Space and missile defense command takes over Fort Greely installation - Updates

FORT GREELY, Alaska -- After months of planning, U. S. Army Alaska officials made an administrative transfer of Fort Greely to the Strategic Missile Defense Command at a Sept. 30, 2002, ceremony here.

"In response to the build-up of the missile-defense program here, 507th Signal Company, 59th Signal Battalion, has spent the past year increasing Signal requirements, including more than 500 additional telephone lines and new network systems," explained CPT Deidra Jankowiak, 507th's commander.

Fort Greely, named after MG Adolphus Greely, former chief of Signal, was built in 1942, in concert with the Alaska Highway's construction. Fort Greely closed in July 2001 to prepare for transfer to SMDC. For the last eight to 12 months, Ground Midcourse Defense has been constructing a missile-defense testbed at Fort Greely. USARAK maintains possession and control of the more than 600,000 acres of training land surrounding the main post area.

"In light of the new security environment and progress made to date in missile-defense development efforts, the President has directed the Defense Department to begin fielding initial missile-defense capabilities in 2004-2005 to meet the near-term ballistic-missile threat to our homeland, our deployed forces and our friends and allies," said a Defense Department statement. "This initial capability will build on the Pacific missile defense testbed and serve as a starting point for fielding improved, layered missile-defense capabilities later."

Fort Greely will be part of SMDC's ground-based interceptor capabilities with 16 interceptors planned for 2004-2005. Interceptors can intercept and destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles during their midcourse phase of flight.

Signal facilities are also upgrading at Shemya, Alaska (see newsbrief, Page 59), to support Fort Greely's testbed and Shemya's upgraded radar capabilities.

Mr. McPherson is 516th Signal Brigade's public-affairs officer. Some information for this newsbrief was excerpted from a Defense Department announcement on the U.S. missile program.

COPYRIGHT 2003 U.S. Army Signal Center
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group