Fort Hood News Archive

By Mr. Michael M. Novogradac, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs

WEST FORT HOOD, Texas — A Texas woman was honored here as the newest inductee into the Operational Testers’ Hall of Fame for her 40 years supporting the Army and equipment testing.

Ms. Myra L. Baugh of Frisco, Texas, became the 43rd Hall of Fame member during ceremonies Oct. 29.

“I appreciate this great honor today from my peers, and it has brought me back to where I felt like I always belonged — the OTC Family. And like they say, ‘There is no place like home,’” a teary-eyed Baugh said.

A native of Joplin, Missouri, she began her service to the Nation in 1972 as a secretary at the German/American Military Elementary School, Bad Kreuznach, Germany.

Baugh’s distinguished civil service career supporting operational testing began in 1975 when she served as a Budget Clerk/Budget Analyst in the Directorate of Industrial Operations at Fort Hood.

Her first position with OTC was in 1981 as a Budget Analyst/Program Analyst.

At OTC she went on to become one of the first women Military Test Plans Analysts/Test Officers from 1992 to 2000.

During the ceremony, OTC Commander Brig. Gen. David W. Gardner called Baugh a “trailblazer.”

“Not only as one of the first women operational testers, but as one of the first Civilians who did not have military experience,” said Gardner. “Again; a trailblazer.

“Dedicated and innovative, she focused her early career on creating foundational budget and resourcing processes for operational testing,” he said.

He described how her efforts became the foundation for operational test budgeting today.

To prepare for his remarks, Gardner turned to Baugh’s former colleagues.

“One described her as an expert with a ‘can do attitude’ that ‘inspired and motivated others’ beyond what they thought capable,” he said.

“Others mentioned her creativity and attention to detail; two qualities that made her capable of solving any and every problem presented to her.”

Many offered the same recollections of their time working with Baugh.

“The value each and every person highlighted without fail was her integrity,” Gardner said.

“She threw herself at the most difficult problems the organization had, and solved them with both efficiency and ethics in mind.”

When it came time for Baugh to speak, she reflected on two mottos which drove her over the years.

She said, “I first want to start by telling you that my motto adopted early in life was written by John Greenleaf Whittier, and it says, ‘Of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’

“In plain English: ‘If you don’t try you will never know,’” she explained.

“This phrase made me realize challenges can become opportunities and motivated me during my lifetime,” she said.

After being notified of the honor as an inductee to OTC’s Hall of Fame, she told how she came upon another phrase that rang true.

“It said, ‘Don’t look back unless it’s to see how far you have come,’” she said.

“So if you will bear with me for just a little while, I am going to do exactly that.”

Then, she told of how her “trip through life” and career began as a military wife.

“My career — none of it planned — took twists and turns and when I look back, I realized how each job qualified me for the next one,” she said.

“My experiences will show no matter who you are, if you take a risk along with hard work, due diligence, perseverance, gaining knowledge and leadership skills, building relations with the support of leaders and mentors, you will never know what you might be or have done when you retire from your career.”

She went on to tell how all each of her jobs (even as a volunteer teacher aid) qualified her for the next position, and then the next, which got her started in her civil service career.

“As you can see, you never know,” she said after listing all her jobs and skills gained over almost 30 years.

She also talked about women leaders, how they became her role models, and how becoming an equipment test officer became her passion while working as a budget analyst for OTC.

“In the beginning, working for and with combat-hardened men was very different,” she said, “because I had all these women bosses before.

“Many of them had just come out of Vietnam. This is when I discovered that very few men had worked with a civil servant; much less a female civil servant.”

To audience laughter, she said, “Many of them mistook the three budget analysts as secretaries, until they learned we had signature authority for their operations and test money.”

During those days, Baugh recalled, “This is when I learned to be very direct, supported the test officers to the best of my ability, and received their respect.

“I also watched, listened, and learned from these men and gained their support. I learned from the very best over the years.”

Baugh’s adult daughter Medina; her brother Tom and his wife Sharion and many friends and loved ones traveled across the country to witness the honor.

