All,
Good afternoon. We have two staff rides in September, and I
would like to know if you all would like to participate, please? The
first one is 9 through 11 September in Vicksburg, Ms, and the second one is
Friday 16 September to Chickamauga, which is near Chattanooga, TN.
The Office of Army Reserve History sponsored a staff ride to Chickamauga, Ga
and nearby Chattanooga, Tennessee on the weekend of 25 and 26 February. Dr.
Lee Harford, the United States Army Reserve Historian, said, This event
and the program emphasizes Army Values and instills the Warrior Ethos. He
also said that the staff ride program provides soldiers with an on-site experience
on an actual battlefield. Dr. Harford added that it offers them an opportunity
to apply current Army policy and doctrine to think out of the box to defeat
the enemy in the Global War On Terrorism.
Army Regulation 870-5 (Military History: Responsibilities, Policies, and Procedures)
directs the Office of Army Reserve History to support unit commanders and staff
chiefs by offering activities such as staff rides. The staff ride is a
true force multiplier for personnel serving in combat operations. This
program gives American soldiers the chance to apply Army Field Manual (FM) 7-1,
which is Battled Focused Training, Leader Training and Development, and the principles
of war at authorized sites. The goal of the field trip involves placing
participants on the actual terrain of a critical battle, confronting them with
an actual tactical and operational situation, and, thus, stimulating them to
reach conclusions or derive important lessons from the past to enhance professional
competence in the future.
This series of staff rides primarily focuses on the following learning objectives:
exposure to the "face of battle" and the timeless human dimensions of warfare;
a case study in good and bad leadership and the resulting command climates, applicable
at any level of leadership; a case study in how logistical considerations affect
tactical operations; and a case study of the effects of terrain upon plans and
their implementation. In addition, the experience provides a laboratory
for concrete examples of the current Army Values and Army Civilian Corps Creed
in actual military situations and on the ground where they really happened!
The Union Army lost the Battle of Chickamauga, which was September 18th through
the 20th of 1863, and they retreated from the victorious Confederates to Chattanooga. Then
the Confederate Army placed the Union Army of the Cumberland under siege, but
the Union Army later defeated the Confederate Army at Lookout Mountain and
Missionary Ridge.
The February staff ride began with a three-hour campaign overview on Friday
evening at a hotel in Chattanooga. Dr. Harford managed the event and Jim Ogden,
Historian with the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, was the
speaker. Mr. Ogden discussed the significance of the battles and provided a summary
of their impact on the rest of the Civil War.
Thirty-eight people participated in this activity, and the group included Army
Reserve soldiers from all over the United States, spouses, and retirees. Additionally,
Dr. Harford gave a slide presentation that illustrated the highlights of the
battles. Also, Major Ward Zischke, Office of Army Reserve History Training
Officer, performed a living history role as a Confederate soldier for the group. Major
Zischke wore a full Confederate Army uniform, and he presented an exhibit of
all of the gear such as an ammunition pouch and a rifle. The group watched
film about the Chickamauga-Chattanooga campaign as well.
Saturday morning the group departed from the hotel by bus to study the Chickamauga
battlefield (ten miles south of Chattanooga), and that afternoon they examined
the Lookout Mountain battlefield, which is within the city. Mr. Ogden explained
the timeline and the implications of the brutal confrontations between the Union
and Confederate armies at these sites. Additionally, Dr. Harford said, I
facilitated a discussion on Army Values, the Warrior Ethos, and leadership. Dr.
Harford contributed to the effectiveness of the staff ride by dressing as a Union
Army Colonel. He also persuaded the participants to learn about Civil War
tactics by actually guiding them through some of those actions.
Sunday morning the staff ride went to analyze the battlefield of Missionary
Ridge in the suburbs of Chattanooga. Mr. Ogden described the consequences of
the inability of the Confederate Army to successfully contain the Union Army
under siege at Chattanooga. Major Zischke offered supplementary comments
from the view of the average enlisted soldier to enhance the learning experience. At
noon the staff ride ended and the participants returned to their duty stations.
The group members gave positive feedback about the staff ride. Major John
E. Halvorson, Executive Officer of the 2nd Battalion in the 411th Regiment told
Major Zischke, I just wanted to thank you for the superb staff ride to
Chattanooga. It was an excellent training event...
Furthermore, Lieutenant Colonel Steve March, Activity Based Costing Officer
at the Enterprise Services Activity for the U.S. Army Reserve Command, commented
to Major Zischke, Overall, I found the staff ride to be extremely well
done and one of the best that I have been on. Jim Ogden provided great explanations
of the events of the two battles. His grasp of the facts is amazing.
You can go on the next Army Reserve staff ride to Vicksburg, MS on 9 through
11 September. The point of contact (POC) for the Army Reserve staff ride program
is Tyrone Scott, Field Historian, at (404) 464-8462. All commands must
pay for the transportation and lodging costs of their participants.
Staff Ride Article on page 9 of the Georgia Unionist
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:CfeVC7TDIP8J:www.suvcwga.org/images/newsletter.pdf+%22Tyrone+Scott%22+%22Army+Reserve%22+&hl=en
Staff Ride article on page 10 of Fort Stewart News on link below
< http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:97h8fJm3uLEJ:www.stewart.army.mil/frontlineonline/archivedpages/FrontlineOnline05-05-05News.pdf+%22Tyrone+Scott%22+%22Letters%22&hl=en >