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Category: U.S. Army
Authorities searching for another missing Fort Hood soldier
Authorities in Texas are searching for another missing Fort Hood soldier amid a tumultuous period for the base that’s included multiple service members turning up dead.
Sgt. Elder Fernandes, a 23-year-old chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) specialist assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, has not been heard from by his family since Sunday, prompting them to report him missing three days later, according to a statement from the Killeen Police Department on Thursday and comments made by family members to ABC News Friday.
Elder Fernandes’ mother, Ailina Fernandes, and brother, Elton Fernandes, told ABC News in a telephone interview that he had reported being sexually harassed in the months leading up to his disappearance.
“It was an ongoing investigation for two months that will never get closure,” his mother said. “And there’s a lot more that I don’t know; only Elder will be able to tell us, when we find him.”
The 1st Cavalry Division confirmed there is an open investigation into alleged abusive sexual contact involving Fernandes to ABC News Friday evening, saying that he was moved to a new unit and steps were taken to shield him from retribution.
“The unit sexual assault response coordinator has been working closely with Sgt. Fernandes, ensuring he was aware of all his reporting, care, and victim advocacy options,” said division spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Brautigam. “The unit also facilitated his transfer from a unit who has recently deployed to a different unit within the brigade to ensure he received the proper care and ensure there were no opportunities for reprisals.”
Army testing new air defense system, laser weapons
The Army is evaluating new air and missile defense systems — and testing laser weapons — after postponing some tests due to COVID-19.
Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment and 3rd Bn., 6th Air Defense Artillery Air Missile Defense Test Detachment are involved in a limited user test of the Integrated Battle Command System that began in early July, according to a Monday press release from the branch.
The test had been scheduled for May but was pushed back due to COVID-19 safety concerns, according to Maj. Gen. Robert Rasch Jr., head of the Program Executive Office of Missiles and Space.
Now the Army plans to complete the test by September.
World War II-inspired Army Green uniforms should be available to most soldiers by March
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army this month will distribute its World War II-inspired green service uniforms to drill sergeants at installations hosting basic training as it begins its second round of the phased introduction, service officials said Tuesday.
By March, nearly all soldiers stationed worldwide should have the option to purchase the Army Green Service Uniform, said Army Col. Stephen Thomas, a project manager who led the Army’s development of the uniforms for Program Executive Officer Soldier. The Army greens — modeled after the popular “pinks and greens” uniform worn by officers during World War II — will slowly replace the blue Army Service Uniform as soldiers’ daily business wear, Thomas said. It will become mandatory in 2027.
Recruiting students Recruiting and Retention College in Fort Knox, Ky., received the uniform last month, and hundreds of soldiers with the Army Band and its 3rd Infantry Regiment, the ceremonial unit based in Arlington, Va., known as the Old Guard, have also received it. Some high-profile general officers and senior enlisted soldiers have been donning the new look around the Pentagon, during hearings on Capitol Hill and in other public appearances — including those conducted virtually — for several months.
WeCare app part of Fort Benning commander’s plan to prevent suicides
In the three weeks since Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe took command of Fort Benning, Georgia, the base has seen one soldier die by suicide and three more make “desperate attempts,” he tweeted Monday.
It’s an issue present throughout the military, the result of a variety of factors including a high-stress environment, PTSD, and traumatic brain injuries. And it’s an issue leaders are wholeheartedly trying to solve.
“We’ve got to convince everyone wearing the uniform that if you’re faced with those kinds of thoughts and decisions that there is no shame, no stigma to reach out,” Donahoe told Military Times.
The Defense Department’s most recent statistics stated a suicide rate of 29.5 per 100,000 for active duty Army personnel in 2018. That’s 4.7 deaths per 100,000 higher than the suicide rate for the military as a whole.