Vershina Cable

Vol. 22 No. 10

56th Field Artillery Brigade

October 1985

Mechanic trades tools for tractor

Story and pboto, by Jiady A. Mcrwinc
He loou like he could bave wa.llted off
the Kt of a vintage John Wayne movie with
his old d11ngarea, bca1 11p leather boots and
blaclr. fell ciowboy baL However, James
Hoogcneger also wears a differen1 type of
uniform.
~ a member of Ixlta Company 55th
MaiolCIW>Ce Bmalioa, Hoogemgcr is jun
one of }4 American soldiers 10 puticipaie in
the Gennan/American farm Exchange Program. 11,e opportllllity gave Hoogesieger
the chance IO l\1nl in his mechanic's IOOU
for K'l'ffl daya in exchange for his favori,e
cowboy dud,.
Hoogmcger wu sponsored by ChriJtian
Scaengle in the nlhge of Weningm. Stxngle
bu bttn actively involved in die achangc
prognm for me past four ycan. Hls main
produce is pork and according 10 Hoogeneger the Stacng)cs ban :approximately 700

"My ho... were great. We worked all day

and Chrutian and his sons would take me
0111 in the evening. Th.is whole ex~rienct
bas helped me understand the German
people u a whole," be continued.
Jim believes hia scay with tbc Staengles
will be the stan of an everlasting relation
,hip. "I will be leaving Germany very
abortly and I plan 00 keeping in tou<b with
them. I have alrady nwle puns for Chri
stian's sons to come visit me at Fon Canon.
Colorado, my oat duty station , be added.
11,c Gcnmns were also very inquisitive.
When I walked into the gasthaus with my
cowboy clothes on everyone jw1 stop~d
dead in their ttaek.s. They thought I wu a
real live cowboy like they see in the movies.
I wu bombarded by questions. he continued. "Mosdy they wanted 10 know things
about lhc United Staces, such as what the
cities and country an, lilr.e. 11,ey also asked
bop.
me if a lot of things they had seen in the
James is no nraoger io lhc farm b111ineSJ. movies about American lifestyles were
~ a man.er of fact he worked on his fad,cr's 1rue.
ranch in San Josc, California for scvcral
years. "The Germans do things mostly the
same u the f = in America. 11,e main dif.
fercoce I sec is dw the Gcnnans do more
manual labor and use smaller machinery,"
he said.
ln addition \O the bogs, the Stung)cs also
bavc several dairy cows and aacs of land
tbat need COnstaDt tmding. "They arc hard
workers and they kept me very busy when I
stayed lhere. I learned a lo1 thoug),. The best
experience wu learning bow to give shots to
the hop," be explained.

Mechanic skills handy

Brigade commo picking up new signal

bd M. K. Oaimond
The Unite Statn Anny's only Pershing
unit in Eur~ will soon be rcceivinJ iu
own signal comm11niacions s11ppon uru1 to
be responsible solely to the 56th Field Artil,
lery Brigade.
11,e 38th Signal Battalion will be rcactivatcd for the first time since 1945, with
Schwabisch Gmund serving u its gunson
location.
According to 38th's Delta Company
Comm,nder designcc, Capt. Jeffrey Smith,
"the 38th Signal Battalion will consin of
commu,d Communications Compaoy
which will 111ppon S6th Brigade Headquar
urs, SSth M:untcaance Battal.ioo Headquar
ters, and the 2nd Battalion 4th lnfaocry
Hcadqua:ners. 'Three forward communications companies will suppon each of the firing battalions.
The biggtst challtngc wiU be basically
building a unit from the ground up. The reactivation of this signal 11rut will provide the
brigade wilh its first organic banalion comm11nications suppon, Smith said.

