Army

FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. – Lt. Col. Dartanion Hayward, commander of the 309th Military Intelligence Battalion, knows it takes more than wishful thinking to effect change.

“Action actually drives change, not thought,” the Philadelphia native said. “Thought drives desire, but until you put action into it, nothing is going to happen.”

Hayward enlisted in the Army in 1997 as an 88M motor transport operator feeling the experience would make him a better leader. He later commissioned in 2002 after obtaining a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship in his sophomore year at Penn State.

Despite a love for combat arms, choosing Infantry as a branch was out of the question because of his severe allergy to grass, and his second choice, Aviation, wasn’t an option because his eyesight didn’t make the grade. Hayward settled into the Military Intelligence branch with a detail to Armor, making him one of a small handful of Black intelligence officers.

President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, committing the government to integrating the segregated military. The Army’s nine training divisions were integrated by 1951, and by 1954 the Army reported it was fully integrated.

While strides have been made and the Department of Defense reaps the benefits of a workforce where team members from a variety of backgrounds unite for a common mission, the recent DOD Board on Diversity and Inclusion Report released on Dec. 18, 2020, identified the fact that more work must be done to ensure the military accurately reflects the nation’s diversity and every member of the force is treated with dignity and respect. Women and minorities remain underrepresented in parts of the military, particularly at the highest levels of leadership.

Recent changes include reviewing hairstyle and grooming standards for racial bias resulted in revisions to Army Regulation 670-1 in 2021. The DOD report, Recommendations to Improve Racial and Ethnic Diversity and Inclusion in the U.S. Military, advocates taking other, long-term steps to improve racial and ethnic diversity. Two of those steps are diversifying senior-level positions so they reflect the nation’s racial and ethnic makeup, and identifying and removing barriers to senior leadership for diverse candidates.

In Focus Area 1: Recruitment and Accessions, the board recommends increasing the pool of qualified ROTC enrollment, scholarship and commission applicants from minority-serving institutions.

Leaders at the headquarters of the Army’s military intelligence training and the traditional home of the Buffalo Soldier, are taking action on that recruiting recommendation by visiting Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, across the country to drive change and diversify the Military Intelligence (MI) branch.

According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, HBCUs were established in the United States early in the 19th century to provide undergraduate and graduate level education opportunities to people of African descent. Congress defined an HBCU in Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as a school of higher learning that was accredited and established before 1964, and whose principal mission was the education of African Americans.

When demographic information compiled by the Office of the Chief of Military Intelligence revealed a stark lack of diversity among officers currently serving in the military intelligence career fields, Maj. Gen. Anthony Hale, commanding general of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca, wanted to make a personal difference.

Hale began incorporating visits to HBCUs on his many travels around the Army.

“I made it my objective to get on a campaign to recruit more minorities into the Intel Corps,” he said during a recent visit to Jackson State University. Hayward and other Black MI officers accompany Hale on these visits.

Their first visit was to Maryland HBCUs Morgan State and Bowie State in May 2021, followed by visits to Washington, D.C.’s Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and Virginia State University. Earlier this month, they traveled to Mississippi to visit Alcorn State and Jackson State Universities.

“Major General Hale’s recruiting briefs at 13 HBCUs in the past year, most recently to two in my home state of Mississippi, demonstrates leadership in action to ensure the next generation of military intelligence professionals are diverse and the most talented our Army has seen,” said U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss.

Hayward is inspired the Chief of Staff of the Army has placed an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.

“We can make it better in the Army; we have the ability to drive that kind of change and show the rest of society this is what right looks like,” said the commander of more than 1,100 military intelligence trainees.

“Nothing changes until something changes,” he continued. “We can talk about the change all day long, but it won’t change until something happens.”

Hayward has heard people talk about issues of diversity and inclusion within military intelligence for more than 20 years with very little action being taken.

He has his eye on the future and leaving a legacy for future Soldiers.

“If we don’t want to continue to look like and act like the things we’ve been struggling through for hundreds of years, then we need to start changing the trajectory of this compass,” Hayward said. “One azimuth on a compass makes a dramatic change when you continue to walk that way for five, six hundred meters. So if we just make one slight change and walk in that direction, it’s phenomenal what it will do in the future.”

