,,iii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #aa ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #h1 #bjai ,mr4 ,inhofe 7for himself and ,mr4 ,lankford7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,,resolution ,honoring the #aejth anniversary of ,fort ,sill in ,lawton1 ,oklahoma4 ,whereas ,january #h1 #bjai1 marks the #aejth anniversary of ,fort ,sill1 a military installation operating in the ,lawton-,fort ,sill region of ,oklahoma2 ,whereas the site of ,fort ,sill was staked out on ,january #h1 #ahfi1 by ,major ,general ,philip ,h4 ,sheridan1 and the garrison was first called ,camp ,wichita2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill is named after ,brigadier ,general ,joshua ,w4 ,sill1 who was killed in the ,american ,civil ,war and was a friend to ,major ,general ,philip ,h4 ,sheridan2 ,whereas the first post commander at ,fort ,sill was ,brevet ,major ,general ,benjamin ,grierson2 ,whereas1 in #ahgg1 ,lieutenant ,henry ,o4 ,flipper1 the first ,african ,american to graduate from ,west ,point1 was assigned to the #ajth ,cavalry ,regiment at ,fort ,sill2 ,whereas1 in #ahih1 the ,fort ,sill garrison was down to #bg officers and soldiers as the cavalry left for battles in ,cuba during the ,spanish-,american ,war1 and ,lieutenant ,allyn ,capron1 ,jr41 who had joined the ,rough ,riders1 was the first officer killed in ,cuba2 ,whereas the last ,indian land in ,oklahoma opened for settlement in #aija1 and #bi1jjj homesteaders registered at ,fort ,sill during ,july of that year for the land lottery2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill played a major role in expanding the nearby city of ,lawton1 which was named after ,major ,general ,henry ,w4 ,lawton1 a ,fort ,sill quartermaster who was killed in the ,philippines in #ahii and was a ,medal of ,honor recipient2 ,whereas1 on ,august #f1 #aija1 the town of ,lawton was established and quickly grew to become the third largest city in ,oklahoma1 later becoming part of the greater ,lawton-,fort ,sill community2 ,whereas1 with the disappearance of the frontier1 the mission of ,fort ,sill gradually changed from cavalry to field artillery1 with the first artillery battery arriving at ,fort ,sill in #aijb1 and the last cavalry regiment departing in ,may #aijg2 ,whereas1 the ,school of ,fire for ,field ,artillery was founded at ,fort ,sill in #aiaa and continues to operate as the ,united ,states ,army ,field ,artillery ,school2 ,whereas1 throughout its history1 ,fort ,sill has served as home to-- 7#a7 the ,infantry ,school of ,musketry1 which was later renamed the ,infantry ,school and moved to ,camp ,benning1 ,georgia2 7#b7 the ,gas ,defense ,school2 7#c7 the ,school for ,aerial ,observers2 7#d7 the ,artillery ,officers ,candidate ,school 7,robinson ,barracks72 7#e7 the ,air ,service ,flying ,school2 7#f7 the ,army ,aviation ,school2 7#g7 the ,school of ,fire 7now known as the ,field ,artillery ,school72 and 7#h7 the ,air ,defense ,artillery ,school2 ,whereas1 in #aiae1 the first air unit in the history of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces1 the #ast ,aero ,squadron1 was stationed at ,fort ,sill for experiments in the aerial observation of artillery fire and1 in #aiaf1 was sent into combat with ,general ,jack ,pershing on an expedition into ,mexico2 ,whereas1 in #aiag1 the ,henry ,post ,army ,airfield was constructed for aerial artillery observation and spotting2 ,whereas1 with the start of ,world ,war ,i in #aiah1 the post expanded quickly1 and the ,army established ,camp ,doniphan on the northwest edge of ,fort ,sill in order to assemble1 house1 and train entire divisions before sending the divisions to ,europe2 ,whereas1 during ,world ,war ,i1 ,fort ,sill found itself with a unique new training mission1 as the ,war ,department was unprepared to train officers and soldiers for the threat of weapons of mass destruction posed by the wide-scale use of chemical weapons in ,europe1 