Page 3 - Ft. Huachuca Scout 6-5-15

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 The Scout 3A

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Story and photo by Stephanie Caffall “I am here to serve you. My door is always open and my charge is to make

Staff Writer sure that you have everything you need to train and produce the finest intelligence

Soldiers in the world,” Thomas said.

Fort Huachuca hosted a change of responsibility ceremony for incoming and The outgoing command sergeant major addressed the crowd.

outgoing 305th Military Intelligence Battalion “It seems like just yesterday that my wife

command sergeants major at Chaffee Parade said ‘Where is Fort Huachuca and what is it

Field May 29. like there?’” Baptiste remarked at the ceremo-

Outgoing 305th MI Bn. Command Sgt. ny.

Maj. Edward Baptiste transferred his duties to “Fort Huachuca is one of those places that

Command Sgt. Maj. Randy Thomas through just grows on you. It has a special uniqueness

the passing of the non-commissioned officers’ just like the 305th Military Intelligence Battal-

sword indicating a change of responsibility. ion.”

Presiding officer, Lt. Col. Adam Boyd, 305th Baptiste, originally from Derby, Connecti-

MI Bn., welcomed incoming 305th MI Bn. cut, entered the military in 1989 and has served

Command Sgt. Maj. Randy Thomas, saying he the 305th MI Bn. since May 2013.

has no doubt Thomas will serve Soldiers, their According to Baptiste, the 305th MI Bn.

Families and the 305th MI Bn. with dignity. trains and manages the 35F (All-Source Intel-

“I am excited about this opportunity to ligence Analyst), 35G (Geospatial Intelligence

work with all of you,” said Thomas, address- Imagery Analyst) and 35T (Military Intel-

ing the battalion. ligence Maintainer and Integrator Systems)

Thomas recently served as the G2 sergeant courses, graduating more than 4,000 Soldiers

major of the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic each year.

of Korea, from July 2013 to April 2015. He “Producing such high quality Soldiers could

has served in various leadership and staff posi- not happen without the support of [the] out-

tions including team leader, squad leader, se- standing support team, instructors, staff and

nior instructor and writer, battalion operations faculty,” Baptiste said.

sergeant, senior intelligence sergeant, chief in- ,QFRPLQJ WK 0, %DWWDOLRQ &RPPDQG 6HUJHDQW 0DM 5DQG\ 7KRPDV JLYHV Baptiste, along with his wife, Clara and
telligence sergeant, first sergeant and division
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intelligence sergeant major.
Parade Field. North Carolina.

SV mayor proclaims May Military, Spouse Appreciation Month

Story and photo by Natalie Lakosil express our community’s appreciation are now serving our country together vice of our military Service members
Staff Writer to the military and military Families with their Families,” Mueller read from and their Families.”
for everything they do to support our the proclamation.
May was a special month for the community and nation,” Mueller said. Army Community Services interim
military and Service members’ spous- “Military Families do not normally get May was selected because, through- director Maj. Gabriel Mesa, Headquar-
es. the recognition they deserve, therefore out the month, Victory in Europe Day, ters and Headquarters Company, U.S.
it is important to recognize their sup- Loyalty Day, Armed Forces Day, Me- Army Garrison, said, “I think it’s very
On May 28 in the Sierra Vista City porting contributions. morial Day and Military Spouse Day important for not only the military and
Council chambers, the City of Sierra are all celebrated. the community of Sierra Vista to re-
Vista Mayor Rick Mueller proclaimed “In 1999, Congress designated May main connected but also to have that
May 2015 to be Military and Spouse as National Military Appreciation Three Fort Huachuca military understanding and that relationship be-
Appreciation Month and read a procla- Month, calling for all Americans to spouses and one Soldier were on hand tween the two as to how one mutually
mation to that effect. honor the men and women of all our to receive the proclamation on behalf supports the other.
armed services who have served and of Fort Huachuca. “Often we are told
“This proclamation was granted to that home is where the heart is, and for “Without the community of Sierra
many of us home is Sierra Vista,” said Vista to take care of our Families as
)URPOHIW&LW\RI6LHUUD9LVWD0D\RU5LFN0XHOOHUUHDGVDSURFODPDWLRQUHFRJQL]LQJ0D\DV0LOL- Fort Huachuca Military Spouse of the we deploy, we don’t really know what
WDU\DQG6SRXVH$SSUHFLDWLRQ0RQWKWR)RUW+XDFKXFD¶V6SRXVHRIWKH<HDU&\QWKLD*LHVHFNH Year, Cynthia Giesecke. “So I do want we are going to encounter or how it is
PLOLWDU\ VSRXVH 'RURWK\ %RQLVOODLQ PLOLWDU\ VSRXVH $OOLVRQ +RJKHV DQG $UP\ &RPPXQLW\ to thank not only the city but the resi- going to impact our Families, it would
6HUYLFH ,QWHULP 'LUHFWRU 0DM *DEULHO 0HVD +HDGTXDUWHUV DQG +HDGTXDUWHUV &RPSDQ\ 86 dents here for always taking the time be a terrible thing to move our Fami-
$UP\*DUULVRQ7KHJURXSZDVSUHVHQWHGZLWKWKHSURFODPDWLRQ0D\LQWKH6LHUUD9LVWD&LW\ to appreciate our Service members and lies back home every single time we
their Families. deploy so this community supports us
Council chambers. and, they proclaim their support of us,”
“I think it’s an honor, and it sure has Mesa said. “It gives us reassurance that
been a blessing to represent military we will be able to leave our Families
spouses in this community,” Giesecke here in our absence to do our military
said after accepting the proclamation. duty. It was a very exciting opportunity
“I think the proclamation is just one to be aligned with the military spouses
way for the city to let us know their to receive this particular honor today. It
continued dedication to our Service not only reinforces our role as Soldiers
members and their Families. I know Si- and how important our spouses are to
erra Vista does a wonderful job doing us but also how important the commu-
that with everything they have going nity is in order for us to survive.”
on during the year to celebrate service.
So I think it was a wonderful occasion More than 50 members of the Sierra
and a great honor, and I hope that they Vista community were in attendance at
continue to do as they proclaim to be the city council meeting and were able
able to be there and appreciate the ser- to hear the proclamation being read.