Fort Bliss Monitor

Troop Talk

This is a new year, a new beginning for Team Bliss to take on the many challenges of the near future. As an installation, an Army and a nation still at war we all have a job to do in supporting the effort and this will continue throughout 2005 and beyond.

With your help we will continue to take care of Soldiers and families, improve their quality of life with better housing and the post will offer more services and recreational opportunities. Some examples: a youth lacrosse team that is being formed; a skatepark is being built; Starbucks just opened, a Blockbuster video outlet is coming soon and Friday we will kick off Project Endeavor, a $2.6 million dollar grant from the Department of Labor designed to provide job search and training as needed for spouses in specific categories. Also soon to come is a better and more user friendly description of the hiking and hunting areas and capabilities on Fort Bliss and McGregor Range.

Transformation of the force based on lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom continues. The concept of “Soldier first” brought about the 40/9 tasks to be completed by every Solider, is now established Army-wide which must be completed before deployment. The creation of the Top Gun Course for air defense Soldiers is a first step in combat ready training in an MOS. The development phase of an off the shelf system with modifications to counter the threat of rockets, mortars and artillery (RAM); the formation of the first composite battalion of Avenger/Patriot when the 1-44th ADA moves here later this year; the change of ADA from a stove-piped system to a design that is network-centric, and can be integrated with combined arms and coalition forces and interdependent with joint capabilities of other services.

We must ramp up and prepare for the influx of 3,800 troops to form the 4-lst Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (unit of action) which will be located on Biggs Army Airfield. Accompanying this unit will be approximately 6,000 family members which will need housing and all kinds of services and support from the installation. We want to give them a home “away from home” like no other they have experienced and a heroes welcome as many of the troops could be just returning from Iraq.

Fort Bliss is a designated platform for movement to and from Korea. The 35th ADA Brigade has moved to Korea and continued rotations of AMD Soldiers to and from the theater will begin next year. Many of those families remain here and we must support and sustain them during this separation from their loved ones. We will work to better organize the Family Readiness Groups to support this. Deployments of individuals from the CONUS Replacement Center here will continue as well as units. Roving Sands/Red Flag planning is ongoing and will occur here in late spring. Army play in this joint training exercise is still undecided.

Infrastructure is a key component to a viable and strong installation. We will soon be seeing changes in our onpost housing as the RCI partnership goes into the first phase. McGregor Range will see significant upgrades as we prepare to begin the Phase II of the Basic Officer Leadership Course; and the Warrior Transition Course as we train up Air Force and Navy personnel that are transitioning over to the Army as their service numbers decrease. Construction of the AMD Training Facility will begin soon; as well as another overpass to Biggs AAF facilitating movement of troops and equipment.

If we look outside Cassidy Gate and down Dyer Street we will see a beautification and park project that is being done by the city and other state and federal entities at our request. These improvements will enhance our post as well. Robert E. Lee Gate and Chaffee Gate are both receiving a new look to meet force protection requirements and will give us all a sense of pride in where we live and work.

There are challenges ahead, but success depends on the total effort by all of Team Bliss and I have no doubt we will reach all of our objectives.

Thanks for all you do, every day to make Fort Bliss a better place to live and work.

Maj. Gen. Michael A. Vane
Fort Bliss Commanding General



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	January 6, 2005

	Troop Talk This is a new year, a new beginning for Team Bliss to take on the many challenges of the near future. As an installation, an Army and a nation still at war we all have a job to do in supporting the effort and this will continue throughout 2005 and beyond. With your help we will continue to take care of Soldiers and families, improve their quality of life with better housing and the post will offer more services and recreational opportunities. Some examples: a youth lacrosse team that is being formed; a skatepark is being built; Starbucks just opened, a Blockbuster video outlet is coming soon and Friday we will kick off Project Endeavor, a $2.6 million dollar grant from the Department of Labor designed to provide job search and training as needed for spouses in specific categories. Also soon to come is a better and more user friendly description of the hiking and hunting areas and capabilities on Fort Bliss and McGregor Range. Transformation of the force based on lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom continues. The concept of “Soldier first” brought about the 40/9 tasks to be completed by every Solider, is now established Army-wide which must be completed before deployment. The creation of the Top Gun Course for air defense Soldiers is a first step in combat ready training in an MOS. The development phase of an off the shelf system with modifications to counter the threat of rockets, mortars and artillery (RAM); the formation of the first composite battalion of Avenger/Patriot when the 1-44th ADA moves here later this year; the change of ADA from a stove-piped system to a design that is network-centric, and can be integrated with combined arms and coalition forces and interdependent with joint capabilities of other services. We must ramp up and prepare for the influx of 3,800 troops to form the 4-lst Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (unit of action) which will be located on Biggs Army Airfield. Accompanying this unit will be approximately 6,000 family members which will need housing and all kinds of services and support from the installation. We want to give them a home “away from home” like no other they have experienced and a heroes welcome as many of the troops could be just returning from Iraq. Fort Bliss is a designated platform for movement to and from Korea. The 35th ADA Brigade has moved to Korea and continued rotations of AMD Soldiers to and from the theater will begin next year. Many of those families remain here and we must support and sustain them during this separation from their loved ones. We will work to better organize the Family Readiness Groups to support this. Deployments of individuals from the CONUS Replacement Center here will continue as well as units. Roving Sands/Red Flag planning is ongoing and will occur here in late spring. Army play in this joint training exercise is still undecided. Infrastructure is a key component to a viable and strong installation. We will soon be seeing changes in our onpost housing as the RCI partnership goes into the first phase. McGregor Range will see significant upgrades as we prepare to begin the Phase II of the Basic Officer Leadership Course; and the Warrior Transition Course as we train up Air Force and Navy personnel that are transitioning over to the Army as their service numbers decrease. Construction of the AMD Training Facility will begin soon; as well as another overpass to Biggs AAF facilitating movement of troops and equipment. If we look outside Cassidy Gate and down Dyer Street we will see a beautification and park project that is being done by the city and other state and federal entities at our request. These improvements will enhance our post as well. Robert E. Lee Gate and Chaffee Gate are both receiving a new look to meet force protection requirements and will give us all a sense of pride in where we live and work. There are challenges ahead, but success depends on the total effort by all of Team Bliss and I have no doubt we will reach all of our objectives. Thanks for all you do, every day to make Fort Bliss a better place to live and work. Maj. Gen. Michael A. Vane Fort Bliss Commanding General