lasers as part of the Army’s modern- mance checkout leading into a range demon- TVD, a 100 kW-class laser system integrat- “He’s a person of phenomenal character,” ization plan. This is no longer a research ef- stration against various threats. ed on a family of medium tactical vehicles Milley said. “This is a guy who has a back- fort or a demonstration effort. It is a strategic After the Army evaluates the results, it platform developed by Dynetics and sub- bone of titanium steel. He’s never afraid to combat capability, and we are on the right plans to purchase three additional laser- contractor Lockheed Martin. Under the new speak truth-to-power, but he also does it with path to get it in Soldiers’ hands.” equipped Strykers, for a total of four pro- directed energy strategy, the Army is lever- class. He does it with dignity, he does it with High-energy lasers engage at the speed of totype vehicles that would be fielded to an aging progress made in that effort in order to respect. A beautiful thing about Gen. Martin light and provide a solution to a constantly operational M-SHORAD platoon in fiscal merge the HEL-TVD with similar technolo- is that he’s a team player and he’s incredibly evolving threat space, while reducing the year 2022. The OTA award has the potential gies in development by the Navy and the Of- humble.” logistics trail associated with conventional to increase to $490 million for the delivery fice of the Secretary of Defense.