and soldiers had to be equipped and trained for the new threat2 ,whereas the #ceth ,division was constituted in #aiag as #a of the #ag ,national ,guard divisions authorized for service in ,world ,war ,i2 ,whereas the #ceth ,division-- 7#a7 was organized from the ,national ,guards of ,kansas and ,missouri2 7#b7 included #c machine gun battalions1 #c field artillery regiments1 #d infantry regiments1 #a engineer regiment1 and #a signal battalion1 with a total strength of #bf1cgc soldiers2 7#c7 trained at ,camp ,doniphan until ,april #aiah1 when the #ceth ,division embarked to ,europe2 ,whereas1 on ,september #ae1 #aiah1 the #ceth ,division moved to the ,meuse-,argonne front and1 during the night of ,september #bj1 #aiah1 moved into forward positions in preparation for the ,meuse-,argonne offensive2 ,whereas1 on ,september #bf1 #aiah1 the #ceth ,division launched an attack and1 for the next #d days1 kept up the attack against heavy ,german resistance2 ,whereas the #ceth ,division returned to the ,united ,states in ,april #aiai and was demobilized on ,may #cj1 #aiai2 ,whereas ,president ,harry ,s4 ,truman was a captain and battery commander of #a of the field artillery units of the #ceth ,division and ran a canteen at ,camp ,doniphan for a period of time2 ,whereas1 after ,world ,war ,i1 the ,field ,artillery ,school commandants began a long-range program to improve field artillery mobility1 gunnery1 and equipment2 ,whereas ,major ,carlos ,brewer1 the ,director of the ,gunnery ,department in the late #aibjs and early #aicjs1 introduced new fire-direction techniques so fire support could be more responsive2 ,whereas ,major ,orlando ,ward1 the next ,director of the ,gunnery ,department after ,major ,carlos ,brewer1 developed the fire direction center to centralize command and control and to facilitate massing fire2 ,whereas ,major ,brewer1 ,major ,ward1 and ,lieutenant ,colonel ,h4,l4,c4 ,jones encouraged replacing horses with motor vehicles for moving field artillery guns2 ,whereas the #deth ,infantry ,division1 made up of ,national ,guardsmen from ,oklahoma1 ,colorado1 ,new ,mexico1 and ,texas-- 7#a7 was ordered into ,federal service for #a year in ,september #aidj to engage in a training program that began at ,fort ,sill2 and 7#b7 participated in the ,louisiana ,maneuvers2 ,whereas the ,field ,artillery ,officer ,candidate ,school at ,fort ,sill-- 7#a7 was opened by the ,army in #aida to help meet the need for leaders in a rapidly expanding ,army2 7#b7 was closed during the peace period between ,world ,war ,,ii and the ,korean ,war2 7#c7 was subsequently reopened and remained open until #aigc2 and 7#d7 trained #eg1ejj field artillery officers for ,world ,war ,,ii1 the ,korean ,war1 and the ,vietnam ,war2 ,whereas #b ,field ,artillery ,officer ,candidate ,school graduates1 ,first ,lieutenant ,james ,e4 ,robinson 7,class of #fb-dc7 and ,second ,lieutenant ,harold ,b4 ,durham1 ,jr4 7,class of #a-fg71 were awarded the ,medal of ,honor2 ,whereas other ,field ,artillery ,officer ,candidate ,school graduates have made an impact on history1 including-- 7#a7 ,h4 ,malcolm ,baldrige 7,class of #ia-dd71 a former ,secretary of ,commerce2 7#b7 ,martin ,r4 ,hoffman 7,class of #ga-ee71 a former ,secretary of the ,army2 7#c7 retired ,general ,jack ,n4 ,merritt 7,class of #ce-ec71 former senior military representative of the ,united ,states to the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization2 and 7#d7 ,john ,m4 ,shalikashvili 7,class of #d-ei71 former ,chairman of the ,joint ,chiefs of ,staff2 ,whereas the #hahth ,tank ,destroyer ,battalion-- 7#a7 was formed at ,fort ,sill on ,december #ae1 #aida2 7#b7 deployed to ,northern ,ireland in #aidc1 equipped with towed guns2 7#c7 landed in ,france #cf days after ,d-,day2 and 7#d7 after advancing through ,france with the #eth ,infantry ,division1 fought at ,metz and along the ,saar ,river1 pushing into ,germany in early ,december #aidd2 ,whereas1 the #eth ,infantry ,division-- 7#a7 moved north on ,december #ah1 #aidd1 to fight in the ,battle of the ,bulge2 7#b7 was detached on ,december #bj1 #aidd1 and reassigned to the #bfth ,infantry ,division1 which saw action in the ,ardennes2 and 7#c7 from late ,january to ,march #aide1 held defensive positions before driving west with the #bfth ,infantry ,division through ,germany1 finishing the war just inside the ,czech border at ,kienberg2 ,whereas1 to best use new long-range guns and improve response times1 the ,field ,artillery ,school championed the use of organic air observation to control field artillery fires1 with the ,war ,department approving organic field artillery air observation in #aidb and the field artillery air observers adjusting massed fire and performing liaison1 reconnaissance1 and other missions during ,world ,war ,,ii2 ,whereas1 in #aidb1 ,fort ,sill stood down the last horse-drawn field artillery unit1 ending #gc years of the partnership between soldiers and horses that helped fuel the military strength of ,fort ,sill2 ,whereas horses did not reappear at ,fort ,sill until #aifc1 when the commanding general authorized a special ,half ,section of ,field ,artillery1 which names the horses after ,fort ,sill commanders2 ,whereas1 on ,july #aj1 #aidc1 the #deth ,infantry ,division1 which trained at ,fort ,sill and was known as the ,thunderbirds1 participated in its first of #d amphibious landings during ,world ,war ,,ii1 landing in ,sicily2 ,whereas the ,thunderbirds served #eaa days in combat1 fighting across ,sicily1 ,italy1 ,france1 and ,germany2 ,whereas celebrities made appearances or received ,army training at ,fort ,sill during ,world ,war ,,ii1 with humorist ,will ,rogers and motion-picture star ,gene ,autry making numerous trips to entertain the troops there2 ,whereas ,louis ,l',amor1 before becoming a writer of western novels1 was a boxing instructor at the famous ,artillery ,bowl at ,fort ,sill in #aidc2 ,whereas1 following ,world ,war ,,ii1 ,fort ,sill adapted to the atomic age and the ,cold ,war1 and the ,war ,department consolidated all artillery training and development under the ,united ,states ,army ,artillery ,center at ,fort ,sill in #aidf2 ,whereas the #deth ,infantry ,division ,thunderbirds-- 7#a7 deployed to ,south ,korea in #aieb2 7#b7 was #a of only #b ,national ,guard divisions to see combat in the ,korean ,war2 7#c7 was deployed with ,i ,corps and participated in such battles as ,old ,baldy and ,pork ,chop ,hill2 and 7#d7 participated in #d campaigns during #dbi days in battle2 ,whereas1 during the ,cold ,war1 the #dth ,battalion #cast ,infantry ,polar ,bears was activated at ,fort ,sill to help train artillerymen in joint-combat tactics2 ,whereas1 although the ,polar ,bears unit was called infantry1 it was a unique combined-arms team that included an armored tank company2 ,whereas the high-profile ,polar ,bears unit participated in combined-arms live-fire exercises 7the ,,calfex program71 which brought together infantry1 armor1 field artillery1 and ,air ,force assets2 ,whereas the ,,calfex program was brought to an end by the drive for efficient use of money1 with the end of the ,polar ,bears unit signaling the end of the high-profile ,,calfex program2 ,whereas1 as of #bjai1 the ,polar ,bears unit has been reactivated with the #ajth ,mountain ,division at ,fort ,drum1 ,new ,york2 ,whereas1 in #aifc1 the ,field ,artillery ,school tested aerial rocket artillery1 which equipped helicopters with rockets2 ,whereas1 as demonstrated during the ,vietnam ,war1 aerial rocket artillery was effective2 ,whereas the ,field ,artillery ,school cooperated in the development of the ,field ,artillery ,digital ,automated ,computer1 which was introduced in #aiff to compute fire direction data and made the ,field ,artillery a leader in computer developments for the ,army2 ,whereas1 in #aifc1 the #ast ,aerial ,artillery ,group 7,provisional7 was organized at ,fort ,sill to