FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – “Past, Present and Future: By Sword, Deed, and Word” are words freshly etched onto a memorial stone in front of the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. The U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) is now accepted as part of a fraternity of airborne units during the ASOM Memorial Stone Dedication here, June 20, 2014.
The commanding general of USACAPOC(A), Jeffrey Jacobs alongside his command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Harry Bennett, unveiled the stone in front of past and present Soldiers of USACAPOC(A).
“Some would question if an Army Reserve unit can be an airborne unit, I am telling you they can,” said Jacobs. “This stone is emblematic to that fact.”
USACAPOC(A) consists of over 90 units with eight units on airborne status. The headquarters is located on Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“The Army of 2014 cannot operate without our civil affairs and military information support operation units. And those units do in fact meet the higher airborne standard and we do it with less time, less money and more obstacles,” explained Jacobs. “Our airborne units jump at least once a quarter just like any other unit in the Army. And we get jump pay of about ten dollars a month as an incentive to perform the same exact hazardous duty pay.”
Since the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon, over 1,500 USACAPOC(A) Soldiers have deployed to over 20 countries worldwide fighting the war on terrorism and providing humanitarian actions. Since 2001, 48 Soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom of the nation.
The row of memorial stones are placed publicly along a path that leads to the entrance of the museum. Thousands of visitors come to the museum each year to view artifacts and learn the history of the airborne and special operations.
“It’s a recognition for the acceptance in the Airborne community, we do something unique,” said Maj. Gen. Herb “Buz” Altshuler, retired, who commanded USACAPOC(A) from 2001-2007. “It is not just unique to the Army but it is unique to our nation.”
“It is great that the community has recognized us and it is awesome to be on this row of stones with units that have done so much for our country over the years,” added Altshuler.
To many of the Soldiers, this memorial stone symbolizes the dedication and the sacrifice made by past warriors.
“This stone signifies great Soldiers, past, present and hopefully future. USACAPOC(A) belongs in the airborne fraternity and we are now recognized as full-fledged members, I am proud that the patch that I wore on my left sleeve longer than any other patch is truly set in stone right here,” added Jacobs.