First ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade activated [Ballistic Missile Defense System]

First ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade activated

By Maj. Laura Kennedy

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (Army News Service, Oct. 23, 2003) – U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the Colorado Army National Guard activated the nation’s first ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade Oct. 16.

The brigade will operate the first part of the integrated Ballistic Missile Defense System, which, in concert with sister services, is designed to protect the nation from accidental or intentional limited ballistic missile attacks, officials said. It will be manned both by Colorado Army National Guard and active-component soldiers.

The brigade will provide expertise to Northern Command’s command and control operations from the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center.

Another component of the brigade, the Alaska Army National Guard Missile Defense Space Battalion, will be activated in December, officials said. That component will provide operational control over ground-based interceptors located in Alaska.

Lt. Gen. Joseph M. Cosumano Jr., commanding general of U.S. Space and Missile Defense Command, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Mason C. Whitney, Adjutant General of the Colorado National Guard, hosted the ceremony.

Cosumano said:

“The missile defense strategy of the 20th century was largely based on the concept that rational countries won’t attack each other. We’ve learned in the 21st Century that that those theories don’t apply anymore. Hostile states, and even non-state hostile groups, now either have or are working on long-range missiles. This activation today of an important part of our homeland defense strategy allows us to defend against that threat.

"The technology and the organizations have changed dramatically to meet the current threat.

"The technology has changed from nuclear kill to hit-to-kill. In two wars now, Patriot has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can hit a missile with a missile, despite naysayers of past years. Now we can do it in space.

"As to organizational change -- where we’re having this ceremony, in front of the US Northern Command building, and close to both the Army and Air Force space buildings, is indicative of the joint nature of this effort to protect our great nation. We’ll be depending on Navy Aegis missile cruisers, and on the early warning architecture of the Air Force, as well as the superb skills and training of our own soldiers.

"And within the GMD Brigade itself, we see the melding of active component service men and women with Colorado National Guardsmen. The Guard is a perfect fit for this mission, with the genesis of their role in national defense dating back to the 1600s. That makes them a natural for this mission, just as Colorado, the hub and nerve center of Space for the nation, is the most logical site for command and control.”

Whitney said:

“We are tremendously proud to be part of this mission. It continues in direct descent the role of the Guardsman in protecting our nation. The only difference between that mission of two hundred plus years ago and now is that, with our current technology, we can defend more rapidly and accurately. Even being in Space isn’t new, we’ve been in Space over ten years now. In all three buildings behind me, you’ll find both Air Force and Army National Guardsmen. I congratulate all the members of the new Ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade, and wish them well as they begin a new tradition of excellence."

Col. Gary Baumann, commander of the newly activated brigade, also spoke:

“In the 1970’s, we briefly had the capability to defend ourselves against the threat of ballistic missiles. At that point, intelligence indicated that nine countries possessed such capabilities. Today, that number has increased threefold. This unit’s activation is a small step towards ensuring the safety of our nation. In December 2002, the President of the United States directed that we push the fielding of this system up from 2006, to 2004. I believe we are on target to meet those goals. Our soldiers, chosen from the best across the state and nation, are well-trained, excited, and looking forward to the challenge, and have been working tirelessly to be prepared for it.”

(Editor’s note: Maj. Laura Kenney is with the Space and Missile Defense Command – Colorado Springs Public Affairs Office.)

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