Pennsylvania Guard unit recognized for electronic warfare fight

TAJI, IRAQ

08.15.2009

Courtesy Story

56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division

CAMP TAJI, Iraq — An electronic warfare association has named a 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team battalion as the Army unit to best make use of EW assets and training in the past year. The selection comes at a time when Soldiers in Iraq are relying on EW capabilities to defeat improvised explosive devices.

The 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., is the recipient of the "Association of Old Crows Outstanding U.S. Army Electronic Warfare Unit for 2009" honor. The Pennsylvania Army National Guard unit, currently deployed in Iraq with the 56th SBCT, garnered the Army-wide honor for its extensive use of lifesaving EW capabilities in day-to-day operations in country.

"This award demonstrates that the Pennsylvania National Guard is in the forefront of emerging technologies," Capt. Melvin Benson of Abington, Pa, 56th SBCT electronic warfare officer, said. "All of our battalions have made good use of electronic warfare. The 1-111th made the greatest use of joint assets."

Benson, a school teacher at Council Rock School District, Newtown, Pa., nominated the battalion in early July. The AOC, a non-profit association of military and civilian electronic warfare professionals, informed Benson of the honor Aug. 15.

The AOC and the Army Electronic Warfare Division lauded the 1-111th, saying the unit clearly demonstrated ability to master EW and said the units "superlative training and combat record" earned the unit the award.

"This award is appropriate as the 1-111th was founded as the 'Associators' in 1748, by Benjamin Franklin," Benson added. "The 1-111 is the living link from Franklin's kite and lightening rod to our modern airborne EW assets."

Benson explained that Soldiers are protected by their vehicle-borne EW equipment but also have use of man-portable and airborne EW assets. He said an Army-wide focus on EW has cut battlefield losses from.

"We know of three incidents where, we believe, EW saved Soldiers' lives or at least saved damage to vehicles," Benson said.

During full spectrum operations, the 1-111th made extensive use of corps-level airborne EW assets, averaging 15 requests per month. The battalion also incorporated use of vehicle and manpack EW equipment into every mission

First Lt. Alon Margolin of Philadelphia, 1-111th EW officer, has the job of sourcing EW assets to battalion units and training battalion Soldiers on the equipment. Margolin said becoming an EW officer and using EW in a combat theatre has been an "eye opening" experience. He said the battalion used EW extensively because Soldiers understood its importance.

"The numbers probably stand out the most," he said of winning the AOC award. "We did request and source the most EW assets out of the brigade."

Capt. Dan Gershey of Lake Ariel, Pa., 1-111th assistant operations officer, said during mission planning he looks for ways to integrate electronic warfare into operations. Gershey said EW was "pretty much non-existent" on his previous two tours in Iraq. He too said integrating EW into missions on this deployment was not difficult because Soldiers understand the value of the asset.

"They know electronic warfare equals safety, equals them coming home," said Gershey.

According to the association's Web site, the term "crows" stems from the code name "raven" given to World War II Allied electronic countermeasures officers. At the end of the war, a group of those officers were tasked to begin an electronic counter measure course at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. Students of the course changed the name from "raven" to "crow."

Small reunions of Strategic Air Command ECM officers in the post-war years formed the groundwork for what became the non-profit association in the mid-1960s. The association is headquartered in Alexandria, Va.

The 56th SBCT mobilized for deployment in September 2008. The brigade is in the process of redeploying to Fort Dix, N.J. Centered around the highly mobile, technologically advanced Stryker vehicle, the 56th SBCT is the only Stryker brigade in the National Guard or Army Reserves and just one of seven such brigades in the Army.

• Date Taken: 08.15.2009
• Date Posted: 08.19.2009 07:29
• Story ID: 37693
• Location: TAJI, IQ