5-minute read
There are actually two parts to this story for me – one before attending the CA Course and one after. This is part 1.
Enroute from Schweinfurt, Germany, to Fort Bragg, NC.
When I PCS’d from my three-year assignment in Schweinfurt, Germany, my wife, children, and I took some time to visit Ireland before returning to New York City to spend time with our families. While in New York, I received a letter from the commander of C Company, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) (96th CA Bn (Abn)) at Fort Bragg, NC. In April, I had sent a letter of introduction to the battalion commander outlining my PCS travel plans, including my leave address in New York, my intent to sign in on July 1st, and my need to take ten days of permissive temporary duty (PTDY), as authorized, for house-hunting. I also informed him of my long-term goals, which included “learning a language other than Spanish; attending the Regional Studies Course; attending graduate school; getting a second command; enrolling in the CGSC (Command and General Staff College) non-resident course; and eventually returning to a line artillery unit.”
The commander’s letter informed me of my tentative assignment to C Company but warned that “things can change rather quickly around here and this could include your ultimate assignment.” It then explained that C Company was “regionally oriented to CENTCOM (U.S. Central Command) and often supports SOCCENT (Special Operations Command Central)…However, we are not only committed to the Middle East. Since 1989, we have deployed to Panama, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, N[orthern] Iraq, and most recently to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Needless to say, we have not spent much time in CONUS [the Continental United States].” This was my first indication that the 96th CA Bn (Abn) was one of the most deployed units in the U.S. Army.
Signing in at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).
As directed by my PCS orders, I reported to the G1 Personnel Office at USASOC headquarters at Fort Bragg, NC, on Wednesday, 1 July 1992. The civilian responsible for issuing individual orders for USASOC welcomed me and informed me that he needed to amend my orders once more before I reported to the 3rd Bn, 1st Special Warfare Training Group. As I looked over his shoulder, he typed, “Effective 1 July 1992, having been assigned to United States Special Operations Command…you are further assigned to, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Abn)…Officer to attend Civil Affairs Course 12 Jul-21 Aug 92.” To formalize this, he then generated a separate USASOC Order listing my assignment as the 96th CA Bn (Abn) and stating, “You are attached to Company B, 3rd Training Battalion, United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School…Effective date: 10 July 1992 Period: 10 July 1992 to 23 August 1992 Purpose: To attend Civil Affairs Course from 12 July 1992 to 21 August 1992.”
The civilian explained that the battalion was short of officers, and the battalion commander was willing to accept officers straight from the 6-week CA Course to fill those shortages, even though they would not be fully trained. When I asked about the rest of the CA training program, he told me not to worry; the unit would take care of that…eventually.
Signing in at the 96th CA Bn (Abn).
I left USASOC headquarters, which was then housed in several old World War II wooden buildings in the Smoke Bomb Hill area of Fort Bragg, and drove to the headquarters of the 96th CA Bn (Abn). The battalion headquarters was located at the intersection of Ardennes Street and Community Access (now Zabitosky) Road, directly across from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Chapel. I parked in the JFK Chapel parking lot, walked across the street, bypassed the door marked “Command Entrance,” and found the door to the Battalion S-1 shop. The battalion shared a building with the U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization (USASATMO). I signed into the unit, then took a few days of PTDY to go house hunting in Fayetteville.
Looking back, my integration into the battalion was very effective and efficient. On 9 July 1992, the Battalion Adjutant issued my hazardous duty orders, authorizing me to perform parachute duty and receive jump pay effective 1 July 1992, with an undetermined end date. On 10 July 1992, I attended Basic Airborne Refresher (BAR), conducted by the 82nd Airborne Division, as a member of one of the “other airborne units here at Fort Bragg.” On 11 July 1992, I exited a C-130 from about 1200 feet and landed safely on Sicily Drop Zone, Fort Bragg, NC, beginning to earn jump pay for the first time since I last exited a perfectly good airplane just before signing out of the 1st Ranger Battalion 3 ½ years earlier. On 12 July 1992, I reported to the Civil Affairs Course, as ordered.
Questions for our teammates: What was the reception at your first CA unit like? Was it everything you expected, or were there surprises?
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