Latest news with #1stCavalryDivision
American Press
06-05-2025
- General
- American Press
Veterans, family, community gather to honor life, sacrifice of Elton soldier
Sandria Doyle still remembers when her brother, Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier, visited home while in the military and before deploying to Vietnam as an infantryman in 'Charlie' Company of the legendary 1st Cavalry Division. Even as a young girl, Doyle remembers her older brother as a cool, intelligent, quiet spirit with a huge heart. 'I may have been young when he was killed in Vietnam, but I can remember him coming home in that uniform and being so proud to be a soldier, and he always had a gift for me,' she said. Sonnier, a native of Elton and a 1960 graduate of Katie B. Thomas High School in Elton, died during the Battle of Ia Drang Valley at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Vietnam War. A special ceremony to commemorate his service and sacrifice was held Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Jennings. Several veterans of the famous battle, including Medal of Honor recipient retired Army Col. Joe Marm, attended the event to honor Sonnier. The battle, which was an intense conflict of the Vietnam War, was the focus of the book and film 'We Were Soldiers.' Doyle recounted how her brother would write letters home, sharing his experiences and asking for prayers for himself and his fellow soldiers. His final letter indicated he wouldn't be writing for a while but still requested their continued prayers. Soon after, the family received the heartbreaking news of his death. Doyle, who was 10 at the time, remembers the somber visit of two uniformed military personnel who delivered the devastating news to her mother and father. Sonnier had been mortally wounded while defending his position under enemy fire. Notably, all four of Doyle's brothers served their country, with one also being wounded in Vietnam. During the ceremony, Doyle and her sister Joann White, expressed how deeply it meant to have their brother remembered and honored, saying he was truly deserving of such recognition. 'We are here to honor the memory of Albert W. Billy Sonnier, who gave his life in the defense of his country, and in the very real way, we are here to pay tribute to all the men and women who sacrifice so much that we might be free,' former journalist and author Dave Precht said. Precht noted that the 24-year-old soldier's courageous actions were crucial in repelling the enemy attack. 'Billy Sonnier in my research was a dedicated soldier,' said Col. (Ret.) Joey Strickland, former deputy secretary of Louisiana Veterans Affairs and a Vietnam combat veteran. 'A young man who was not only a fighter, but a beacon of hope for his battle buddies, a source of inspiration, amid the turmoil….Sonnier was known by his fellow soldiers for the ability to uplift and energize those around him.' Sonnier was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and Purple Heart. The ceremony also paid tribute to Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Barrett, who served as a squad leader with the same company as Sonnier. Barrett grew up in Many, La., only 110 miles from Sonnier's hometown. Despite more than a decade difference in their enlistment dates, both men served in the same battalion, platoon, company, and squad, and tragically, they were killed on the same day in Vietnam. They were also the only two men from Louisiana in Lt. Col. Hal Moore's battalion killed during the Battle of Ia Drang Valley at Landing Zone X-Ray in 1965. Thomas Barrett III, Barrett's son who was only 5 when his father died, shared his experience of growing up with the profound silence of never having known his father. He followed his father's footsteps, becoming an infantryman and officer. 'While many children of veterans grow up hearing stories that were hard to tell, I grew with a different kind of silence, the absence of a voice that was silenced in the Ia Drang Valley on 15th November 1865, exactly seven days after his 34th birthday,' Barrett said. 'My father, like many veterans, answered the call to serve,' he continued. 'The photographs, letters and stories shared by those who fought alongside him have been my only window into knowing who he was. Through your eyes and memories, I pieced together the man who would have raised me, his courage, his loyalty to his brothers in arms and his sense of duty.' Barrett stressed the vital role of those who returned home in keeping the memories of the fallen alive by sharing their stories. 'Each time you share a memory of my father or your brothers who didn't come home, you give us the gift of knowing them a little better,' he said. 'To the families, who like mine, bear the Gold Star, who share a bond forged in sacrifice. Though decades have passed, the cost paid in the Ia Drang Valley remains ever present in our lives.' The memory and legacy of the soldiers of Ia Drang Valley live on not just in military records and history books, but through honoring their lives by striving to live in a way that reflects their sacrifice, he said. During the event, Marm presented members of the 1st Cavalry with special leather-bound copies of the 'We Were Soldiers Once….and Young.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Army division will change how armor brigades and divisions fight
