USASMDC Branch Week Visit

The Space and Missile Defense (SMD) Program, as part of the Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (PANE), hosted representatives from US Army Space & Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) to address the question of 'Why Space?'. Mr. Mike Connolly, Director of the Army Space Professional Development Office, and COL Eric Handy '89 (ADA/FA40), Deputy Commander for Support, USASMDC/Army Force Strategic Command, represented SMDC as they both educated cadets and faculty about the many facets of Space Support to global operations, and the opportunities to serve within the Space Operations (Functional Area 40) community. Accompanying them were Ms. Theresa Baht (SMDC Contractor, former FA40) and 1LT Matthew Gramling '16 (ADA). Two seminars were held and a Space Operations (FA40) table with a static display was manned during the Second-Class Symposium at Eisenhower Hall. Topics discussed during the seminars included why the Army is involved in space and why space is important to each of us. Highlighted specifically was the growing dependence on space by Army units at levels, specifically Brigade Combat Teams (with over 3000 pieces of space-enabled equipment). During the seminar COL Handy demonstrated use of the space tablet - outfitted with software that can assist with mission planning.