FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The U.S. Army Chemical Corps held its annual regimental week right here from June 4 by way of Saturday.
Hosted by U.S. Army Chemical, Organic, Radiological and Nuclear Faculty Commandant Col. Sean Crockett, this yr’s celebration marks the corps’ 104th anniversary.
The week of occasions kicked off June 4, when members of the regiment participated in a 5K run that started at Memorial Grove.
On June 6, the regiment hosted an occasion for the spouses of CBRN Troopers that included visits to the Lt. Joseph Terry CBRN First Responder Coaching Facility and the John B. Mahaffey Museum Advanced.
About 25 spouses took half, together with Daphine Hills, spouse of USACBRNS Regimental Chief Warrant Officer 3 Humphrey Hills.
“Simply seeing what our spouses do and undergo repeatedly was nothing in need of wonderful,” she stated. “I really like that this chance was supplied.”
Hills stated she particularly loved the hands-on nature of the occasion. She stated she tried on chemical and organic protecting clothes, which gave her much more respect for what CBRN Troopers do.
“I used to be in it possibly all of two to 3 minutes,” she stated. “It appeared prefer it was 100 levels in seconds.”
June 7 noticed the opening of the two-day Chemical Corps Regimental Affiliation’s 2022 CBRN Exhibition at Nutter Subject Home, that includes greater than 30 know-how companions and trade leaders.
One of many extra distinctive occasions this yr occurred June 8, when Particular Operations Troopers carried out an airborne operation right here in commemoration of Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah Johnson, a CBRN Soldier who was killed whereas on a mission in 2017, in Africa. Recognized to his buddies and colleagues as “JW,” Johnson participated in a parachute leap for CBRN Regimental Week right here shortly earlier than he died. He was additionally inducted into the Chemical Corps Corridor of Fame this yr.
Grasp Sgt. Richard Carnicom, from the 82nd Chemical Reconnaissance Detachment, tenth Special Forces Group, organized the occasion — Carnicom served alongside Johnson within the 14th CRD, third SFG (Airborne).
“JW was an superior man and unbelievable household man, teammate and particular person — he was a warrior,” Carnicom stated. “He would suppose that is superior.”
With clear, calm climate changing the rain that fell for a lot of the week, a dawn memorial service was held June 9 at Memorial Grove.
In summing up the occasion, Regimental Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Williams stated there isn’t any custom extra essential than paying honor to those that have given every little thing in protection of the nation.
“This morning, we’ll pause to mirror on Dragon Troopers who devoted their lives to our nation and our corps,” he stated.
The visitor speaker on the occasion was retired 1st Sgt. Sandra Adams, who now serves because the chief of Worldwide Fireplace Service Accreditation Congress compliance for the USACBRNS Directorate of Coaching and Chief Improvement. She advised the attendees to “develop in confidence” with the reassurance every job will be completed.
“Have a look to your left; now, have a look to your proper,” she stated. “Let your neighbors function a reminder of those that have paved and are persevering with to pave the best way for us to stay within the land of the free. Their confidence and willpower have allowed them to make the last word sacrifice to maintain us secure.”
On Friday morning in Lincoln Corridor Auditorium, senior leaders outlined the state of the regiment.
In his remarks, Crockett spoke on methods the regiment will accomplish its present priorities — taking good care of its individuals and modernization — because the Chemical Corps works to keep up readiness and relevance within the Army of the close to future.
“To perform our targets, we should develop particular capabilities throughout the doctrine, group, coaching, materiel, management and schooling, personnel, and amenities domains that can guarantee survivability and allow freedom of motion in large-scale fight and multi-domain operations towards near-peer threats in a fancy CBRN setting,” he stated. “Modernization goals will set circumstances for mission success for the Army 2030 pressure and past, using our three core features: assess, defend and mitigate.”
Crockett additionally thanked the service members and civilians who accomplish and help the mission on daily basis.