Also joining the ceremony were three former Operational Testers Hall of Fame inductees: Mr. Wayland Smith, inducted in 2010; Ms. Gayle Shull, inducted in 2017; Mr. Bill Fesler, inducted in 2019; and Dr. Richard Kass, inducted in 2020.

From 2000 to 2004, Baugh was a Plans Officer and Deputy for the Experimentation Department, Joint Experimentation, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia, where she coordinated joint experimentation planning and execution.

From 2004 until her retirement in 2013, she served as A Senior Analyst (Support Contractor) with Headquarters, Department of the Army at the Pentagon.

The Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class in October 1994, has served to honor Soldiers and Civilians for their commitment to putting the best possible equipment and systems into the hands of Soldiers in both training and combat conditions.

Update as of 11:25 a.m., Oct. 28, 2021  — Masks are currently required on all DoD facilities.

By U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs

WEST FORT HOOD, Texas — Local news media are invited to the 28th Annual Operational Testers’ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony hosted by U.S. Army Operational Test Command here at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 29.

2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Ms. Myra L. Baugh, is a native of Joplin, Missouri, and will be honored for her 40 years in support of the Army and operational testing.

Baugh currently resides in Frisco, Texas.

As OTC’s 43rd Hall of Fame inductee, Baugh, started out in 1972 as a Secretary at the German/American Military Elementary School, Bad Kreuznach, Germany.

From 1975 through 1981, she served as a Budget Clerk/Budget Analyst in the Directorate of Industrial Operations, Fort Hood, where she developed budget and resource estimates for military equipment testing.

Her first position with OTC was in 1981 as a Budget Analyst/Program Analyst with OTC.

At OTC she went on to become a Military Test Plans Analyst/Test Officer, at Fort Hood, from 1992 to 2000.

She then became a Plans Officer and Deputy for Experimentation Department, Joint Experimentation, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia from 2000 to 2004; followed by being a Senior Analyst (Support Contractor), HQDA G-3/5/7 Analysis, Experimentation and T&E Division at the Pentagon beginning 2004.

Baugh retired from full-time employment in 2013.

Noteworthy is her dedicated service to the Nation spanning four decades as she guided Army Senior Leaders, OTC Commanders, and external organizations to ensure the Army had a plan for the testing and experimentation of emerging technologies and systems.

The Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class in October 1994, has served to honor Soldiers and Civilians for their commitment to putting the best possible equipment and systems into the hands of Soldiers in both training and combat conditions.

Media representatives interested in covering the event should contact Michael Novogradac, OTC’s public affairs officer, at 254-449-3686, or email: [email protected] no later than 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28.

Media should arrive at the West Fort Hood gate at Clarke Road and Highway 190 Friday, Oct. 29 at 9:15 a.m., to be escorted to the event.

Ms. Myra L. Baugh of Joplin, Missouri, will enter the U.S. Army Operational Test Command’s Operational Testers’ Hall of Fame as the program’s 43rd inductee in ceremonies scheduled for Oct. 29.

Cav Troopers Maintain Readiness with COVID Vaccinations

Story by Maj. Marcellus L. Simmons, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office

Fort Hood, TX – 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers continue to build readiness by vaccinating Troopers against COVID-19. For the past few months medical professionals hosted vaccination drives to increase the number of vaccinated Troopers.

“I’m fairly enthusiastic about trying to help promote vaccinations in, not just among our Soldiers, but also among our First Team families,” said Lt. Col. Evan Trivette, 1st Cavalry Division Surgeon. “So everything I can do to try to get people vaccinated, I want to help because vaccines are the single most effective measure we have in preventing Coronavirus transmission to our families, loved ones, friends, and our Central Texas community.”

On Aug. 24, 2021, the Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum that directing the full vaccination for the FDA approved vaccine of all members of the armed forces.

