Here's a follow-up story I did about the graduation and CSA's visit. Not about LT Jonny, but interesting background info all the same.
Schoomaker lauds cadets
Story and Photos by Bob Rosenburgh
Public Affairs Officer
Western Region, Cadet Command
Fort Lewis is a regular stop these days for Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, but his most recent visit to the Evergreen Post last week held added meaning for him. Among the 300 cadets at Operation Warrior Forge’s 5th Regiment graduation ceremony was his own daughter, Cadet Lara Schoomaker from the University of Wyoming. But Gen. Schoomaker’s words of praise encompassed the quality of every cadet who stood, or will stand, on Fort Lewis’ Watkins Parade Field this summer for having completed their training requirements.
“I’ll tell you, I’m impressed,” he said. “I’m very proud of all of them.” He noted that the new generation of Army Soldiers grew up in a digital world that has specially prepared them for the ultra-smart systems of the modern Army. “That’s why we can do this,” Schoomaker said. “I’ll be honest … I couldn’t compete with these kids today. Had I grown up with the same experience, yes, but this generation is simply amazing. I’m very confident and optimistic about the future because of these kids.” Schoomaker said he believes they will be superb leaders into the Army of tomorrow.
And that future Army is already well on it’s way to reality, he noted, touching on several of the top force modernization issues “on the front burner.”
“We are modulizing the Army,” he said, “by pulling the technology from the FCS, Future Combat System, and spiraling it into our current force. We’re forming ourselves into Brigade Combat Teams that will look like what FCS teams will look like, although we’re using our current equipment, then laying on top of that the most current available technologies that take us in that direction.”
The FCS is designed around a series of common-chassis vehicles and systems that use many interchangeable components … a modular concept … and each can be configured to specialized combat and support missions. Linked together by new digital battlefield technologies, FCS will provide a lightweight, hi-tech and efficient structure of forces that will be more deployable, sustainable, survivable and, specifically, more lethal for a formidable future force.
“So we are putting the future in the hands of soldiers today,” he said. “By next year we will have 80 percent of the Army, Active Guard and Reserve, through the modular process.” By way of an example he cited the performance of the 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq. “They were providing battle command to 62 battalions using the Command Post of the Future technologies,” he said, ‘That included voice-over IP, streaming video and much more, not just our own units, but also some Iraqi battalions.”
While on post from July 14 to 16, Schoomaker visited a variety of locations, including the Stryker Lessons Learned Center, I Corps Battle Simulation Center, Mission Support Training Facility and Military Intelligence units of 3rd Brigade. He toured the Family Resource Center, NCO Academy and was able to award the brand-new Combat Actions Badge to 12 Soldiers as well as visiting TGWOT-wounded soldiers at Madigan Army Medical Center.
At the July 16 graduation, 19 of the 5th Regiment cadets were also commissioned as 2nd lieutenants, having completed their degree programs and needing only Warrior Forge graduation to qualify to become officers.
“This is a battalion worth of lieutenants,” Schoomaker noted, saying that he has every confidence in their potential to lead America’s sons and daughters, “and I’m very proud.”