Page 1 - Fort Irwin High Desert Warrior, February 2022

Volume 18, Number 2 Published in the interest of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin community • home.army.mil/Irwin February 2022
The National Training Center welcomes RHC-C Soldier wins 2022 Army

Best Medic Competition
new Command Sergeant Major

FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Leaders at
the National Training Center performed
a Relinquishment of Responsibility Cere-
mony in which Command Sgt. Maj. Wil-
liam A. Justice relinquished responsibility
as the Command Sergeant Major of the
National Training Center and Fort Irwin.
Brig. Gen Curt Taylor, Commanding
General of the National Training Center
presided over the ceremony bade farewell Kimberly Hackbarth
to Justice and welcomed Command Sgt. Weed Army Community Hospital
Maj. Brian D. Haydt, whom was selected
to replace Justice on Jan. 20th. FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Last year, Sgt. 1st Class David
“For the last two years Command McAfee, the Weed Army Community Hospital primary care
Sergeant Major and Tina Justice have noncommissioned o cer in charge, and his teammate came in
been the absolute heart and soul of the third place at the U.S. Army Best Medic Competition.
Fort Irwin family,” Taylor said. “While is year, they won rst place in the 2022 U.S. Army Best
both General Lesperance and I had the Medic Competition, which took place Jan. 24-28 at Fort Hood,
privilege to command this Installation
during that period, it was always Com- See COMMAND, Page 2 See COMPETITION, Page 3

7IDs’ Ghost SBCT manages Omicron New CSM takes responsibility

spike during NTC 2022 rotation of Weed ACH

Sta Sgt. Joseph Tolliver
Kimberly Hackbarth
7th Infantry Division
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — After days of Weed Army Community Hospital
planning, rehearsing, and executing missions FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Command Sgt.
in the sandy backdrop of the Mojave Desert, Maj. Dedraf Blash relinquished responsibil-
masked-up leaders from 7th Infantry Division’s ity of Weed Army Community Hospital to
1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team paused Command Sgt. Maj. Craig Burnard Jan. 13. Command Sgt. Maj. Craig Burnard, the
training on Jan. 17, 2022, for an after-action Blash, a Covington, Ga., native, served incoming senior enlisted advisor for Weed
review to discuss operational lessons learned as the hospital’s senior enlisted advisor since Army Community Hospital, receives the
during Decisive Action Rotation 22-03 at the U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, June 2019. Weed ACH colors from Col. Nancy Parson,
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker “My goal was to build morale of the the Weed ACH commander, Jan. 13,
In the sandbox, or “ e Box ‘’ as it is more Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Soldiers and show them that Fort Irwin is a signifying his new role during a change of
popularly known, the preplanned pause is an Division, calibrates a M777 Howitzer wonderful place to be stationed and Weed responsibility ceremony at the hospital on
essential part of the National Training Center’s during Decisive Action Rotation 22-03 at Army Community Hospital is the perfect Fort Irwin, Calif. Burnard, a Fullerton, Calif.
prescribed rubric enabling the training units to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, medical facility to train, support, develop native, rejoins the Fort Irwin community
self-re ect and course correct in preparation for Calif., Jan 23, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. and ensure readiness while delivering the best after previously being stationed there in
nal force-on-force operations. Colton Pope, Operations Group, National health care,” she said. 2008. (Photo by Casey Slusser/ U.S. Army
During this tactical pause for 1-2 SBCT, Training Center) Blash said she felt the hospital sta ac- Garrison Fort Irwin Public A airs O ce)
“Ghost Brigade,” the central question posed complished that goal together by the actions
by the meeting’s moderator, Col. Chad Chal- See GHOVST, Page 4 of the sta . See CSM, Page 4