While speaking to a group of ROTC cadets at Alcorn State University this month, Hale said, “When I talk to young officers, young minority officers in particular, they say I want to look up and see people that look like me. And right now, they don’t see a lot of folks that look them, and I am determined to change that.”

Like Hale, Hayward is motivated to be an agent of change and frequently paraphrases Proverbs 13:22, “A wise man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,” when he talks about improving diversity and inclusion in the Army.

Hayward’s travels with Hale to HBCUs are designed to educate cadets about career possibilities in military intelligence. The interactions inspire him as well.

Sometimes cadets are astonished to meet a Black MI officer from North Philadelphia.

“I bet you thought you’d never see a lieutenant colonel from the Strawberry Mansion-area of North Philadelphia?” he asks them. “No sir” is a typical response.

On one HBCU visit, Hayward recalls a cadet turning in the opposite direction when they saw a general officer. But not all cadets turn away. Many flock to Hale, Hayward and other MI officers to seek out advice, mentorship and contact information. Hayward was particularly thrilled when a cadet he had spoken with reached back to him in December to let him know she assessed MI and is branch detailed to Armor.

Because there can be generational disparity that might make it challenging for today’s college students to relate with a two-star general and lieutenant colonel, a junior officer is also a member of the HBCU outreach team.

1st Lt. John Jones is a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and serves as the executive officer at Alpha Company, 309th MI Bn. He has joined Hale on visits to HBCUs including his alma mater, and most recently, Alcorn State and Jackson State Universities.  For Jones, the opportunity to take part in driving change was one he could not pass up.

“I hope to one day make a strategic impact to the MI field and also be a role model for aspiring officers,” he said, applauding Hale’s initiative and noting the general is truly getting after diversifying the ranks.

Hale tells cadets and officers they need three things: a mentor, an advocate and a sponsor. Hayward described the role of each —a mentor providing step-by-step instructions, an advocate championing you on, and a sponsor having the ability to pull you in.

“That’s the issue we have,” he observes. “We don’t have someone pulling us in.”

Hale sees himself as a person who can be a sponsor who can pull someone in, and Hayward notes it’s good for the cadets to see that.

Hayward has observed the cadets are hungry and are looking for opportunity. Their training is very maneuver based, so that is what they know about the Army, he explained. Most aren’t aware of the opportunities in military intelligence while wearing the uniform and how they can translate to a civilian career after their time in the Army.

The interactions with the future leaders of military intelligence have also made an impression on the commanding general.

“I’ve been visiting Historically Black Colleges and Universities for the last year, and it has been the most inspiring thing that I have done while in command over 18 months at Fort Huachuca,” Hale told cadets during his February visit to Alcorn State University.

Hayward hopes to continue carrying the torch. Educating and encouraging subordinates and peers alike is the influence he wants to have throughout his career.

Returning to the topic of diversity in the military intelligence corps, he notes, “It’s not a Black problem or minority problem. It’s an ‘our’ problem. It’s everyone’s problem that we’re so under-represented within intel. If all of us aren’t fighting it, it will always be ‘us’ and ‘them.’ This is a problem we all need to address.”

Hayward sees Hale’s initiative as a great start and hopes it continues when the next commanding general inevitably takes command. Having a bigger pool of diverse candidates increases the likelihood of one crossing the finish line to senior leadership.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” says Hayward. “The diversity and inclusion and equality piece is so important in that it gives other people hope to say, ‘I have the ability to obtain that.’”

(Editor’s note: Maj. Robin Cox, director of the USAICoE Strategic Communication Commander’s Action Group, contributed to this article.)

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Fort Huachuca is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM)/9th Army Signal Command and more than 48 supported tenants representing a diverse, multiservice population. Our unique environment encompasses 946 square miles of restricted airspace and 2,500 square miles of protected electronic ranges, key components to the national defense mission.

Located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about 15 miles north of the border with Mexico, Fort Huachuca is an Army installation with a rich frontier history. Established in 1877, the Fort was declared a national landmark in 1976.

We are the Army’s Home. Learn more at https://home.army.mil/huachuca/.

BELLE CHASSE, La. – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training or ASIST, developed in 1983, is a two-day 16-hour interactive workshop that prepares caregivers to provide suicide first-aid intervention for someone who may be contemplating suicide.

The U.S. Army Reserve’s 85th Support Command and 76th Operational Response Command hosted an ASIST Training workshop, at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, January 20-21, 2022.

