United States Army Air Defense Artillery School

United States Army Air Defense Artillery School
School device
Active	1942-present
Country	United States of America
Branch	Air Defense Artillery
Role	Training
Size	Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Fort Sill
Motto	"Militant"
Mascot	Oozlefinch
Insignia
ADA school distinctive unit insignia
Shoulder sleeve insignia

The United States Army Air Defense Artillery School is conducted at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The school is organized as the 6th ADA Brigade under the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Formerly based at Fort Bliss, until 1990 the base was used for Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT), under 1st Battalion, 56th ADA Regiment (1-56), part of the 6th ADA Brigade. Before 1989, 1–56 had three basic training companies and two AIT batteries. After 1990, 1–56 dropped basic training, that mission assumed by Fort Sill. The unit had four batteries for enlisted AIT and one battery for the Officer's Basic Course and Captain's Career Course (added in 2004). In 1997, one company was added that trained Army truck drivers (MOS 88M). It started with Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers, then expanded to train active component soldiers as well.

The other five battalions of 6th Brigade were units for training soldiers on various weapon systems. Numerous foreign soldiers have trained at the school, either through exchange programs or to train on U.S. weapons systems sold to their governments.

History

The Antiaircraft School was started at Camp Davis under the command of Brigadier General Cortlandt V.R. Schuyler. The first Commandant was Bryan L. Milburn. The School moved to Fort Bliss in 1944, and to Fort Sill in 2010.

Current status

6th Brigade moved from Fort Bliss to Fort Sill as part of the 2005 BRAC moves. The motor transport operator (88M) course has moved to Fort Leonard Wood. There is a new Army policy replacing drill sergeants at AIT with regular noncommissioned officers from front line units. This is to free up drill sergeants for basic training.^{[citation needed]}

Further changes came due to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission and changes in the Army's transformation. The new Air Defense Artillery School is located near the Field Artillery School.

	1st Battalion, 56th ADA Regiment is part of the 6th ADA Brigade. After 2005, 1–56 ADA was broken up and the soldiers were assigned to different battalions based on their military occupational specialty and systems they train on. Officer training is the only function of 1–56 ADA today.[citation needed]
	2nd and 3rd Battalions, 6th ADA Regiment are part of the 6th ADA Brigade. 2–6 ADA has C-RAM, Sentinel, and Stinger/Avenger, 3–6 ADA has Patriot.

Distinctive unit insignia

• Description

A gold color metal device blazoned: Per chevron reversed and debased Azure and Gules, two electrical flashes on partition line Or, on the first a pile throughout Argent, surmounted by a shell of the second, winged of the third. Attached below the shield a gold scroll inscribed "MILITANT" in blue letters.

• Symbolism

The escutcheon represents the coordinated activity of the different elements of the Antiaircraft Artillery. The base of red is the Artillery color. The thunderbolts indicate the employment of electrical power. A searchlight beam pierces the night sky of blue. In the shaft of light rises a winged projectile, flying swiftly and surely to its target. The thunderbolts are power; the shaft of light, the illustration of truth through knowledge; the sky, the illimitable regions of the upper air that Antiaircraft Artillery must conquer; the winged projectile, the spirit of the School, young, rising, indomitable.

• Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the U.S. Army Air Defense School on 4 May 1965. On 19 Jun 1981 it was amended to extend authorization for wear to include personnel assigned to the U.S. Army Air Defense Center. Effective 1 Jan 1983 the insignia was redesignated for the U. S. Army Air Defense Artillery School.

Coat of arms

• Description
• Shield

Per chevron reversed and debased Azure and Gules, two electrical flashes on partition line Or, on the first a pile throughout Argent, surmounted by a shell of the second, winged of the third.

• Crest

On a wreath of the colors (Argent and Azure) a clenched dexter gauntlet fesswise a falcon perched Proper. Motto MILITANT

• Symbolism

The escutcheon represents the coordinated activity of the different elements of the Antiaircraft Artillery. The base of red is the Artillery color. The thunderbolts indicate the employment of electrical power. A searchlight beam pierces the night sky of blue. In the shaft of light rises a winged projectile, flying swiftly and surely to its target. The thunderbolts are power; the shaft of light, the illustration of truth through knowledge; the sky, the illimitable regions of the upper air that Antiaircraft Artillery must conquer; the winged projectile, the spirit of the School, young, rising, indomitable.

• Background

The device was originally approved on 20 Oct 1942 for the Antiaircraft Artillery School. It was redesignated for the Antiaircraft and Guided Missiles Branch of the Artillery School on 15 Jul 1952. On 26 Jul 1957 the device was redesignated for the U. S. Army Air Defense School.

See also

• Coats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery Regiments
• Camp Davis

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Institute of Heraldry document "Air Defense Artillery school".

External links

• http://www.airdefenseartillery.com/online/2010/CoastArtilleryHome.htm
• http://www.skylighters.org/places/intro.html
• The short film Big Picture: Missile Man is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]