“Every Trooper who is not otherwise exempt will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure our Troopers and units are ready to fight and win,” said  Maj. Gen. John B. Richardson IV, commander, 1st Cavalry Division. “This is a readiness, health, and welfare priority for the 1st Cavalry Division.”

The division hosts vaccination drives in an effort to facilitate the vaccination of over 19,000 Troopers. 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, for example,has vaccinated over 3,500 Soldiers since its August return from Europe in support of Atlantic Resolve.

“We have a residual population that has not yet been vaccinated. Now that it is mandatory, we highly encourage these Soldiers to come in and get vaccinated,” said Trivette. “While the Army deadline for all Soldiers to be vaccinated is Dec. 15, it is important to get vaccinated now. The virus is spreading now.”

COVID-19 vaccination demonstrates the 1st Cavalry Division’s ongoing commitment to ensuring service members, family members, retirees and civilians remain healthy and mission ready. Additionally, Soldiers have the ability to request an exemption from receiving the vaccine, if they have a valid medical, religious or administrative reason. To date, over 80% of active-duty Soldiers are fully vaccinated.

A Soldier from the 1st Cavalry Division receives a COVID-19 vaccination during a 1st Cav. Div. vaccine rodeo  Oct. 1 at Fort Hood, Texas. For the past few months, medical professionals within the division have been hosting vaccination drives to increase the number of vaccinated troopers. (Photo by U.S. Army Pfc. Cheyne Hanoski, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office).

Photos and Story by Sgt. Melissa N. Lessard, III Corps Public Affairs

III Corps and Fort Hood leaders, Soldiers, Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) and community members gathered near T.J. Mills Bernie Beck main gate to assist with trash cleanup, at Fort Hood, Texas Oct. 23, 2021. With over 50 participants, the event’s goal is to increase the partnership between Soldiers and the local community through mentorship which is apart of the AUSA’s Professional Mentor Program which offers professional development forums to enhance military careers and helps strengthen the relationship between Soldiers and the local community. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Melissa N. Lessard)

(Fort Hood, Texas, Oct. 23 2021)— On the largest single-day of volunteering, which is known as make a difference day, III Corps and Fort Hood leadership, Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), Soldiers and community members gathered at the Marvin Leah Visitor Center to clean up TJ Mills Road, the entrance to Fort Hood.

The event kicked off make a difference day in conjunction with the second annual mentorship program started by retired 1st Sergeant Fernando Fernandez, vice president of Fort Hood Community National Bank and CTFH Chapter of ASUA committee chair. He developed the mentorship following visit from then Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy’s visit to central Texas.

“This is a part of our professional mentorship program,” said Fernandez. We started this to help build a bridge between the community and Fort Hood. Yes it’s a clean up but it’s more than just a cleanup. It’s about uniting.

He said there is a large percentage of Soldiers who live off post so it is about building up the community.

Command Sgt. Maj. Arthur “Cliff” Burgoyne of III Corps and Fort Hood, thanked everyone for coming out and discussed last years event and how well members of the community did.

III Corps and Fort Hood leaders, Soldiers, Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) and community members gathered near T.J. Mills Bernie Beck main gate to assist with trash cleanup, at Fort Hood, Texas Oct. 23, 2021. With over 50 participants, the event’s goal is to increase the partnership between Soldiers and the local community through mentorship which is apart of the AUSA’s Professional Mentor Program which offers professional development forums to enhance military careers and helps strengthen the relationship between Soldiers and the local community. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Melissa N. Lessard)

“We don’t own any of the road whatsoever outside of Fort Hood,” said Burgoyne.

He said the local community determined it was too dangerous to clean the road outside the gate but they figured out a way.

“It’s a chance to communicate, collaborate, and meet people from the community in conjunction with Soldiers and family members on Fort Hood,” said retired maj. gen. Ken Cox, vice president of the local ASUA chapter. This started a year ago. Fernando Fernandez is responsible for putting this together.

He said a few years ago the entrance was dirty and filled with trash. There was trash there was furniture.

