TheThe EagleEagle Volume 8, Number 3 Published in the interest of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command May 2001 Cosumano assumes command Lieutenant General Joseph M. Cosumano, Jr., received his third star and assumed command of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) and the U.S. Army Space Com- mand April 30th. At an earlier promotion ceremony conducted at the Pentagon, Chief of Staff of the Army, General Eric K. Shinseki and Mrs. Lydia J. Cosumano, General Cosumanos wife, pinned on General Cosumanos rank to the epaulets of his dress green coat. The second set of stars were placed and buttoned onto the ep- aulets of General Cosumanos dress shirt by his daughters Leah and DeAnna. Cosumano comes from an assign- ment on the Army Staff as the Director, Task Force Objective Force. A position he will continue to fill until his replace- ment can be named by the Army Staff and then confirmed by Congress. He has served in several Washington, D.C. assignments. He has been the pro- gram manager for the National Missile Defense Joint Program Office, and the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Op- erations, Force Development. He has been the Chief of Staff Syn- chronization Cell for the Quadrennial De- fense Review in the Office of the Assis- tant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and he served as the executive officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, De- partment of the Army. He has also served as chief of the Air and Missile Defense Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. Cosumano has been the Deputy Commanding General at the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Center and School at Fort Bliss, Texas, and he has served as the J-5, Director of Plans, Program and Policies, U.S. Space Command. Other key assignments include Op- erations Research Analyst, Patriot Mis- sile Program Office; and, G-3 for the 32nd Army Air Defense Command, United States Army - Europe. (Photo by Jonathan W. Pierce) He has commanded three batteries General John M. Keane, Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army, passes the command colors to Lt. in his career -- a Vulcan battery in the Gen. Joseph M. Cosumano, Jr., (right) on April 30. At left is Brig. Gen. John M. Urias who returns to 1st Armored Division in Germany; and his duties as the Deputy Commanding General, Acquisition for SMDC. Command Sgt. Maj. Wilbur a Headquarters battery and a Hawk bat- Adams is at right. The passing of the colors represents a bestowal of authority and responsibility for the tery in Korea. command and its personnel as a commander accepts the command. Cosumano, in an earlier cer- He also commanded the 1st Bn., 55th emony conducted at the Pentagon, had received his appointment to the rank of lieutenant general. Air Defense Artillery (Chaparral/Vulcan), 5th Mechanized Division at Fort Polk, La. mand and Staff College. gion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, He later commanded the 108th Air De- General Cosumano is also a graduate the Meritorious Service Medal with three fense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air of the Defense Systems Management Col- oak leaf clusters, and the Army Commen- Defense Command in Europe. His mili- lege, the Industrial College of the Armed dation Medal with three oak leaf clusters. tary education includes the Air Defense Forces, and the Yale School of Management He has earned the Parachutist Badge, Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Executive Course. Army Aviator Badge, Army Staff Identifi- courses. His military decorations include the cation, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification He is a distinguished graduate of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the and Office of the Secretary of Defense Iden- Army Aviation School and the Air Com- Defense Superior Service Medal, the Le- tification badges. 2 The Eagle AER may not save lives... News Bits but it sure helps by Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Calkins in the hospitals pediatric ward. She didnt know what would happen VICENZA, Italy (Army News Service, down the road; couldnt even say for sure April 24, 2001) — A private first class, if their son would survive. New Huntsville building his wife and their twin 4-year-old sons All she knew was he was going to be werent having the best of times as they there for a while. plans take shape drove from upstate New York to their first And so, of course, were the parents duty assignment at Fort Campbell, Ky. and their other son. Twice, first at a hospital near Cleve- The soldier, on the drive back to his land, Ohio, and then again later at a unit to tell them what was happening, health clinic in Northern Kentucky, the suddenly started to think how they could couple had stopped to have their sons afford paying rent on their new apartment worsening medical condition checked out. and paying hotel bills and a hundred other On both occasions, they were told the costs for what could be an extended pe- same thing: Just a little virus, probably riod of time. associated with the pox. Dont worry So he decided to ask his NCO. about it. Go see AER before going back to the They still worried. hospital, he was told. Schematic drawings and architec- While both were suffering from the So thats what he did, explaining the tural concept drawings for the new chicken pox, one, in particular, was run- situation to a caring worker, he filled out Space and Missile Defense Com- ning an unusually high fever, and was some forms, got his commanders signa- mand building in the Von Braun much more listless than his high-energy ture and drove over to the bank to cash Complex at Redstone Arsenal are brother. At the motel room that night, the the $1,000 check he had just been loaned. available on Page 12. mother even tried an ice-filled bath, but The soldier didnt think much about the thermometer still read 103 degrees. it right then; he was, of course, more fo- And climbing. cused on his sons condition. Letters to Alabamians Finally, two days after arriving at the But that, of course, is the point. serving in Saudi Arabia home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Because AER was there for him and Assault), the four of them spent their first his family, he didnt have to think about The Program Executive Office, Air and Missile Defense is seeking people who night in the apartment the soldier had paying the bill, buying food, or trying to will support an Alabama National rented just prior to picking up his family. find something to do to entertain the son Guard Patriot missile battery now serv- It wasnt a good nights sleep. The fe- who took turns spending time with Mom ing in Saudi Arabia. The 75 men and ver wouldnt go away. and Dad at the hotel. women are from the northern Alabama So they packed everyone back in the Because AER was there for him, he area. They could use cookies, gum, pa- station wagon and made the 25-minute didnt have to think about anything other perback books, news magazines, and trip back to Fort Campbells Blanchfield than watching his son undergo a success- local newspapers. Cards and letters of Army Community Hospital. ful lung operation - like peeling an or- encouragement are also welcome. The doctor there took one look at the ange from the inside out is what the doc- Support packages and letters can be boy and admitted him immediately. Soon, tor said later. sent to: Any Soldier, Bravo Battery, he came back to tell the shaken set of Because AER was there for him, he 1-203d Air Defense Artillery, Patriot, parents their son was about to be flown didnt have to think about anything other TF-2-1, APO AE 09852. For more in- to Vanderbilt University Medical Center than shedding a tear when, for the first formation contact Connie Davis at in Nashville, Tenn. time in 17 days, his son rolled over at 2 (256) 313-3415, or send e-mail to He cant breathe; theres something a.m. and asked for a slice of pizza. [email protected]. very wrong with his lungs, he said. And then he watched as the platoon The mother told the doctor there was of doctors and nurses who had adopted no way that boy is going on anything with- him brought him one, topped with cheese InsideThe Eagle out me there with him, and then pro- and candles. ceeded to hop on the chopper for the short By noon the next day, they were all Its AER time .........................Page 2 ride to the Music City. back home again. Both kids went swim- JLENS Communications ......Page 3 Her husband, having to look on a map ming that day. EO Survey Results ................Page 4 to even see which direction Nashville was, No, he and his wife didnt have time took the other son with him and took off right then to think about AER, or even to Student Career Day ...............Page 6 down I-65 to meet them. thank them. They were too busy. HELSTF OPD Class ...............Page 8 An hour-or-so later, the parents sat So well do it now, because I was that ARSPACE Change of Command across from a young doctor with a very soldier at Fort Campbell in May 1987. bad message. .......................Page 9 (Editors note: This years AER campaign began March 1 She said their son was suffering from and continues through May 15 Armywide.