Issue 6 THE SPARTAN LEADER · Professional Journal. THE SPARTAN LEADER 61st Quartermaster Battalion, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command 07 July 2020 ... example,training Soldiers

Page | 1

61st Quartermaster Battalion, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command

Issue 6 – 07 July 2020

THE SPARTAN LEADER

A Leadership Development

Professional Journal

THE SPARTAN LEADER61st Quartermaster Battalion, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command

07 July 2020

Issue 6

Page | 2

"Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today.

We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be

united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the

Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom...

Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation.

We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the

day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American

holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not

go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're

going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our

Independence Day!

-President Thomas Whitmore from the movie Independence Day

(1996)

If you haven’t seen the movie, and based on movie conversations I’ve

had around the battalion I would venture to say many of you have not

– Independence Day, starring Will Smith, matches the human race

against an alien invasion. The only way to defeat this unknown enemy

is for the world powers to band together and simultaneously defeat

the invaders – on the 4th of July no less.

While we all celebrated our Independence Day weekend, in a way

different than we’d ever had imagined, we were also fighting an

invasion.

Make no mistake, the Coronavirus is an invasion – albeit not alien –

and the only way for us, the human race, to defeat this enemy is to

come together and simultaneously take the steps to combat the

threat. Wash your hands, wear your mask, keep appropriate distance,

and treat everyone as if they have the virus. As BG Ragin discussed

last week – this is not about you, this is about protecting everyone.

From 1776 to the present day we have celebrated

our Independence Day. While the typical BBQ and

parades did not happen this year, we certainly have

a lot to celebrate. And always remember:.

"America was not built on fear. America was built on

courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable

determination to do the job at hand.“

- President Harry S. Truman

From the EditorIn This Edition:

From the Editor-CPT Keith Beeson

From the

Commander-LTC Paul Smith

Interesting

Articlesp. 4 – Achieving

Mental Toughness-CSM Keysa Chambers

p. 6 – COVID and

Combat-CPT Bryan Miller

Quotes Worth

Pondering-CPT Keith Beeson

Twitteringsp. 9 – Tragic Lesson:

A Thread on Task

Force Smith -CPT Keith Beeson

Thank You

Page | 3

THE SPARTAN LEADER

Spartans,

Welcome to the 6th issue of The Spartan Leader.

We cover a diverse set of topics in today’s Spartan Leader,

ranging from Mental Toughness, to TF Smith (no relation) in

the Korean War, and a real-time look into the struggle against

COVID19 within the battalion from the perspective of lessons

learned during CPT Miller’s previous deployment in 2011.

I am incredibly excited for this issue as we see the first

contribution from our NCO Corps. CSM Chambers devoted

her time to share her perspective and reflections on Mental Toughness, which I think we all

could use some help with right now. I hope this is an indicator of what’s to come because

the battalion is only as strong as our sergeants so getting the NCO perspective is key in

the continued development of our Soldiers and the Spartan Leader.

We are seeing change across the battalion whether that be in key leadership positions (

CSM, company commanders, and 1SGs) or in missions (FTX, NTC, and potentially a

Quartermaster Liquid Logistics Exercise) and on top of all that we are facing an unseen

enemy in COVID19. Despite these changes and challenges there is nowhere I’d rather be

than here with the Spartans.

The team we have assembled here is focused on the fundamentals, driving us to be better

everyday, and on accomplishing the mission. We have room to grow and will continue

seeking ways to provide predictability in what we do, balance the demands of the mission

with our need for Family or personal time, and will be Always Ready to Fuel the Fight.

I am incredibly proud to serve alongside each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

Spartan 6

LTC Paul Smith

Battalion Commander

From the Commander

Issue 6, 6 July 2020

Page | 4

Achieving Mental ToughnessBy CSM Keysa Chambers, 61st QM BN CSM

THE SPARTAN LEADER

Continued on Page 5

Issue 6, 07 July 2020

What is Mental Toughness?

Why is it Important?

Being a Soldier in the military

requires a high level of patience,

understanding and caring for

others in order to build effective

teams and unit cohesion. As a

member of a team, Soldiers must

work together to complete

everyday requirements, tasks

and special missions.

Additionally, Soldiers are

required to be highly trained,

uphold standards, follow

regulatory guidance, and perform

in manner that demonstrates the Army values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless

Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage). Soldiers are expected to be

in top mental and physical condition, while enduring all the stressors that come

with each position.

Leaders’ abilities are tested everyday on making good decisions, leading by

example, training Soldiers and ultimately taking care of Soldiers and their

Families.

These obligations and responsibilities can’t be taken lightly, and in most cases

require more time than a person has in one day. So many of us struggle to

find balance between life at work and life at home. Who would think that three

very small words (balance, work and home) can result in a large amount of

stress and cause one to feel confused and disconnected with what is

important.

For this reason, I think it is important for Soldiers to understand how to achieve

Mental Toughness.

