10th AAMDC Soldiers, allies help stand watch in Turkey

Many people in recent years, upon hearing of deployed service members, likely thought of operations in Afghanistan or Iraq. The reality is that U.S. forces serve in many places around the world, and service members from the Kaiserslautern-based 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command now carry that deployed standard in Turkey.

These service members are supporting NATO missile defense operations and were requested by the Turkish government to augment air defense capabilities, defend population and safeguard territory. German and Dutch forces have also deployed as part of the NATO contingent, and meetings between all participants occur regularly.

The NATO forces are deployed alongside members of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery from Fort Sill, Okla., which provided two Patriot missile batteries for the mission that began last December. The 10th AAMDC serves as the command and control element for the batteries in what is expected to be a yearlong deployment, while acting as liaison for U.S., host nation and other NATO forces.

For the family members left behind in the KMC, it’s only natural to wonder how their deployed service members are faring. While deployed conditions are a far cry from KMC comforts, material and morale needs are being adequately met.

“Our Soldiers have hot food, a solid building to live in, and plenty to eat,” said U.S. Army Maj. William Boisvert, who served as a human resources adviser to the 10th AAMDC ground commander.

Two hot meals per day, supplemented now with locally-provided fruits and vegetables, round out the daily diet, and service members can stay connected with folks back home via telephone, American Forces Network programming, and messaging services. Service members have also enjoyed some morale and recreation trips with 3-2 ADA.

Being called upon to deploy, often with short notice, is nothing new for the service members of the 10th AAMDC, said Boisvert. Recent partnerships have seen service members working next to both Polish and Israeli forces, which served to benefit all involved parties with new training opportunities and equipment familiarization.

A large part of the 10th AAMDC mission involves ensuring 3-2 ADA has the proper assets (communications equipment and necessary contacts with other U.S. and European forces) they need to perform their missile defense roles.

“Our Soldiers are prepared to successfully complete it (their mission), which will only help to secure continued protection for Turkey and NATO countries,” said Boisvert, adding that as the mission winds down, 10th AAMDC personnel will gradually return to the KMC.

U.S. Army Col. John Wanat, who spent several months as the 10th AAMDC officer in charge of U.S. Patriot Forces in Turkey, agreed the mission has been a successful one, not just operationally but in laying the seeds for an even stronger partnership.

“We’ve had great relationships with the host nation and our NATO partners,” he said.

Any success the 10th AAMDC has experienced on the mission to Turkey, however, is due to the extraordinary efforts of its Soldiers, Wanat said. Regardless of the conditions they encountered, nothing deterred them from accomplishing their tasks.

“They’ve done an extremely professional job in an environment that was often austere, and always maintained a high level of morale,” Wanat said.

Boisvert agreed the mission will proceed as long as necessary, and remain a successful one with the most important resource, hard-working and dedicated Soldiers, firmly in hand.

“The 10th AAMDC remains committed in our resolve to provide logistical support to 3-2 ADA, and we have the personnel there to ensure that,” Boisvert said.