"The communiatioo archi1CctUrc will inelude multichannel, (line-of-sightcomm11n

cations, from antenna 10 antenna), between
both brigade tactical hcadquancrs and
muh.ic:hanncl suppon between both brigade
tactical headquarters and the firing batu
lions, and the trains," Smith continued.
"Multichannel support will also be provided
to each of the forward support mainccrw,ce
companies, erc11ing an efficient support net
work, sophisticated as any tactical logistiu
net in the Army.
LL Col. Jerome W. Byrd, Jr., the 38th's
Commander, explained, that their mission
aru will stretch over 4,000 sq11art kilome
tcrs.
"If the communication isn't there., then
1his command will have the grea1e11 diffi.
culty perfonning, he said. "Therefore. our
readinns has to be II the highest level. We
m watched by the other side. We arc a trc
mendous dcttrrent.'
In view of this, Byrd feels, we >re going
to need St>IC of the an equipment. We arc
going to need good ptoplc; more of the

good people tbat bavc already arrived.

Evcnthougb they aren' t at half strength

yet and won't be until mid Novembtt, Byrd
u proud of the soldiers he bas on board
now. lliis, however im't much of a surprise
10 lbc new battalion commander.
"Whm I wu notified of this assignment,
be wd, 1 knew i1 would .mean the opportu
nity t0 worlr. with some of the fincn signal
soldier, in the Anny.
For j11ruor enlisted soldiers of the 38th,
this tour will be a chance for man lo work
with the mon sophisticated equipment the
Anny has to offer. For others, like CW2
Willie K. George, the Bttalion S-4, (Supply), it will be his most involved mission for
the U.S. Anny.
~ George e><plained, "I have to deter
mine and establish the lopstical needs for
d,e new battalion. Anything the banalion
need, or is going to need, I have 10 get for
them. This includes everything from rations,
to laundry, to communcations and vehicles.
George went on to explain that aornc of
the battalions equipment will come from

other 56th Brigade units but a large majoriry

will com from the Unittd States or other
units in USAREUR.
In addition to d,c mon updated equipment GeoJ can acquire, and tbe highcSt
caliber sold,crs the Department of the Anny
can smd them, Byrd plans to be operating
wid, computer profiles.
"Using a computer we will be blc to
if our antennu an, in direct contact of each
ocher, Byrd said. If the path from one antmna co another is blocked by a mounta.in
or a tall _building, lbt two antennas ~not
commun,cat.e. Compuun can anuc1p.a1:e

d,osc problems, and malr.t punning easier.

Using new, m1t-0fthcart equipment,
and the finest solditrs the Army bu 10 offer
him, Byrd plans 10 upgnde d,e fixed and
tactical communications within the Brigade.
n.e reactivation of the 38th Signal Barn.
lion will bring a new focus on communications for me brigade. That focus will mean
better, and more reliable commo for Per
shing," he said.

News line
Commander focuses on soldier care
ill
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PFC Seott Meyer 11 given some lrlendly edvlce by hl1 new bllttlllon c:omm1ndef,
LL Col. JOMph Arbuckle.

by Judy A. Merwin
Bringing over 15 yeus of Army officer
n:perience with him, Lt. Col. Joseph Ar
buckle tooIr. the helm of 55th Maizuenance
Battalion with several ideas on how to improve the combat readiness of the battalion.
Citing areu of concern within the muctutt of the baaal.ion, Arbuckle offered his
opiruons on how those problem areas could
be bandied.
"My main ar<'as of concern are the geographic dispersion of dus battalion and our
lines of communication. The 'distance bet
ween our outlyinJ unics 1otals more than
II O miles. In tum 11 mearu we spend a lot of
lime traveling in order to keep ,n touch and
keep our mi5Sions up to par: he explained.
"The solution to ,his proble-m? We have 10
accep, the fact that we will be on the road a
lot. However we will also be keeping the
lines of communication open with more
staH as,istance visiu. We arc also working
with d,e. signal people to enhance our phone
systems , ht added.
Arbuckle maintains that succe1s of any
unit's mission depends on the effective ma
nagement of personnel.
"We have to take care of our own. If the
soldiers arc treated in a proper fashion they
will do better at their jobs. On the family
side we need to make improvements on the
quality of life. Soldiors also need to be recognized ihrough awards and promotions,"
he said.
The divers~ of the battalion appeals to
Muckle and It is one of the things that he
finds different form his previous assignments. Some of <hose assi~ents included