test equipping ,,ch-#cd helicopters with rocket pods attached to each side1 converting the transport aircraft1 an easy target in most combat situations1 into flying weapons capable of direct or indirect fires2 ,whereas modern helicopter gunships are descendants of the #aifc test program at ,fort ,sill2 ,whereas1 on ,august #h1 #aiij1 ,fort ,sill became actively involved in supporting ,operation ,desert ,shield1 with initial activities centered around the preparation of ,,iii ,corps ,artillery units for deployment2 ,whereas1 during ,operation ,desert ,shield1 ,fort ,sill-- 7#a7 deployed #ai ,active and #bj ,reserve units2 7#b7 processed #i1bdf ,active and #a1cig ,reserve personnel2 7#c7 trained1 equipped1 and validated reserve component units and personnel2 7#d7 supported active component units and personnel2 7#e7 prepared and shipped equipment to ports for shipment to the battlefield2 and 7#f7 with help from ,army ,reserve units1 expanded the training base for initial military training2 ,whereas1 during ,operation ,desert ,shield1 ,fort ,sill agencies supported ,active and ,reserve component units and personnel with all classes of supply1 medical1 dental1 maintenance1 personnel1 finance1 training1 and transportation services prior to deployment2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill immediately implemented its force-protection plan the morning of ,september #aa1 #bjja-- 7#a7 by opening its installation operations center to coordinate security measures around the clock2 and 7#b7 by activating its quick-reaction force-- 7,a7 to guard the outer perimeter roads2 7,b7 to serve as roving security patrols2 and 7,c7 to perform other security duties2 ,whereas1 in response to the attacks of ,september #aa1 #bjja1 ,fort ,sill furnished security personnel for high-risk targets and hardened major entries with concrete and water-filled blocks1 while at the same time continuing its primary mission of training officers1 new soldiers1 and noncommissioned officers2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill supported ,operation ,enduring ,freedom in ,afghanistan-- 7#a7 by serving as a mobilization station for-- 7,a7 the #ejdeth ,garrison ,support ,unit 7,military ,police71 which augmented installation security efforts2 7,b7 the #ast ,battalion1 #cgith ,field ,artillery1 which augmented the training base2 and 7,c7 the #bnd ,battalion1 #cgith ,field ,artillery1 which augmented the training base2 and 7#b7 by mobilizing the #crd ,battalion1 #adast ,infantry from the ,texas ,army ,national ,guard to staff the entry gates of the installation2 ,whereas1 although the #ejdeth ,garrison ,support ,unit1 the #ast ,battalion1 #cgith ,field ,artillery1 the #bnd ,battalion1 #cgith ,field ,artillery1 and the #crd ,battalion1 #adast ,infantry were eventually deactivated1 ,fort ,sill mobilized and deployed numerous additional units and improved force protection during ,operation ,enduring ,freedom2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill supported ,operation ,iraqi ,freedom in #bjjc by deploying more than #e1jjj active duty soldiers and #djj reserve component soldiers1 including-- 7#a7 ,c ,battery1 #crd ,battalion1 #acth ,field ,artillery1 the first unit to deploy from ,fort ,sill2 7#b7 the #geth ,field ,artillery ,brigade1 which deployed more than #bjj soldiers2 7#c7 the #ast ,battalion1 #adth ,field ,artillery1 which deployed approximately #cjj soldiers2 7#d7 the #bnd ,battalion1 #ahth ,field ,artillery1 which deployed approximately #cjj soldiers2 7#e7 soldiers from the #agth ,field ,artillery ,brigade2 7#f7 soldiers from the #babth ,field ,artillery ,brigade2 and 7#g7 additional soldiers and units2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill is-- 7#a7 the only active duty ,army installation of all the forts on the ,south ,plains built during the ,indian ,wars2 7#b7 the second-oldest continuously serving military installation west of the ,mississippi ,river2 and 