“A little pride in our organization, a little bit of pride in Fort Hood, we made a decision in conjunction with command sgt. maj. Burgoyne, to get out here and clean up our entrance. This is round two of that.

He said he wants to make sure first time visitors to Fort Hood are proud of the organization as they come in. The second part of event is mentorship.

“At some point in time, regardless of where you are at in your military career, you are going to take off your military uniform,” said Cox. “You have to think about what you are going to do next. If you see someone that you know is not in the military, talk to them. If you are a civilian here today, partner with a military person today so you can talk to them about life outside the fences of Fort Hood.”

“Thats that we need as soldiers,” said Burgoyne. “We get so focused, so tunnel vision on what we do in the army that we kind of loose site on our community out there. Find someone that you don’t know, ask them their name, where they are from and just start a relationship other than your circle.”

The community gathered over 50 bags of trash and cleaned up the area outside the front gate, connected and built relationships, then enjoyed lunch together

1st Cavalry Division selects top medics to compete at Army level

(Master Sgt. Miriam Espinoza, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)

The 1st Cavalry Division announced the Best Medic Competition’s winning team during an award ceremony Oct. 21 at Cooper Field at Fort Hood, Texas. 

Sgt. 1st Class Dain Neininger and Sgt. Chase Rheinlander, both medics from the 8th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, won after a 3-day grueling competition against three other 1CD teams also competing for the title. 

“This event serves as a tool for Soldier to promote excellence and proficiency in all subject areas pertaining to tactical combat casualty care, prolonged care and patient evacuation,” said Sgt. Maj. Michelle Loftus, chief medical Non-commissioned officer, 1st Cavalry Division. 

The Soldiers had little to no rest during the competition; the prolonged medical care on the second day of the competition, for example, went thru 10 p.m., just to get up the next day for their final event — the 12-mile ruck march, which began at 4 a.m. 

“These Soldiers showed excellent medical skills, maturity in their Soldier tasks and they had the physical strength to endure and the mental capacity to conquer stressors,” said Sgt. Maj. Elvin Medina, command sergeant major, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. 

The 3-day competition evaluated the competitors’ knowledge of water survival skills, weapons, and medical skills while putting them through various physical challenges. Each team trying their best to earn the title of Fiscal Year 2022 1st Cavalry Division Best Medic. 

“Our Soldier faced rigorous testing that challenged their stamina, Soldier and medical skills, and medical abilities in every aspect,” Loftus added.

Neininger and Rheinlander will represent the 1st Cavalry Division at the CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition, the Army level competition, in January 2022, here at Fort Hood, Texas. 

“It’s humbling and I feel honored to have compete with all the other competitors, who are outstanding, they all put a lot of time and effort in the competition, both physically and mentally,” said Neininger.  “It was a challenging, but a great competition.”

Sgt. 1st Class Dain Neininger and Sgt. Chase Rheinlander, both medics from the 8th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, are presented their awards for winning the 1st Cavalry Division’s Best Medic Competition Oct. 21 at Fort Hood, Texas. Neininger and Rheinlander will represent 1CD at the Army’s CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition in January. (Photos by U.S Army Pfc. Cheyne Hanoski, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)
Teams await to find out who the winner for the 1st Cavalry Division’s Best Medic Competition is after they endured 3 days of medical, physical and mental tasks that tested both their medical knowledge and stamina Oct. 21 at Fort Hood, TX. In total six teams competed, two teams belong to the 1st Medical Brigade, and four to 1CD, each organization selected a team to represent them at the Army’s CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition in January. (Photos by U.S Army Pfc. Cheyne Hanoski, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)
Sgt. 1st Class Dain Neininger and Sgt. Chase Rheinlander, both medics from the 8th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, are presented their awards for winning the 1st Cavalry Division’s Best Medic Competition Oct. 21 at Fort Hood, Texas. Neininger and Rheinlander will represent 1CD at the Army’s CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition in January. (Photos by U.S Army Pfc. Cheyne Hanoski, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)

By Maj. Gabby Thompson, 3rd Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas-Col. Kevin D. Bradley, commander of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, was the guest speaker during the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee luncheon held at the Central Texas Home Builders Association, Oct. 21.