commanding ihc 4th Ordnance C ompny in

Germany, and infantry advisor in die RcpubLic of Vietnam form 1972-1973.
"Wlm I really will be trying 10 accomplish while I am he is to roll everything
togciher. The soldiers need 10 wo,r k together
to bui.l d a cohesive battalion; one that it dedicated to our imponant mission. At the
same lime the soldiers need to cake care of
each other and have some fun in ,he process: he said.
Having fun can come in many shpes and
forms according to Arbuckle. "When I first
arrived I talked to the soldiers and stressed
to them die importance of getting out of the
barracks and into the communiiy. They can
play sports, mvel around Germany and Eu
rope or continue their education. Wh,icver
it takes to keep them busy and content, he
said.
1 feel very positive abou1 my usociation
wiih Pershing. Ii is a high priority job. The
more die soldiers understand the imponance
of !he mission we have, the more beneficial
it will be for everyone here," he Stated.
"No one really knows what dte next war
will be like. We do know however that one
of the Sovieu' milin objrctivcs is to aruick
rear support battalions, like ,he SoSth, 10 disrup1 the flow of supplies. To be prepared for
thlS we need to tram on an everydy basis in
the fundamentals of soldiering," he stressed.
"However," be added on a lighter note,
"If we work together and keep rhe lines of
communication open, there a.ren 't any pro~
blems we can't solve. Once those channels
arc open everyone's job will be easier ,nd
more enjoyable."

Being best takes a little more work, pride

by Judy A. Merwine
Recently, ,he 55th M,intenance Battalion
has wi"1esse-d several major events, mos,
ooubly the assuming of command by a new
Baitalion Commander, Lt. Col. Joeseph Arbuckle.
Bu,, iust as 1he battalion was changing
commmdcrs, Headquarters and Headquar
ters Company, 551h M,int. found a new
man at ,he helm - Cp,. David Rohrer.
HHC is Rohrer', first command position,
and it is one ,hat he takes very seriously.
"HHC has a lo, of expertise in the overall
job area.s," ht said, "and we curtendy h~ve
many senior NCO's. What makes here different ,ban being assigned in 1hc states is the
feeling 1hat we have an important job. There
is a sptc1fic purpose for us being here.
Among Rohrer's priorities are physical
funess and all types of trarnrng, especially

maintenance. "To be combat ready we nee-d

to be physicaUy fit, he said. "To accomplish this, we :arc imple-menting the new
form of Army Physical Rudiness Training.
This means doing exercises t your own
pace. I believe tlm tbe soldiers wiU have
more eothusiams and be more motivated
with the new system.

Leadership - all important

Leadership is all importanl, according 10
Rohrer. Personaliry has a lot to do with leadership poicntial and everyone. has ihei.r
own sryle of doing 1hings. "To be an effectivc lrader." Rohrer s:u'a, a person must
have mnage-ment skills and know how 10
set and attain goals. They muS1 also have a

high degree of motivation. On the same line

I realize 1h11 no, all of us are 'Panons' and
for some it takes a little more work.
Rohrer faces many challenges during his
tenure as HHC's commander, no, the leasi
of which is the fact tha, he now commands a
large contingent of soldiers with a varieiy of
job titles, sir.ills and miss.ions. They must be
trained not only in common soldier sir.ills,
but receive training to m:alr.e the-m more proficicnt in <heir individ,ual mi..ion-relatcd
jobs.
"What mis company n.ee-ds 10 stress, Roh
rer said," is qualiry training, and becoming
more 1>ctically proficient. Although the recen1 field exorcise gave the soldiers a good
opportunity 10 strengthen ,heir skills, we
still need to Streu JCCtions and maintenance
ttaining. Anoiher of my ,op goals is to make
sure that everyone passes their Skill Qualifi-

cation Tests."
"Today's Army is younger nd smmcr
than before." Rohrer continued, "and it is
essential that they are combat-ready, well
trained and disciplined.
Morale plays a large role in the overall efficiency and well being of any unit in the
Army, he added. "If the troops are working
hard, I wan, to try and give !hem ,he breaks
they deserve. I will be trying 10 implement
more <raining hoLidays and more of ,he
functions that the units can do together.
"I see this assignmen, of commander as ,
real challenge. I really enjoy ,he work and
me people I work with. HHC has quite
ways to go before ii can run efficiently like
ii should, but I believe wi1h 1he quality of
soldiers we have in ,his company we can set
goals one at a time and make them rea.lities."