As soldiers with the 1st Cavalry Division continue to offload their equipment from their recent Europe rotation, they're blazing a path and planning for a new kind of armored unit they will be at the heart of creating. Soldiers with the division will help the Army determine how to reorganize an Armored Brigade Combat Team to fight with new equipment, farther-reaching sensors and increased firepower — with the division at its back. Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey spoke with Army Times recently about his division's work under the Army's 'Transformation in Contact' initiative. The move seeks to modernize and evolve formations as they prepare for real-world deployments. The effort was announced in 2023 and began with three infantry brigades: the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division; 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division; and the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Over the course of the next year, the three brigades added sensors, drones and a host of other enabling technologies, while also reconfiguring the makeup of various brigade elements to streamline communications and ramp up the infantry brigades' capabilities. The Army has since entered the TIC 2.0 phase, which will focus on heavy units such as the 1st Cavalry and its ABCTs. Feltey told Army Times that the division oversaw training for the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain, while the infantry unit was in Germany. That helped give them a start on what was required for such transformative work. 'No one's ever starting from zero, we're continuing to move forward and not standing in place,' Feltey said. This exercise is shaping the long-term future of Army infantry brigades Through the course of the transition, the infantry units built new versions of units, dubbing them Light Infantry Brigade and Mobile Infantry Brigades, respectively. Those concepts had been developed in certain Army planning circles and were adjusted through the training and experimentation by the infantry units. But the armor units are drawing up their own plans for what a new type of armor brigade might look like. 'An ABCT has a lot of different moving pieces,' Feltey said. 'Our battlespace is much larger and things move faster.' While ubiquitous drone coverage helped infantry units, various kinds of drones will be needed for the longer-reaching, longer-ranging armored units, for example. The division's artillery, air cavalry squadron and electronic warfare units have all been designated as part of the transformation. Feltey is convening a host of senior armor leaders to assist in feedback on how to reconfigure the units and their assets to take advantage of new tech and novel approaches to fighting fast with armor. These sessions are called 'Iron Horse sprints,' he said. The timelines are a little longer for the 1st Cavalry Division. The culminating event for their TIC work will happen at a National Training Center rotation in Fort Irwin, California, in 2027. That's in part because the division is also modernizing its main equipment, with the A4 variant of the Bradley and the A7 variant of the Paladin artillery system. It's also on track as the next unit to receive the new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, Feltey said. The two-star expects to see communications upgrades, much like the infantry units did with systems such as the Integrated Tactical Network, Star Shield satellite communications and the Mobile User Objective System, an improved UHF satellite communications system. While the armored units will receive more drones for better reconnaissance, they will need more striking capabilities from those drones, he said. 'We don't have the ability to suppress everything while we're moving now, so that's one of the problems we're trying to solve,' Feltey said. A key part of the process will be hooking the division assets into what the brigade needs when it needs it. The division expects to have units training at the company level with new assets and formations by early 2026 and battalion-level training to commence in the summer of 2026, ahead of the 2027 event.
American Press
27-04-2025
- General
- American Press
Ceremony set to honor Elton native killed in Vietnam War
Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier was killed killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. (Special to the American Press) Final preparations are underway for next Saturday's event to honor an Elton native killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. A ceremony honoring Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Vietnam War Memorial at the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park in Jennings. 'We encourage everyone from the area to attend so we can give Spec. 4 Sonnier the honor and respect he deserves for his service and ultimate sacrifice,' organizer John Semmes said. Semmes, a Vietnam veteran and part of a local Vietnam veterans project team, discovered Sonnier's name on the memorial last year and sought out Sonnier's family. This led to locating Sonnier's grave and fundraising for a memorial marker at St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery in Elton. Sonnier died Nov. 15, 1965 at the age of 24 during the Battle of Ia Drang at Landing Zone (LZ) X-Ray – one of the most famous battles in the storied history of the 1st Cavalry Division and the first major battle of the Vietnam War. The battle was covered by war correspondent Joe Galloway, who co-authored 'We Were Soldiers Once ….and Young' with retired Lt. Gen. Hal Moore. It was adapted into the 2002 film, 'We Were Soldiers.' Sonnier was a rifleman assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division. The company suffered 68 casualties, with 42 killed in action and 26 wounded, from a fighting force of 106 men. Six of the 42 fallen troopers, including Sonnier, posthumously received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. 'This is why the fulfillment of God's purpose sometimes calls for the ultimate sacrifice of our most precious treasure,' then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Harold Johnson wrote in a letter to Sonnier's mother after his death. 