“The ASIST training is about helping people talk to someone that may have a suicide ideation and keep them safe for now. Meaning you could be walking down the street and see somebody on a bridge and this class is supposed to give you the tools to be able to assist that person to get some help to be safe,” said Sgt. 1st Class Veronica Moore, Suicide Prevention Liaison, 177th Armored Brigade.

During the ASIST course participants are trained in the Pathway for Assisting Life (PAL) model. Students are taught to recognize signs and ask about whether a person is contemplating suicide. They learn to listen to the person’s story and understand why they are contemplating suicide. Lastly, they are taught to develop a safe plan with the individual and confirm the follow through of this plan.

“What sets this training apart is that it gives our suicide prevention liaisons the opportunity to get a little more in-depth training on how to actually recognize and intervene with people who might be at risk of suicide,” said C. Tyler Montgomery, Suicide Prevention Program Manager, 76th ORC.

“When I talk to people across the Army Reserve and just even friends out in the civilian population, one of the biggest concerns is what are the signs and how to recognize suicidality,” said Montgomery. “But even if I do recognize that somebody is acting different than they normally do, what do I do then? What do I say? There has to be that perfect thing to say right?”

Montgomery further shared that a lot of people want to help they don’t know how, and this training really set the standard and is research based in the way that makes people feel more comfortable in approaching people.

Chief Warrant Officer John Brasfield, Command Chief Warrant Officer, 85th USARSC, attended the ASIST workshop as an observer, met with the training audience, and shared his thoughts on the topic.

“Every death by suicide is a tragedy. It profoundly impacts Soldiers, family, and friends in the individual’s life. It also has far-reaching negative impacts on units and operational readiness,” said Brasfield.

According to the ASIST workshop organizers they have received extensive positive feedback from past participants of the class.

“We’ve had lots of success stories. Participants call all the time, and a lot of times it happens right after they leave the class, like within that first week. They find themselves in that caregiver role and they’ll call for backup and ask hey am I doing this right? what do I need to do next?,” said Sgt. 1st Class Ariesa Evans, who has been an ASIST trainer since 2017.

“The most common feedback from those who take this class is that they’ve been able to intervene before it got to a point where somebody was on that life-or-death crisis. Where they notice signs and they’ve been able to talk to people who maybe contemplated suicide but did not have a suicidal plan,” said Montgomery. “They were able to intervene at point before it ever got to that place and get them resources, got them connected to people, showed that they cared, maybe figure out what problems were going on in their life and the person never got to the point where they were they actually had a plan to take their life.”

For anyone contemplating suicide, Carmella Navarro, Suicide Prevention Program Manager, 85th USARSC emphasized how critical it is to seek help.

“They are not alone in those thoughts. There are many people who feel the same way. Those thoughts can be extremely isolating and it’s important to know that there are others they can reach out to that will listen and let them process what they’re thinking and feeling, and hopefully allow them to see that there is a connection to life,” said Navarro. “So I would say find that person you trust, call the Veterans hotline and know that there’s not going to be a judgment when you reach out, it’s going to be how can I help you.”

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call the Veterans Crisis Hotline at 800-273-8255 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

FORT HOOD, Texas – Gordon Logan is an Air Force veteran and lifelong supporter of the United Services Organization.

On Feb. 17 at USO Fort Hood here, that support was recognized and honored.

Soldiers eating lunch at the USO watched as Col. Chad R. Foster, commander of U.S. Army Garrison – Fort Hood, presented an award, featuring patches representing all the major commands at the Great Place, to the Killeen, Texas businessman.

“A lot of what you enjoy here, today, and on a regular basis, is in large part due to his efforts and his support of this great program,” Foster told the troops.

“The USO is one of the key partners here on the installation to take care of you and help you have a better day sometimes,” he said. “I know when you’re out there – turning wrenches, pulling triggers, doing that hard work – it’s good to come here and get away from it all.”

Logan, who owns Sport Clips, makes a personal donation to the USO annually, as well as raises money for scholarships for troops transitioning out of the military. Through Veterans of Foreign Wars, Logan has helped raised more than $10 million in scholarship funds.

“We want to make sure the service members here at Fort Hood are well taken care of,” Logan said. “I’m just really proud to be able to help the USO and say thank you to Soldiers who sacrifice so much for us.”