Mobi Ietea m keeps senior NCOs up-to-date

by Tunothy OrwcU
One day a platoon sergeant was inspecting his soldiers in chcir cla.ss A uniforms. He noticed that one
young private was wearinJ a brass belt buckle with his
black-upped belt. Ht decided 10 le, him know, in no
uncertain terms, that he wa., wrong.
"Soldier", he said, "don', you feel a Little different?"
The young private, afcer scrutini:i.ing the soldiers' uni
forms around him, admitted that he was wearing his
brass buckle with bl.ck-tipped belt.
"Private," scolded the platoon serge,nt, "you've go,
exactly five minu1es to tum ,bat black-1ippcd belt into a
brass-tipped bell! Now get moving!"
The private did as he was <old, and rorumed later, not
only with a brass-tipped belt, but wiih a copy of
AR 670- 1 as well. He then mpecdully showed bis platoon sergeant the regulation ,bat st>ted the black-tipped
belt was approved for wear with the brass belt buclr.le.
The senior NCO, slightly embarrassed, apologized 10
the private, and informed the rest of bis soldiers that
mis combination of bel, and buckle was au1horized.
lbtrc is now a program of instruction for the 56th
Field Artillery Brig,des' senior NCO's that can help

October 1985

prevent such embarrasiing scenes as ,he one above. ii is

called die Mobile Training T earn.
"The Mobile Training team -offe-rs refresher ttainin;g
for service member, in the grade of E-7 who never had
die chance to go to die Primary Leadmhip Develop
ment Course or die Primary Noncommisioned Officers
Course," said 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery's CSM
Wayne W. Wcstovor. About five years ago die Army
revearopcd junior NCO training procedures, and many
young soldiers missed out. Now we arc giving them the
chance to get !hat additional training.
"MTI is a one week (35 hours) leadership course mat
covers everything from duties and responsibilities of the
N CO, to a ludcrship seminar, where students get die
chance to ialk, and ask questions openly of <heir CSM,
added SFC Eddy I. Kui, the MTI NCOIC.
The StminM centers on cWsroorn activities, with
practical training where applicable. The curriculum i.s
divided into ihree blocks of instruction; Leadership,
Training Managemen1 and Professional Skills. Unlil<c
PLDC, the MTT teaches in a low key environment
where NCO's exchange ideas, and learn from each 01hcr's mistakes.

Pershing Cllble

Successful completion of the course is determined by

die NCO's ability to motivate himself. According to
MSgt. Samuel R. Garner, chief insiructor of PLDC,
"We have never bad an NCO who did not apply him
self and afterwards say he did not benefi, from it.
According 10 Garn, the grea1es1 benefit senior
NCO's can get from the seminar is die abiliry 10 bener
communicate wiih 1hemselves and their troops. It be
comes easier for them ro re.late the new changes in
Army dOctrine to their peers, and ii gives diem the
chance to learn any new changes in policy or siandards
that they may not be aware of yet.
According to SFC John Holupfcl, NCOIC, G-5,
the MTT course was very worthwhile. You forget a lot
of that stuff over the years. AU NCO, should attend,
he recommended.
SFC Marvin D. Strong, NCOIC, Brigade IG, said, he
became aware of many new rules and regulations regarding the wear and appearance of the Army uniform.
Up 10 date information lil<e !his al.s o helps to maintain
the brigade's guidelines for combat readiness, especially
where the maintenance of troops is concerned."

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