'For his gift of life, your son is forever noble among men.' The ceremony is expected to be one of the most historic military events for Southwest Louisiana, according to Semmes. 'It will be a ceremonial event, but will be memorable for those soldiers – all of whom are in their 80s now, and for the young people participating in the ceremony who will get to interface with these soldiers,' Semmes said. 'But we want to make sure this is memorable for everybody and make sure these guys get the recognition they deserve.' Honored guests will include Medal of Honor recipient retired U.S. Army Col. Walter 'Joe' Marm, along with seven other LZ X-Ray veterans, including three Purple Heart recipients. Former Louisiana Veterans Affairs secretary and retired Col. Joey Strickland, who served two tours of combat duty in Vietnam, will be the keynote speaker. Sonnier's sisters, JoAnn White, who was a teenager when he died, and Sandria Doyle, who was 10 at the time, will also be in attendance. Other participants include Sea Cadets from Lake Charles; Daxton Broussard, a student at Iota High School; Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215 of Kinder; LZ X-Ray veteran Nathan Harvey; Thomas Barrett; Deputy Director of Louisiana's Veterans Affairs Dr. Jerome Buller; Vietnam veteran Wayne Milner; Kenzlie Duhon and Nolan Knight, students at Jennings High School. Several participants will be in Vietnam-era military uniforms. Author Dave Precht, a 1967 graduate of Jennings High School, will deliver two speeches. Precht has authored three books and was heavily involved in two others in the 'Brothers Beyond the Perimeter' series of books based on local Vietnam veterans. He hopes to complete a final book on local Vietnam service personnel by November. 'We are very fortunate that he (Precht) has volunteered his time and talent to make sure all these veterans and their deeds and service are finally getting acknowledged,' Semmes said. A shadow box of Sonnier's service medals will be presented to his sisters. Leather-bound autographed copies of the 'We Were Soldiers' book and special emblems will also be presented to the LZ X-Ray veterans attending the ceremony, which will include music, flag presentation, a three-gun volley, the sounding of 'Taps,' and a Fallen Warrior display.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
The complete guide to Fort Cavazos
Welcome to Fort Cavazos, formerly known as Fort Hood, which is still one of the biggest, most operationally busy Army posts in the country. If you're heading here, buckle up because you're about to experience a mix of hardcore training, Texas heat, and some surprisingly good local BBQ. Home to the legendary 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Cavazos is a hub for armored warfare, logistics and enough tactical action to keep things interesting. Whether you're here for a short stint or settling in for the long haul, we've got the inside scoop to help you navigate the Great Place. Fort Cavazos is one of the Army's largest and most active duty stations. Established during World War II, the post has grown into a key location for force projection, armored training, and some of the most high-speed units in the military. The surrounding area—Killeen, Copperas Cove, and Harker Heights—lives and breathes Army life, so you'll find plenty of support (and an ungodly amount of military discounts). Austin is just an hour away, making weekend trips a no-brainer. Smack dab in the middle of Texas, Fort Cavazos is spread across Bell and Coryell counties, covering over 214,000 acres. That's a lot of space for tanks to roam and artillery to shake the ground. It sits about 60 miles north of Austin and 150 miles south of Dallas, giving you decent access to city life and backcountry escapes. From Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS): Take TX-71 West to I-35 North. Follow I-35 North to US-190 West in Belton. Take US-190 to Fort Cavazos. From Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): Take TX-183 West to I-35 South. Follow I-35 South to US-190 West in Belton and proceed to Fort Cavazos. Flying into Austin or Dallas gives you the best options, but Killeen-Fort Cavazos Regional Airport (GRK) is your closest bet if you want to land right near post. Post Shuttle: Free for Soldiers, DoD personnel, and families. Just know the schedule can be unpredictable. Public Transit: The HOP (yes, that's its real name) provides limited bus routes, but don't count on it for everyday needs. Main Gate (T.J. Mills Blvd): 24/7 Clear Creek Gate: 24/7 Warrior Way Gate: Open daily, limited hours Clarke Road Gate: Commercial vehicles only East Range Road Gate: Open weekdays, limited hours Abrams Physical Fitness Center (254) 287-9430 ACS (Army Community Service) (254) 287-4227 Apache Arts & Crafts Center (254) 287-0343 Applied Functional Fitness Center (254) 287-8219 Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) Control Office (254) 737-2892 BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) (254) 737-6116 Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center (254) 288-8888 Casey Memorial Library (254) 288-3121 Chaplain (254) 288-6545 Child and Youth Services (Admin) (254) 287-8029 Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (254)288-2070 Class Six (254) 532-5962 Clear Creek Commissary (254) 493-3905 Community Events and Bingo Center (254) 532-9253 Copeland Soldier Service Center (254) 287-4549 DENTAC Headquarters (254) 287-3105 DoD Safe Helpline – Sexual Assault 877-995-5247 Duty Officers (254) 286-6823 Educational Services Division (254) 287-4824 Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) (254) 287-6070 FAP (Family Advocacy