According to the Harker Heights Chamber website, the Military Affairs Committee (MAC) focuses on supporting military awareness in the community and assists in bridging the gap between the community and Fort Hood.

“We treasure the ability to partner with Harker Heights,” said Bradley. “You have been there when we’ve redeployed, in between, and helped us get out the door a couple of times over the last few years…so on behalf of the regiment, thank you for all you have done to support us.”

Approximately 75 members of the Harker Heights Chamber, the MAC and others were present for the luncheon, where Bradley provided updates on the regiment’s contributions to the community and training updates before fielding questions from chamber and community members.

Earlier this month, the regiment began steadily increasing its training as it prepares for the upcoming summer rotation to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. That increased training has added a great deal of noise both on and around Fort Hood.

“The number of small arms [weapons] being shot, the number of cannons going off, there’s probably a ‘Brave Rifles’ trooper pulling the trigger or pulling that cord…it’s important for what we are trying to accomplish…getting them ready for when their nation needs them,” said Bradley.

Over the next 6 months, the regiment will train hard and often, increasing in scale to fully prepare for the National Training Center. Preparing to deploy and deploying is always at the forefront of how the regiment trains.

“Between now and Christmas, we’re going to focus on platoon-level training…after Christmas we’ll focus on troop-level training, then in March we’ll pack up our equipment for the National Training Center,” said Bradley. “In April, we’ll ship [our equipment], then in May we’ll spend about good month in the California desert seeing what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last few months.”

The regiment’s rotation to the National Training Center is their culminating event, signifying their readiness as a unit.

“These rotations allow us to execute the planning and actual movement of our equipment…so that when we come back, the regiment can move into the deployment pool as the Army’s Immediate Response Force.”

The most recent deployment of the Army’s IRF was the 82nd Airborne Division deployment to Kabul during the Afghanistan evacuee mission.

There are currently over 4,400 troopers proudly serving in the regiment, with a robust vehicle fleet to match. With just over 1,000 vehicles, maintaining the regiment’s fleet and high readiness rates is challenging due to the sheer scale and volume of the fleet and often contentious repair parts supply chain, but Bradley is focused and dedicated to keeping the regiment ready at a moment’s notice.

“At least two times a month, we conduct sustainment terrain walks, where I, the regimental staff and technical experts visit squadron motor pools where squadron leadership walk us through their maintenance and logistics processes,” said Bradley. “We need to consistently ensure our leaders and staff who may have changed positions what we expect of our maintainers and how we can continue to be successful.”

Bradley also provided a summary of the regiment’s previous missions, including the summer Cadet Summer Training mission, where over 900 troopers traveled to Fort Knox, Kentucky, providing basic Army skills training, mentorship and leader training support to almost 10,000 cadets during the Army’s largest single training event of the year.

Bradley also highlighted the ongoing efforts to re-energize the regimental footprint, affectionally dubbed “Brave Rifles Country” on Fort Hood. The regiment is responsible for most of the buildings that run east of the newly renamed Legends Way beginning at T.J. Mills Boulevard and ending around Red Bud Drive.

The regiment kicked off its 175th anniversary celebration with Brave Rifles Week in May, and has since made changes to building, street and field names, updated some of the landscape and taken steps to directly address recommendations from the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee report published in December 2020.

“My assessment today is that the climate has changed,” said Bradley. “The one bellwether I use to determine that change is our store in front of the regimental headquarters that our association runs…in the 3 months leading up to Brave Rifles Week, they sold more t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts than we had sold in the last 5 years…we’re on a decent trajectory to getting that morale and pride back.”

There is more evidence of change around the regiment, too. A FHIRC finding revealed the regiment did not have dedicated space for its Equal Opportunity or Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention program professionals to operate.

