bility of those serving in the- ADA rank and file.
In a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, LTG Sean Gainey stated, “the Air and Missile Defense formations are the most deployed formations in the Army. And several times those [air defense] systems are deployed early into an environ- ment where the quality-of-life facilities aren’t in place for the Soldiers”. LTG Gainey also commented that air defense units have exceeded the Secretary of Defense’s mandate of having a minimum of two years at home station following a one-year de- ployment (Lacdan, 2024). Across the Army, no other Career Management Field (CMF) has a similar burden on them and their families.
Another way to view this problem is through the lens of time. From the 1950s, the infancy of air defense artillery, and building up through the modern era of 2005, the Army had maintained 55 years of experience and SHORAD lessons learned. The weapon systems and tactics changed throughout the decades, but the succes- sion of command remained in place with generations of leaders teaching, coaching, and mentoring young troops in the ways of air defense. With the line of succes- sion interrupted and the SHORAD force
dismantled, talented SHORAD leaders and Soldiers were reclassed into other CMFs or told that SHORAD was a “dead- end career choice.” Over the period of 2005-2018, a 13-year knowledge gap de- veloped, and this is where the core of the problem lies. The leaders who under- stood maneuver, who performed airborne operations with the light infantry, and served as divisional air defense subject matter experts have reclassed or retired to pursue different career paths.
Talent management is more than placing the right individual in the right position. It is what NCOs do every day and at every level of leadership. From the Corporal leading a Stinger Team to the Sergeant First Class leading their M-SHORAD pla- toon, NCOs train their subordinates based on doctrine and previous experiences. But what happens when that “previous experience” is not maneuver related? How can an NCO train beyond air defense fundamentals if they do not have the know- ledge or experience? That is the forgotten art this paper speaks to.
Modernization Efforts
The modernization of SHORAD to M- SHORAD is progressing rapidly. With the activation of the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (5-4 ADAR) in October 2018, the re-investment in short-
range air defense began. The addition of new units will deepen the Army’s pool of available fighting power and, theoreti- cally, should decrease deployment rates, although this remains to be seen. The 5-4 ADAR is not alone; the 6th Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery (6-56 ADA), and the 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery (4-60th ADA) have also activated since 2020 with equipment fielding either already complete or in progress. Another DivAD battalion, the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery (2-55 ADA), is set to activate, further solidifying the Army’s commitment to enhancing M-SHORAD capabilities. With the upgrade from the legacy Avenger Weapon System to the Stryker-based, M-SHORAD platform, Soldiers can keep pace with their counter- parts on the battlefield.
M-SHORAD
In 2020, when I was a First Sergeant in Able Battery/5-4 ADAR, we sent Soldiers to White Sands Missile Range as the inaugural class for training on the new M-SHORAD platform, now named the “SGT STOUT” in honor of Sergeant Mitchell William Stout, the only Air Defender to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War (Ames, 2024). These Soldiers trained on operating, ma- neuvering, and firing from the array of
U.S. Army soldiers with Charlie Battery, 1-57 ADAR and 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command command team pose for a photo during exercise Shield 24 Apr. 12 in Pula, Croatia. This annual event bolsters Croatian air defense capabilities against low and medium-altitude threats. Joined by international partners, including and the Polish, Slovenian, and French Armed Forces, the exercise emphasizes air defense tactics and live-fire engagements. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Yesenia Cadavid)
Fall 2024 CAVALRY & ARMOR JOURNAL 19
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