Program) (254) 287-2273 Financial Readiness (254) 288-2862 FMRC (Family Medicine Residency Clinic) (254) 288-8280 HIRED! Apprentice Program (254) 287-6573 Housing Office (254) 220-4799 ID Card Section/DEERS (254) 287-5670 In Processing (254) 287-3832 Information and Referral 737-3663 Laundry/Dry Cleaner/Alterations (254) 532-2551 Legal Assistance (254) 287-7901 Leisure Travel (254) 287-7310 Military Clothing Store (254) 532-3920 Mobilization, Deployment, & Support Stability Operations (254) 288-5156 Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR), Director (254) 287-4916 Name Tag Shop (254) 532-6363 New Parent Support Program 737-2286 Non-Appropriated Funds (NAF) (254) 288-2093 Police (254) 287-4001 Post Office (254) 287-2728 Recreation Equipment Checkout (254) 287-4126 Relocation Readiness Program (254) 287-4471 School Liaison Officer (SLO) (254) 738-7946 Sexual Harassment / Assault Response & Prevention (SHARP) (254) 319-4671 Single Service Member Housing (254) 286-7705 SKIES Unlimited-Instructional Programs (254) 287-4592 Survivor Outreach Services (254) 738-3655 Temporary Lodging (254) 532-5157 Transition Assistance (254) 288-5627 Transportation Office (254) 287-4515 Veterinary Treatment Facility Fort Hood (254) 287-6719 Victim Advocacy Program (254) 287-2273 Visitor Welcome Center (254) 287-9909 Woman, Infants and Children (WIC) (254) 532-8680 Fort Cavazos is one of the Army's largest training and deployment hubs, designed to keep combat-ready forces sharp and capable. If it's armored, mechanized, or involves sending Soldiers downrange, chances are it happens here. Key units include: 1st Cavalry Division – The OG of armored warfare, specializing in fast, aggressive combat ops. Speaking of 1st Cav, did you know the last war horse of American cavalry served in WWII? III Armored Corps – The brain trust overseeing multiple major combat commands. 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command – Because wars don't win themselves without logistics. 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) – The Army's go-to for training allied forces. 89th Military Police Brigade – Keeping the law and order in check. 504th Military Intelligence Brigade – The ones who actually know what's going on. 1st Medical Brigade – Keeping Soldiers patched up and mission-ready. 11th Signal Brigade – Making sure the Army can still communicate when the WiFi goes down. Established in 1942 as Camp Hood, this post was built to train tank destroyers during World War II. Over the years, it became a major center for armored warfare, evolving into Fort Hood in 1950. Fast-forward to 2023, and the name changed again—this time to Fort Cavazos, in honor of General Richard Cavazos, the Army's first Hispanic four-star general. The renaming was part of a DoD initiative to remove Confederate-linked names from military installations. General Cavazos was a Texas-born warrior who served in Korea and Vietnam, racking up multiple Silver Stars and Distinguished Service Crosses for heroism. He was a fierce leader who exemplified what it means to be an Army officer, making him a much better fit for the post's legacy. Central Texas isn't just heat and humidity—there's actually a ton to do in Killeen, Texas and surrounding areas. Outdoor Adventures Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA): The go-to spot for boating, fishing, hiking, and off-duty relaxation. Stillhouse Hollow Lake: Kayaking, paddleboarding, and cooling off after PT. Dana Peak Park: If you like hiking, horseback riding, or pretending you're not in Texas for a day. Hunting and Fishing: Available on post with the right permits—just make sure you know what you're shooting at. Family-Friendly Attractions Mayborn Science Theater: A planetarium with cool science exhibits. Topsey Exotic Ranch & Drive-Thru Safari: Feed a zebra, freak out when an emu stares at you. Lions Club Park & Aquatics Center: Pools, splash pads, and a great place to take the kids when it's too hot to function. Entertainment & Nightlife Vive Les Arts Theatre: Local theater productions—because culture exists here, too. Austin's Live Music Scene: One hour away, but worth the drive for a real night out. Shopping & Dining Killeen Mall: Your standard mall setup with all the usual suspects. Downtown Belton Market Days: Monthly craft fairs and food trucks. The Yard Food Truck Plaza: A rotating lineup of the best food trucks in Central Texas. Housing is run by Lendlease, and like every Army post, there's a waitlist. Off-post, Harker Heights, Nolanville, and Temple are solid options. Single Soldiers E1-E5? You're in the barracks—hope you like roommates. Whether you're fresh out of AIT or a seasoned NCO, Fort Cavazos has something for everyone. It's big, it's busy, and it's full of opportunity—just be ready for the Texas heat. Welcome to the Great Place! There are no DoDEA schools on post, but Fort Cavazos is served by several school districts, including Killeen ISD and Copperas Cove ISD. School Liaison Services can provide enrollment guidance and transfer assistance. What is Fort Cavazos known for? It is the home of the 1st Cavalry Division and one of the Army's largest installations. How many Soldiers are stationed at Fort Cavazos? Approximately 36,000 Soldiers, with an additional 45,000 family members and civilians. What kind of base is Fort Cavazos? It is a large Army installation focused on mechanized and armored warfare. Does Fort Cavazos have Airborne units? While not primarily an Airborne installation, Fort Cavazos supports some airborne training through specific units. Whether you're new to the Army or a seasoned Soldier, Fort Cavazos offers an unparalleled experience filled with opportunities for professional growth and adventure. Welcome to the Great Place!