“We named the building in the center of our regimental area ‘Old Bill Hall,’ and that’s a one-stop shop where a non-commissioned officer can take a soldier who needs help…we painted and renovated the building and it now houses our SHARP, EO, re-enlistment, Military Family Life Coordinator staff and has a computer lab with 20 computers for our soldiers to use for professional development or college courses.”

The community was also pleased to see the one-stop shop concept come back to Fort Hood.

During the question and answer portion of the luncheon, Sgt. 1st Class (Retired) Ken Cates, chief executive officer of the Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity, remembers a time when one-stop shops were common and necessary for soldiers.

“I applaud your team for reestablishing the one-stop shop,” said Cates. “As a retired Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, we had one in 69th Air Defense Artillery…it facilitates that openness where troopers can seek help.”

The regiment also participates in Fort Hood’s robust Adopt a School program, teaming up with 12 schools throughout the central Texas community and 2 in Harker Heights-Union Grove Middle School and Harker Heights Elementary.

“I’m sure the students get a kick out of having the troopers on campus, asking them all sorts of questions,” said Bradley. “So far this year, we’ve volunteered over 175 hours in our Harker Heights schools and we’re involved in some revitalization projects around the schools as well.”

Bradley invited the chamber to help spread the good news about the regiment, beyond what the local community may see in the news, in the paper or even on social media.

“We’ve had some great support from the local media here,” said Bradley. “I do really appreciate the media and the leaders in this room who have helped us to talk about the good things we have going on in the regiment.”

Over the next 6 months, as the regiment trains for the National Training Center, there will be media days open to both media and the local community to come observe training, interact with soldiers and get a closer look at the newly modernized vehicle fleet in the regiment.

Whether speaking about training, the regiment’s success or upcoming training, one theme remained the same: community.

“As we transitioned as an Army and moved from smaller bases in the cities to larger bases, we’ve lost a sense of community,” said Bradley. “It’s really important to the regiment and our troopers that we get back out there and reach out to all the great communities around us and make those bonds and connections.”

For more information about the 3rd Cavalry Regiment community relations or how to join for upcoming media days, contact the 3rd Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs at 254-423-5741 or [email protected].

Col. Kevin Bradley (center) with members of the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee in Harker Heights, Texas, Oct. 21.
Col. Kevin Bradley speaks to the audience during the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee luncheon in Harker Heights, Texas, Oct. 21.
Col. Kevin Bradley (left) speaks to Sgt. 1st Class (retired) Kevin Cates, the chief executive officer of the Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity, in Harker Heights, Texas, Oct. 21.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs
NEWS RELEASE: 21-010
Oct. 21, 2021
EXCHANGE MEDIA CONTACT: MARISA CONNER – [email protected]

 

FORT HOOD – Fort Hood retirees and military families can keep their smiles bright without having to go off-post, thanks to the opening of a DOCS dental office at the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s Clear Creek shopping center.

Fort Hood Garrison Commander Col. Chad Foster and DOCS CEO Dr. Larry Caplin joined Fort Hood Exchange General Manager Chris Haefner in celebrating the grand opening of the dental office on Oct. 21. Country music performers the Josh Abbott Band performed live and signed autographs for shoppers.

“The convenience of dental services on-post is a tremendous benefit to the Fort Hood community,” Haefner said. “The Exchange is committed to making life better for all who call Fort Hood home.”

In addition to retirees and military dependents, Veterans with service-connected disabilities, Department of Defense civilians and other Common Access Card-holders can also visit the dental office.

Fort Hood has been identified as one of “the Big Four” posts that are remote, austere or facing quality-of-life challenges. U.S. Army Installation Management Command is the lead agent for implementing the myriad aspects of the initiative, and the Exchange has been working with IMCOM to make Fort Hood a better place to work and live.

Recent Exchange projects include renovating the Kouma Express, including adding a Slim Chickens restaurant; piloting a DoorDash partnership for on-post food delivery; and opening two new dining options at the III Corps Express. The Fort Hood Exchange is also planning to add a Hunt Brothers Pizza, a Freshens restaurant and a Bath & Body Works in the coming months.