“Your continued dedication to this formation has allowed us to stay steadfast in our coaching and help to the maneuver pressure over time,” he stated. “I’m assured our coaching and modernization efforts will hold our corps prepared and related as we transition into Army 2030 and past. I’m equally assured our deliberate trajectory for modernization is in help for a way the Army needs to modernize, delivering functionality to the warfighter that can guarantee success in future CBRN environments. All of you right here, together with our Dragon Troopers and joint companions across the globe, proceed to signify the strongest CBRN counterforce group this nation has ever seen. Collectively, we collectively would be the decisive edge in help of the long run pressure.”
Following the senior chief remarks, the Order of the Dragon awards have been introduced to fifteen people.
The award is given to those that have demonstrated the best requirements of integrity and ethical character, have an impressive diploma {of professional} competence, and have contributed to the promotion of the Chemical Corps in quite a few methods over the course of their careers.
The Historical Order of the Dragon was introduced to Cols. Benjamin Lindsey and Alexander Lovascz, Lt. Col. Justin Harm, Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Burkes and 1st Sgt. Darryl Harley.
The Honorable Order of the Dragon was introduced to Lt. Col. Josh Howell, Majs. Victoria Clemons, Trey Ferguson and Chester Garner, and Sgts. 1st Class Pedro Caban, Brenton Calvin, Sasha Gonzalez and Johanna Visscher.
The Order of the Dragon – Legionnaire, which acknowledges non-CBRN personnel, was introduced to Sgts. 1st Class Michael Mindt and Matthew Williams.
For extra data on the Order of the Dragon, together with nomination standards for the varied awards, click on right here.
The Sibert Award was then introduced. Named after Maj. Gen. William Sibert — sometimes called the “Father of the Chemical Corps” — the annual award acknowledges the top-performing CBRN firms within the active-duty Army, Nationwide Guard and Reserve, and the top-performing group or detachment.
The energetic element winner this yr was the ninth Chemical, Organic, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Firm (Technical Escort), from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; the Nationwide Guard element winner this yr was the 690th CBRN Firm (Hazard Response), from Cell, Alabama; the Reserve element winner this yr was the Headquarters and Headquarters Firm, 415th CBRN Brigade, from Greenville, South Carolina; and the group or detachment winner this yr was the 82nd Chemical Reconnaissance Detachment, from Fort Carson, Colorado.
Following the Sibert Award shows, retired Sgt. Maj. William Jackson was honored as a Distinguished Member of the Corps, an award prolonged to people who served the Chemical Corps of their skilled lives, and who proceed to serve it of their private lives.
The regiment then inducted Johnson into the Chemical Corps Corridor of Fame. As a CBRN Soldier with the 14th CRD assigned to the third SFG (Airborne), Johnson was killed whereas offering cowl for his group after they have been ambushed by enemy forces 5 years in the past in Niger. Johnson was named an honorary Inexperienced Beret in 2021 — one in all solely 13 Troopers ever to obtain this honor — and Johnson’s Bronze Star Medal with Valor was upgraded to the Silver Star in March. The Silver Star is the armed forces’ third-highest army ornament for valor in fight.
After Crockett and Williams introduced Johnson’s mother and father with Chemical Corps Corridor of Fame honors, Crockett stated “the respect we give to our fallen speaks to the worth we place on their service.”
“A service members’ dying touches extra than simply the lives of their family members and buddies,” he stated. “When their tales are shared in our neighborhoods, our houses, our colleges and our locations of worship, these women and men develop into part of the collective id of our hometowns. The tales of their sacrifices stay on within the delight of recollections of their family members, at observances, by way of inscriptions on memorials, and plaques devoted to the legacy of their technology. Woven into the material of our nation are those that died whereas carrying the material of our nation. They instill a way of delight amongst residents, they usually encourage new generations to lift their palms in service.”
Extra details about the Chemical Corps’ Corridor of Fame will be discovered on the USACBRNS web site at https://residence.military.mil/wooden/index.php/units-tenants/USACBRNS/CBRN_units/HQs/HOF.
Later that night, the regiment hosted their Inexperienced Dragon Ball at Nutter Subject Home, and Saturday morning, the CCRA golf event at Piney Valley Golf Course wrapped up the week of occasions.