Air Defense Artillery Inducts 'Duck Hunter'

Photo By Maj. Steven Modugno | The 4-5 Air Defense Artillery Battalion Command Team, Lt. Col. William M. Dowling and Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis D. Phifer, pose with Silas “Uncle Si” Robertson after presenting him with his plaque and duck call.  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

11.13.2013

Story by Capt. Steven Modugno 

69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade

FORT HOOD, Texas - Retired Sgt. 1st Class Silas “Uncle Si” Robertson, cast member of the hit show, “Duck Dynasty,” was inducted into the ‘Honorable Order of the Renegade Duck Hunter’ here on Nov.13 by the 4-5 Air Defense Artillery Battalion command team, Lt. Col. William M. Dowling and Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis D. Phifer.

The 4-5 ADA BN command team presented Uncle Si with a plaque, a custom-made duck call, a call sign, and an ADA cap for him to proudly wear.

As part of the presentation, the 4-5 ADA BN command team explained that the order had been established to recognize and honor leaders within Air Defense that had been tested and deemed exemplary in their capabilities and knowledge.

“It’s a culminating award for a leader,” Dowling explained.

It only seemed fitting that Uncle Si, who had served in the Army and deployed to Vietnam, be inducted into the order, especially as Air Defenders are generally called the ‘duck hunters’ of the Army.

“He’s made ‘Duck Hunter’ famous,” Dowling said. He added that the duck call was a unique way to recognize leaders within their field, both those whose branch was Air Defense as well as those who aren’t.

He went on to break-down that evaluations of any leader is done in three stages. They test the basic soldier skills of the individual, then test their ADA skills such as gunnery table VIII qualification (or the knowledge of their profession if the individual is not ADA) and finish with a board where the leader stands before the ‘Big 5’ and is questioned extensively.

“So far, one soldier has qualified for the award, but we felt that Uncle Si deserved an honorary membership,” Dowling concluded.

Uncle Si came to Fort Hood as part of a book tour, but he left a member of the Army Air Defense ‘duck hunters’.

• Date Taken: 11.13.2013
• Date Posted: 11.22.2013 13:17
• Story ID: 117226
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US