The DOCS dental office has 19 operatory rooms and provides a wide range of services to include general dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics and cosmetic.  The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m, and accepts all TRICARE dental plans for beneficiaries, as well as the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and other insurances. For more information, call (254) 423-9234.

 

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About AAFES
Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 54th-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $3.4 billion in earnings for critical military Quality-of-Life programs. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http://www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ExchangePAO.

 

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Media Notes:  For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Marisa Conner at (214) 312-5111 or [email protected].

Follow the Exchange:
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/shopmyexchange
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/shopmyexchange
Instagram: @shopmyexchange

 

The 1st Cavalry Division will host an award ceremony to recognize the Best Medic Competition winners after a grueling 3-day competition Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. on Cooper Field at Fort Hood, Texas.

The Best Medic Competition is a culminating event and competition for all medical Soldiers to promote excellence and proficiency in all subject areas of Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Prolonged Field Care and Patient Evacuations.

The competition tested competitors, both physically and mentally, who represented their brigade to earn the title of Fiscal Year 2022 1st Cavalry Division Best Medic.

Six two-man teams, four from 1st Cavalry Division and two from 1st Medical Brigade, competed for a chance to represent their organization at the CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition, the Army level competition, in January 2022, here at Fort Hood, Texas.

Media desiring to cover this event must RSVP to Master Sgt. Miriam Espinoza at [email protected] no later than 7 p.m. on Oct 20.

A public affairs representative will meet the media at the south parking lot of Marvin Leath Visitors Center located on T. J. Mills Blvd. at 1:30 p.m. for an escort to the event.

A Soldiers treats a casualty during the 1st Cavalry Division Best Medic Competition Oct. 19 at Fort Hood, Texas. Six two-man teams, four from 1st Cavalry Division and two from 1st Medical Brigade, competed for a chance to represent their organization at the CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition, the Army level competition, in January 2022, here at Fort Hood, Texas.
(Photo by U.S Army Pfc. Cheyne Hanoski, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)
Soldiers carry a casualty to an evacuation point during the 1st Cavalry Division Best Medic Competition Oct. 19 at Fort Hood, Texas. Six two-man teams, four from 1st Cavalry Division and two from 1st Medical Brigade, competed for a chance to represent their organization at the CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic Competition, the Army level competition, in January 2022, here at Fort Hood, Texas.
(Photo by U.S Army Pfc. Cheyne Hanoski, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)

 

 

The Space Force, that is.

By. Capt. Taylor Criswell, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas — Staff Sgt. Paul Daw, 12Y geospatial engineer, was recently selected from a pool of over 3,000 applicants to transition from the U.S. Army to the U.S. Space Force. Daw is originally from Salt Lake City and has been with the 1st Air Cav. Brigade since 2019.

“It’s kind of exciting to be part of a new organization; it’s historic to some extent,” said Daw. “This is an opportunity to do something different and still stay in the military. I’m really excited to be part of the groundwork for this new branch.”

He had been joking with his counterparts for months about putting in an application when someone told him that the Space Force had opened transfer vacancies from branches other than the Air Force.

“They posted that it opened up to the rest of the branches, so I found the [posting] and applied,” Daw said. “It was a very simple, straightforward process.”

Although Daw is currently an Army geospatial engineer, his education and professional experience started elsewhere. Prior to enlisting, he attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff where he earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry. He then worked as a firefighter for Grand Canyon National Park, Mesa Verde National Park and the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

“I take a lot of pride in all the things I’ve done for the Army and the things I did in my civilian education,” he said. “It’s really paid off.”

Daw joined the Army in 2015 and completed his first assignment with the 10th Mountain Division. In addition to his undergraduate education, he also completed a graduate certificate in geographic information systems (GIS).

Although he is required to attend the Space Force equivalent of advanced individual training (AIT), there are similarities with his current occupation. Army geospatial engineers collect, analyze and distribute geographic information for operations.

