Army Sergeant first to receive Air Force Space Badge

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Burger | Sgt. Daniel L. Holscher, a satellite control operations non-commissioned officer for the Third Army/U.S. Army Central space support element, became the first enlisted Soldier in the Army to receive the U.S. Air Force "Basic" Space Badge Oct. 19.  

UNITED STATES

10.26.2007

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Burger 

U.S. Army Central   

By Staff Sgt. Carlos M. Burger II
Third Army/U.S. Army Central Public Affairs Office

FORT MCPHERSON, Ga. – When a person thinks of space operations, the first organizations that usually come to mind are the Air Force or NASA. Enlisted Soldiers are usually associated with forces on the ground and not the "final frontier." One Third Army/U.S Army Central sergeant, however, has blazed a trail right through the normal perceptions of Soldiers and into the history books.

Sgt. Daniel L. Holscher, a satellite systems operator and maintainer, became the first enlisted Soldier in the Army to receive the U.S. Air Force "Basic" Space Badge, Oct. 19.

"I didn't even know (I got the badge) at first," the Elizabethtown, Ky., native said. "I was supposed to get out the Army last August. If I had, obviously I wouldn't have got it."

Holscher currently works as a satellite control operations non-commissioned officer for the Third Army space support element. Established last October, the SSE is the first element of its kind in the Army. He has been working space operations, which mostly consists of analyzing imagery, monitoring theater ballistic missile warning systems, and coordinating space support requests with units in theater.

Holscher, however, had a little help in his history-making achievement. Col. Tom Quintero, chief of Third Army space operations, was instrumental in assisting Holscher in obtaining the education he required to conduct space operations.

"Our shop sent Sergeant Holscher to the Space 200 and Space Operations Officer Qualification Course in Colorado Springs," he said. "Both courses are requirements for the badge, but are normally reserved for Air Force personnel and Army officers."

After Holscher received the training and worked in the designated position for 12 consecutive months, Quintero recommended that he be awarded the badge. U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command approved the request and they verified that he was the first enlisted Soldier in the Army to receive it.

Although Holscher is the most junior Soldier in his section, he will soon deploy to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, to serve as the USARCENT forward space operations officer. Having already serving two deployments to Iraq, Holscher said he looks forward accomplishing the mission. His supervisors also feel that he is best for the job.

"Holscher was hand picked to come to our section. He speaks smartly on what our section can and can't do," Quintero said.

"Holscher is as smart on space operations as any of the officers that work here and he has less experience," added Maj. Darin Eades, Third Army space operations officer and Holscher's supervisor. "His knowledge is respected and he is very approachable to the other Soldiers."

After receiving the badge, Holscher hopes that other non-commissioned officers will follow in his footsteps and seek out the positions that will help them obtain the coveted badge.

"Getting the right job is critical," Holscher said. "There are other NCOs who have been to the schools, but don't work in the right slot. If I wasn't working at Third Army, I wouldn't have gotten it either."

Since Third Army's SSE is the prototype, other Army-level space support sections are sure to stand up, giving other non-commissioned officers a chance to step up and fill the required positions, Quintero said.

"Currently, there's no doctrine or policy that mandates what we do. It's up to the officers to do the right thing for their NCOs. Hopefully, we will go and make good decisions," he added.

• Date Taken: 10.26.2007
• Date Posted: 10.30.2007 14:07
• Story ID: 13491
• Location: US