GBA History Project – Chief Master Sergeant Brady Armistead, 1991 – 2016 (dates estimated)

• Basic Training, April 1991 – May 1991
  • Came in to be a Survival Instructor
  • Had a “guaranteed job” back up as a computer network specialist
  • Survival wasn’t hiring at the time
  • I wasn’t qualified for the computer job because I was “not eligible based on my college loans and credit cards” prevented me from getting a TS/SCI
  • I was placed in weather (251X0), with the final paragraph of the job description at the time saying, “So weather specialists work with Army Special Forces units and are jump qualified.”
    
    
• Weather Apprentice Course, Chanute AFB, IL, May-July 1991
  • While attending the course, broke my ankle on a run
  • When the Weather Parachutist recruiter (Gene King) came to do the spiel, I was on crutches.He told me then, “Nope, not with a broken ankle!”
  • We were still tearing and filing via COMEDs, and used AFDIGs charts, etc.
    
    
• 92^nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy), Fairchild AFB, WA – August 1991 – August 1992
  • Served as an Observer
  • B-52s and KC-135s
  • FPS-77 Radar
  • COMEDs and AFDIGs
  • First generation AWDs
  • Fire Storm of Oct, 1991 – observer
  • Our Daughter, Katie, was born
  • I volunteered for an assignment to Germany
    
    
• Army Flight Operations Detachment (USAREUR), Heidelberg, Germany, September 1992 – February 1993
  • REFORGER 1992, "Certain Caravan"
  • US Army Europe Automated Weather System (UAWS)
  • GOLDWING
  • Medically evacuated for medical care for Tina unavailable in Europe at the time
  • M113 APC qualified
    
    
• 1^st Weather Squadron, Fort Lewis, WA (US Army I Corps WETM, 2 ACR WETM), March 1993 – February 1994
  • “Canned weather” for command post exercises
  • GOLDWING
  • North Fort CP exercises
  • 5-ton truck driver for HHC, I Corps G2
  • First generation WSR-88D
  • First exposure to SOWT, 1 Special Forces Group (A)
  • WETM FTXs – learned basics of field support to the Army
    
    
• 1^st Weather Squadron Special Operations Weather Team, Fort Lewis, WA – February 1994 – July 1995
  • Attended jump school, graduated 4 Feb 1994
  • Assigned to 3 Battalion, 1 Special Forces Group
  • GOLDWING
  • PRC-134 and TRQ-43 communications for reconnaissance
  • Completed Special Forces re-qualification requirements
  • Deployed to Thailand for Cobra Gold, 1994
  • Attended Water Survival, March 1994
  • Attended Combat Survival, Fairchild AFB, August 1994
  • Illegally began “cross training” into Pararescue March 1995 (returned upon the direction of the career field manager!)
  • Attended Ranger Scout Swimmer, June 1995 (2^nd Ranger Battalion, 75^th Ranger Regiment)
  • August 1995 – Sent to Forecasting School, Keesler AFB, MS
    
    
• 334 Training Squadron, Keesler AFB, MS, August 1995 – Feb 1996
  • Forced the fight between then Superintendent of the Schoolhouse, and the commander, Maj. Strange (former weather parachutist) – we won – continued to wear Army patches, and berets
  • Honor Graduate
    
    
• Det 1, 10 Combat Weather Squadron (AFSOC), Fort Lewis, WA,February 1996 – April 1997
  • Deployed to Thailand for Cobra Gold 1996
  • Jumpmaster, September 1996
  • Multiple FTXs
    
    
• 24 Special Tactics Squadron, Fort Bragg, NC, April 1997 – April 2005
  • Plank holder of the original SOWT
  • Deployed multiple times in the first 6 months
  • Multiple deployments besides 9/11-related tasks throughout assignment
  • Attended key portions of Green Team, though not through the whole thing (team was operational almost immediately)
  • Assigned to Squadron Operations initially
  • Assigned to Blue Team as first team (Combined Assault, Recce, and PR Team)
  • Attended closed-course MFF, 8 February 1999
  • Attended SV-91A and SV-93A, February 1999
  • Multiple Shooting Schools throughout assignment
  • Multiple Driving Schools throughout assignment
  • Assigned to Gray Team pre-9/11 (Clandestine Operations Team)
  • Assigned to Silver Team pre-9/11 (Recce Team)
  • Avalanche certifications, February 2000
  • 9/11 – First boots on the ground reconnaissance mission, 15 October 2001
  • Rescue of Knife 03 crew
  • 21 Nov 2001 – Combat Jump onto Desert Landing Strip SHILO to establish USMC presence in Afghanistan
  • Plank holder for Gold Team post 9/11 (Combined Assault, Recce, and PR Team)
  • MFFJM, July 2002
  • OIF deployment February 2003
  • First recce elements across the border – led HIMARs system during initial entry
    
    
• 720^th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, FL, May 2005 – June 2007
  • Authored original SOWT Integration CONOP (stopped processing the AFSOC Chief of Staff level)
  • Aligned 10 Combat Weather Squadron deployments on a cycle (got everyone on a “team” deployment cycle)
  • Established training requirements for Advanced Skills Training (AST) as part of next generation SOWT members
    
    
• HQ AFSOC/A3W, June 2007 – June 2009
  • Standards and Evaluation
  • Training
  • SOWT Operational Weather Squadron recruiting program
  • AFSOC IG requirements
  • Design and Build of Squadron Operations Facility for 10 CWS
    
    
• 10 Combat Weather Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL, June 2009 – July 2010
  • Operations Superintendent
  • 10 CWS Detachment Consolidation
  • Established training and deployment cycle
  • Established CONOPs process for operations
  • Accounted for $1M in Air Force Audit Agency review
  • Moved unit into new $14.7M built-for-purpose building
  • Corrected shortfalls of transition from Army to Air Force requirements (parachutes, vehicles, supply, radio, etc.)
  • Graduated Class 3, Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy (JSOFSEA)
    
    
• HQ USSOCOM Joint Special Operations University Enlisted Academy, August 2011 – August 2014
  • Podium instructor, JSOFSEA
  • Distance Learning Instructor, JSOFSEA
  • Chief of Academics for Enlisted Academy
  • Established Career Education Program per HQ directive
    • CEP – 1 – Joint Fundamentals (8-weeks online)
    • CEP – 2 – Enterprise Management (8-weeks online)
    • CEP - 3 – Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy (9 months on line, 3 months in residence)
    • CEP – 4 – SUMMIT – (4 weeks online, 3 weeks in residence, 1 week externship)
  • Led Articulation agreements with multiple colleges
  • Acted as Deputy Commandant pre-PCS to HQ AFSOC
    
    
• HQ AFSOC/A3OW, Hurlburt Field, FL – August 2014 – October 2016
  • Delegated Career Field Management of SOWT
  • Deployed as AFSOC LNO to HQ USSOCOM
  • Deployed as Command Chief, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component-Afghanistan (CJSOAC-A)