Logan shared that during his time in the Air Force, serving overseas in different parts of the world, the USO was always there to make him feel welcome, which is why he is such a big supporter of the organization.

“The USO is always a safe place to go to relax and feel like you’re connecting back to home,” he added.

Isabel Hubbard, executive director of USO Fort Hood – Central Region, said Logan is one individual who never says “no” when called upon. She added that she’s happy the garrison was able to thank Gordon in some small way.

“I’m very appreciative of him,” she added. “It’s just amazing what he does, and just knowing it’s for the service members. That says a lot.”

Also joining the ceremony were Randy Hardin, chairman of USO Fort Hood; and retired Maj. Gen. Bob Halverson, who also serves of the USO Fort Hood board.

“Mr. Logan is a great friend of the USO and, therefore, a great friend of Fort Hood and the U.S. Army,” Foster said. “On behalf of Lt. Gen. (Pat) White, (III Corps and Fort Hood commanding general), all of Fort Hood, and all these great Soldiers and family members stationed here, thank you very much.”

SAGAMIHARA FAMILY HOUSING AREA, Japan – After losing 80 pounds over the past year, Tara Culbertson wanted to find a unique exercise to stay in shape while making new friends.

Willing to try something new, Culbertson, the director of Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, decided to revive the local roller derby team that had dissolved due to the pandemic.

Called the Zama Killer Katanas, the team once held regular matches with other nearby teams such as the Yokota Scary Blossoms and the Yokosuka Sushi Rollers.

Culbertson hopes to soon reignite those friendly rivalries as her team searches for new players, officials and volunteers.

“I would like to meet some cool, smart ladies and just make my own friends here and not just work,” she said.

Roller derby is played on a flat, oval track with two teams of up to five skaters vying to score the most points during two 30-minute periods. One skater on each team, called the “jammer,” scores a point after passing an opposing player on the track with help from their teammates, who are called “blockers.”

The game is a full-contact sport, but there are rules on how players can safely make contact with their opponents.

Roller derby is also known for its quirky player names. For instance, Culbertson’s stage name is “Bettie Rage.”

“I think it’s kind of badass,” she said of the sport. “It’s kind of rebellious and has lady power. These are girls who are confident, strong and cool.”

Master Sgt. Shanika Johnson, senior enlisted adviser for Army Reserve Affairs at U.S. Army Japan, attended the team’s first official practice on Tuesday.

Johnson said she has been skating off and on since she was 5 years old, but she has never played roller derby before. She was drawn to the female camaraderie associated with the sport, as well as the fitness aspect.

“I was a little bored, so I thought I’d give it a try,” she said. “I met some teammates and they were very welcoming.”

Ashleigh Gosnell, a former Soldier and Army spouse, had the chance to test out her newly purchased skates around the gym at Arnn Elementary School during the practice.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting people and I love team sports, so I think getting involved in something like this is really cool,” she said.

The most experienced skater of the group was Hannah Howard, who helped teach drills to about a half dozen new players.

Howard, an Air Force spouse who goes by “Aris Throttle,” said the sport may initially make some people nervous about trying it out. It can appear aggressive and its roots are a bit punk.

“Those things are part of the culture that people enjoy if that’s what you want out of it, but I think now it’s very inclusive and it’s reached more of a mainstream,” she said.

There are leagues worldwide and the Roller Derby World Cup is played every few years. Earlier this month, U.S. Olympian Erin Jackson, a professional roller derby player, also won a gold medal for speedskating.

Those who attend practice for the Zama Killer Katanas will learn the basics of roller derby, and loaner equipment is available to help them get started.

Women aged 18 and up at any skill level, as well as men interested in becoming an official, can join the practices, which are currently held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Arnn.

“It really is for everybody,” Howard said. “One of the things that we were asking tonight is, ‘What do you want to get out of roller derby?’ Because not everybody wants what is perceived of it – the punk, alternative style of it. Some people want exercise, some people want to make friends. All of those things are possible in roller derby, while having fun hitting people.”

To join a practice or for more information, readers can email the team at [email protected].

Related links:

U.S. Army Garrison Japan news

USAG Japan official website

Designed to transport infantry troops, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is known for its survivability, mobility, and lethality.

Now, it can add hybrid electrification to its attributes.

