CSM forum.

This past March, we held our CSM/SGM Military Intelligence Worldwide Conference. The conference was a great success.

Highlighting the week was our recognition of Specialist Ario SanchezPadilla, 75th Ranger Regiment (Infantry) as the Second Annual Doug Russell award recipient. (Presented during the conference each year, this award goes to a soldier (El through E5) who has made a significant contribution to military intelligence.) At the Ice Breaker on the first night of the conference, we invited our great retired Ml SGMs/CSMs, which brought together the past, present, and future of our NCO leadership. We, the Ml Sergeants Major, want to thank the sponsors for making our Ice Breaker so successful--we are fortunate to have sponsors like them here in Sierra Vista, Arizona, embracing Fort Huachuca and bringing the civilians and military together into "A Community of One," a true partnership. Also, special thanks from Brigadier General John Marks and myself to all of the Sergeants Major for the donations to the MI Museum and new memberships for the Ml Corps Association (MICA). We contributed more than $5,000 to the Museum and MI CA.

We all need to start thinking about next year's conference; if there are any briefings, issues, or speakers you would like for next year's conference, let me know. My E-mail address is [e-mail]. The basis of the success of our conference reflects what we, as the senior noncommissioned officers of Military Intelligence, want to accomplish.

During the past three months, I visited some of our terrific MI soldiers. I spent a day with the 260th MI Battalion (Linguist), Florida Army National Guard, in Miami. This Battalion not only integrates Intelligence and language expertise but also has an active role in the Florida Army National Guard Counter narcotics Program. Since the attacks on 11 September 2001, the 260th Ml Battalion has provided continued augmentation support to the U.S. Coast Guard for Operation SAFE HARBOR (seaport security). While in Florida, I also visited Pensacola where I talked with many of the soldiers in the 98K (Signals Collection/Identification Analyst) initial entry training (lET) classes and the cadre which are setting these great young soldiers up for success. The cadre briefed and took me through the material the 98K soldiers learn at Pensacola The bottom line is that what these fine young soldiers learn in 98K lET hurts my head.

In Japan, I visited U.S. Forces-Japan units and the 500th Ml Group. While visiting the Ml soldiers at Camp Zama and Misawa, I had an office call with Colonel Mitzell and the Superintendent of the site located on Misawa. Both of them spoke very highly of the "Army soldiers," our Ml soldiers assigned to the 403d Ml Detachment They shared with me the added value our Ml soldiers bring not only in the intelligence field but also to the leadership and Army values that they bring to the joint environment as well. Our MI soldiers are doing great things in the joint environment.

Having never been to Korea or Japan, I was very excited to have the opportunity to visit the MI soldiers there. In Korea, I visited the U.S. Forces-Korea Ml unit, the 501st MI Brigade, and attended their 2002 Military Intelligence Ball. This year's theme for the Ml Ball, 'Yesterday-Today Tomorrow: 50 Years of Combined Intelligence,' paid tribute to the intelligence partnership between the Republic of Korea and the United States. Their Ml Ball was full of camaraderie, fun, and friendship among many individuals associated with the intelligence community on the Korean Peninsula. The Korea Chapter of MICA did a wonderful job hosting this significant event. The MI soldiers in Korea are truly "READY TO FIGHTTONIGHT."

I want to personally thank all of those Military Intelligence soldiers from their respective units I visited for teaching me "their jobs." I am always a student; I learned from you, and all of you taught me well. Thank you!

As always, let's take care of each other and our families. You train hard, you die hard; you train easy, die easy. Peace needs protection.

ALWAYS OUT FRONT!