“I’ll be doing intelligence work based on satellite imagery collections,” he said. It is essentially “tactical identification from space platforms.”

When asked how his family felt, he said the transition to the Space Force had the potential to be very good for his family. His brother is a military intelligence non-commissioned officer with the Air Force, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where Daw hopes to be stationed.

“My dad is super, super excited,” he said. “He was visiting this weekend and I let him know that I got my official letter. He said he had to get a photo. So, he took a picture of it- Congratulations, Sergeant. You’ve been transitioned to the Space Force.”

For more information about the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, please contact Capt. Taylor Criswell, Brigade Public Affairs Officer, at [email protected].

Staff Sgt. Paul Daw poses with his wife, Christine, and their two children.

 

By Maj. Gabby Thompson

3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas — Performance experts from the Fort Hood Ready and Resilient Performance Center joined leaders and troopers from 2d Squadron, 3d Cavalry Regiment to kick off their 6-month embed program during foundational day training here, Oct. 15.

2d Squadron, also known as “Sabre,” will head to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California next spring for their training rotation, and their leadership wanted to find ways to help their troopers excel at their training objectives.

“This group is a little different from other folks we’ve brought in before,” said Ltc. James Bithorn, commander of 2d Squadron, 3d Cavalry Regiment. “We want you to focus on your spiritual, emotional and physical readiness. That readiness starts with you, our leaders.”

During the next 6 months, Sabre troopers will have unlimited access to the R2 Performance Center staff and resources they need to ensure they are fully ready to deploy to California for their training.

The R2 Performance Center performance experts offer a healthy mix of experience, with backgrounds ranging from previous collegiate and Olympic athletes to military veterans.

“We want to help you take your existing physical and mental skills to help you reach your identified goals,” said Quincy Palou, an R2 Performance Center performance expert.

Much like hiring a personal trainer or a strength coach, the performance experts will help troopers tap into their less tangible skill sets and exploit them to help increase their effectiveness and mental stamina during training.

“Our performance enhancement curriculum is designed to help you use your mental skills to reach a specific performance goal,” said Palou. “We can help you manage your mental energy to power through your training exercise.”

During the training session held in the 3d Cavalry Regiment classroom, troopers were separated by unit into small groups as the performance experts led them through some communication exercises, then gathered together to discuss and share what they gleaned from each other and the performance experts.

Exercises focused on communication techniques leaders can use with their subordinate troopers to effectively communicate and continue building trust among their troops.

“Some troopers just get it automatically, but some just need a little more coaching…when someone knows the why, they have a sense of purpose,” said Capt. William Sherwood, commander of Rattler Troop, 2d Squadron, 3d Cavalry Regiment.

Building cohesive teams and cultivating trust also supports the Operation People First Campaign, launched in the fall of 2020.

“We saw the issues some of you had in your command climate surveys…some of that was based on how you communicate with each other,” said Palou.

Routine, voluntary command climate surveys provide commanders anonymous feedback about how their organizations are working.

Under Operation People First, surveys that meet certain criteria are required to have an action plan to help correct the identified issues or concerns.

Many of the troopers are eager to start working with the performance experts.

“I think it’s going to be very beneficial…to have those outside eyes looking at us and maybe seeing ways we can improve and make ourselves better,” said Staff Sgt. Jake Iacona, a Sabre non-commissioned officer.

But most importantly, the R2 Performance Center experts are interested in helping Sabre troopers become better at tackling life.

“These resources will help you get over that hurdle you may be facing in your personal life, or physical training…to make you better leaders, better soldiers, better parents,” said Palou.

For more information on this story, call 254-423-5741 or email [email protected].

Performance experts from the Fort Hood Ready and Resilient Center joined troopers from 2d Squadron, 3d Cavalry Regiment to discuss effective communication at Fort Hood, Texas, Oct. 15. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Gabby Thompson)
Staff Sgt. Chiquita Pullum (left) coaches 1st Sgt. Cory Plunk during an effective communication exercise at Fort Hood, Texas, Oct. 15. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Gabby Thompson)