In a first, the Army turned on its newly integrated hybrid electric Bradley during a demonstration on Jan. 28, 2022, marking a major milestone in a rapid prototyping effort. The integrated hybrid electric system will be used to demonstrate that widely available commercial hybrid technology could also benefit the military.

The effort, led by the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, or RCCTO, will help inform future hybrid electric technologies, proving out the effectiveness of the Bradley Hybrid Electric Vehicle, and will give Army senior leaders a decision point on whether or not to move forward.

“The BHEV prototype truly has the potential to improve how our Soldiers execute their missions while providing the Army with a cost-effective advantage on the battlefield,” said Stanley Darbro, RCCTO Deputy Director. “We’re executing this approach through a 24-month rapid prototyping effort with the expectation it will provide proven increased operational capability for Army-wide application.”

This quick turn prototyping effort is being worked under a Prototype Other Transaction Authority agreement with BAE Systems to deliver two Bradley vehicles retrofitted with hybrid electric technology. The BHEV consists of an upgraded engine, a transmission replaced by an electric drive motor, and the addition of lithium-ion batteries.

During the demonstration, held at BAE Systems’ Sterling Heights facility, engineers demonstrated the BHEV’s ability to power and control critical systems for successful hybrid electric operations. These activities allow BAE Systems to methodically assess each subsystem to ensure proper and safe operations before integrating the next subsystem.

Starting in June, the Bradley vehicles will undergo assessments at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland where they will be driven over rough terrain to measure performance. Then, later this year, both Bradley vehicles will be at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona for additional field assessments and to compare performance data between the two vehicles, and against non-hybrid electric Bradley vehicles.

Expected benefits of the system include increased on-board power, mobility, lethality options, and range. The hybrid technology allows for improved fuel economy and increased range, and improved performance with no added Size, Weight, and Power demands. The Army anticipates reduced fuel consumption of 20 percent, and with a smaller number of parts, vehicles with hybrid electric drive technology should be easier to maintain.

“There’s also the added benefit of silent watch,” said Mike Foster, lead of the RCCTO’s Rapid Acquisition Prototyping Project Office. “It provides a reduced heat signature and sound. Our performance goals are aimed at increasing acceleration, electrical power generation, and increased range.”

In addition to the BHEV, the RCCTO is expanding efforts beyond the Bradley to include prototyping hybrid electric Joint Light Tactical Light Vehicles and HMMWVs. Contract awards are expected in February for the HMMWV and in March for the JLTV.

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii—Black Americans have served and sacrificed in every conflict in the history of the United States, contributing greatly the U.S. Army and the freedom of our nation. The development and advancement of Army logistics can be attributed in great part to Black Soldiers.

Prior to the desegregation of the military in 1948 by President Harry Truman, the majority of Black Soldiers served in logistics-related fields under the Services of Supply branch, according to the National Archives.

Many of the fundamentals of Army logistics today can be traced to the Services of Supply branch of the Army during World War II. Historians across disciplines have researched these contributions and the results are not only fascinating, but ones to be celebrated and discussed more.

1)   U.S. Army sustainers can look to the Red Ball Express to learn how to overcome under established and broken infrastructure when planning and preparing for Large Scale Combat Operations. The Red Ball Express, established during World War II, delivered fuel and materiel to Soldiers across France through motor transportation convoys. Due to the damaged rail infrastructure from the war, and the fast pace of the mission, sustainers faced logistical challenges to delivery necessary supplies. The Allied forces relied heavily on the Red Ball Express drivers, the majority of whom were African American, to meet their supply needs. The sustainment provided by the Red Ball Express led to the success of the Allied forces in Europe.

Learn more: The Red Ball Express: Past Lessons for Future Wars

2)   Private George Watson, a member of 29th Quartermaster Regiment during World War II, was one of seven Black Soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton in 1997. While six of the recipients served in combat units, Pvt. Watson was recognized for his courageous efforts saving others after enemy bombers hit the U.S. Army transport ship he was on while off the coast of New Guinea. Watson ultimately drowned with the ship.

Learn more: Logisticians Celebrate Black History Month

3)   War historian and member of the editorial board for the Quarterly Journal of the Army War College, Douglas Bristol, Jr., profiled four Black Quartermasters in World War II, sharing their experiences and how these Soldiers, and others like them, were indispensable in the success of the U.S. Army in the European and Pacific theaters.

Learn more: What Can We Learn About World War II From Black Quartermasters?