7#c7 designated as a ,national ,historic ,landmark2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill serves as home of-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states ,army ,field ,artillery ,school2 7#b7 the ,united ,states ,army ,air ,defense ,artillery ,school2 7#c7 the #dbhth ,field ,artillery ,training ,brigade2 7#d7 the #cjth ,air ,defense ,artillery ,training ,brigade2 7#e7 the #dcdth ,field ,artillery ,basic ,combat ,training ,brigade2 7#f7 the ,marine ,corps ,field ,artillery ,military ,occupational ,specialty ,school2 7#g7 a ,marine ,corps detachment2 7#h7 the #geth 7,forces ,command7 ,fires ,brigade2 and 7#i7 the #cast 7,forces ,command7 ,air ,defense ,artillery ,brigade2 ,whereas thousands of soldiers and ,marines have been trained for service in the ,field ,artillery at ,fort ,sill1 including former ,president ,harry ,s4 ,truman1 who1 during ,world ,war ,i1 became the commander of ,company ,d1 #abith ,field ,artillery1 entering combat in the last few months of the war1 moving his horse-drawn battery to engage the enemy and support the infantry1 and firing his last shot on the day of the ,armistice at #aj3de a4m42 ,whereas the people of ,oklahoma take great pride in the history of ,fort ,sill and in the continuing critical role the ,field ,artillery plays in the defense of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill is known as the birthplace of military combat aviation1 where the #ast ,aero ,squadron1 under ,captain ,benjamin ,foulois-- 7#a7 uncrated new1 unassembled airplanes and put those planes together in #aiae2 7#b7 pushed the ,curtiss ,,jn-#c planes 7known as ,flying ,jennies7 to ,polo ,field2 and 7#c7 on ,august #aj1 #aiae1 flew the planes for the first time2 ,whereas ,henry ,post ,army ,airfield is the oldest airfield in the ,army1 having been surveyed and established by ,captain ,h4,r4 ,eyrich in ,august #aiag2 ,whereas ,henry ,post ,army ,airfield is named after ,second ,lieutenant ,henry ,b4 ,post1 who was killed in a plane crash in ,california in #aiad2 ,whereas several individuals associated with ,fort ,sill have received the highest honor for their bravery and sacrifice1 including-- 7#a7 ,captain ,gary ,m4 ,rose1 who received the ,medal of ,honor for action in ,laos in #aigj and attended the ,field ,artillery ,officer ,basic ,course and ,field ,artillery ,officer ,advance ,course in the #aigjs2 7#b7 ,first ,lieutenant ,lee ,r4 ,hartell1 who posthumously received the ,medal of ,honor for action in the ,korean ,war2 and 7#c7 ,sergeant ,first ,class ,jared ,monti1 who received the ,medal of ,honor for heroic action in ,afghanistan2 ,whereas the ,fires ,center of ,excellence consists of-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states ,army ,field ,artillery ,school2 7#b7 the ,air ,defense ,artillery ,school2 7#c7 the ,directorate of ,training ,development and ,doctrine2 7#d7 the ,capabilities ,development and ,integration ,directorate2 7#e7 the ,army ,multi-,domain ,targeting ,center2 and 7#f7 additional tenant units2 ,whereas ,fort ,sill is a large military installation in the ,united ,states1 covering approximately #id1jjj acres1 with-- 7#a7 a #b1bfa1jjj economic impact to the ,lawton-,fort ,sill region of ,oklahoma in #bjaf2 and 7#b7 approximately #aj1jjj military and civilian personnel as of #bjaf2 and ,whereas the people of the ,lawton-,fort ,sill region of ,oklahoma fought to establish ,fort ,sill and have continued to support ,fort ,sill from its inception3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 honors ,fort ,sill in ,lawton1 ,oklahoma1 on its #aejth anniversary2 7#b7 commends the thousands of men and women who have worked and trained at ,fort ,sill2 7#c7 honors the people of the ,lawton-,fort ,sill region of ,oklahoma for their continued support of ,fort ,sill2 and 7#d7 encourages ,fort ,sill to continue its instrumental role in preparing the brave men and women of the ,united ,states for the battlefield4