Mental Toughness is for individuals that want to produce ever lasting results.

It helps manage stress and provide a winning attitude.

Mental Toughness is an essential life skill that will help us defeat and

overcome the challenges that we face on a daily basis.

Page | 5

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

Achieving Mental Toughness

By CSM Keysa Chambers

Mental Toughness is having the ability to persist and persevere

in-order to live a comfortable life with little to no stress.

Mental Toughness is being able to resist doubting yourself and your abilities to

make it to your finish line.

Mental Toughness is not something you develop overnight. It is like a muscle

that grows over time.

Mental Toughness is a learned skill that will prepare you for difficult and

uncertain times.

In order for you to achieve mental toughness you must take on some

new habits. Habits that will ensure you are mentally prepared for any

and all obstacles that will happen in your life.

You Must Have A Great

Attitude

Be Proactive

Take Ownership Of Your

Actions

Accept The Things You

Cannot Change

Surround Yourself With

Positive People

Take A Break (Relax)

Savor The Moment By

Finding Meaning In

Everything You Do

Stay Physical

Have Faith That Everything

Will Work Out

So tell me “What is your Level of Mental Toughness?

https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/10-sure-fire-habits-for-

achieving-mental-toughness.html

The end of March 2020 is what I compare to the introduction of combat, in

May of 2011 during my 3rd patrol along Route Hyena we ran into a hasty

ambush. It was a poorly planned attack orchestrated by paying locals to shoot

at us with WWII style bolt action rifles. Obviously, they were no match for our

machine guns and grenade launchers. Fast forward to 2020, and we, like the

ambushers, were not prepared for the overwhelming power of the opposition

– COVID-19. Quickly our society was pushed to our limits and forced to

deploy extensive measures to combat an enemy we don’t quite understand.

Page | 6

COVID and CombatBy CPT Bryan Miller, 53rd Quartermaster Company Commander

THE SPARTAN LEADER

Continued on Page 7

Issue 6, 07 July 2020

Leaders’ abilities are tested everyday on making good decisions, leading by example, training Soldiers and ultimately taking care of Soldiers and their Families.

These obligations and responsibilities can’t be taken lightly, and in most cases require more time than a person has in one day. So many of us struggle to find balance between life at work and life at home. Who would think that three very small words (balance, work and home) can result in a large amount of stress and cause one to feel confused and disconnected with what is important.

My deployment during the surge in Iraq had given me the experience I would need to explain to my Soldiers but not comprehend as we were headed into the birthplace of the Taliban, Panjwai Afghanistan. Similar to the challenge of command in a COVID environment, I learned many lessons – some easily and some in painful ways. I find it eerily familiar between which a Platoon of 24 surviving

some of the worst predicaments anyone can imagine and

in trying to protect a force of over 200 versus amicroscopic yet powerful foe.

Page | 7

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

COVID and Combat

By CPT Bryan Miller

In 2011 things grew quiet and we settled into a lull completing

our day to day tasks thinking that we had wiped out our foe

and that any attempt to fight us again would be met with an

overwhelming response.

In 2020, once 1st Medical Brigade returned and seemingly COVID was KIA,

our day to day routine resumed. Our assumption was COVID was contained

and that we had made it into summer. Like other infectious diseases and

enemy forces it should have learned it is no match for American firepower,

yet; as it regressed into the shadows and began to fall off our radar it was

preparing to attack us. This time as it attacked, our response wasn’t

overwhelming and we have found ourselves struggling to remain in the fight.

This is the deliberate ambush and like 2011 it has thrown many variables. It is

difficult to remain calm enough to clearly assess the situation. The decision to

employ indirect and direct fires, the ability to reach out for MEDEVAC, and to

deploy other resources such as CAS and QRF have quickly grayed in the

“Fog of War”. This can be compared with what criteria is mission essential and

what isn’t, who is a close contact and who isn’t, what can I afford not to

accomplish and what must still be done?

The thing I find most interesting is that what made my deployment in 2011 and

our CONUS biological fight in 2020 successful have many similarities.

1. PPE is Important:

In 2011 I must have complained about

wearing my “combat diaper” over a

million times and luckily never needed

the protection it offered this is similar

to the mask, both are uncomfortable

and annoying but protect us should

we come into contact we weren’t

expecting. Socially distancing, face

masks, and proper hygiene will

ultimately keep us and our teammates safe. I truly believe with the tasks we

accomplish daily had we let our standards down we would be facing a much

larger “casualty rate” or exposure to COVID.

Continued on Page 8

Page | 8

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

COVID and Combat

By CPT Bryan Miller

2. Constant adjustments to Tactics, Techniques and

Procedures

3. Lessons Learned

Although we are facing this head on now and many could argue we are in a

fight for grey space. Leaders at echelons are sharing information in real time. I

have found myself talking to more Commanders on this post than I could have

imagined due to the integration of Service Members. I have contacted

countless Soldiers and civilians effected by this fight. I have shared both my

successes and failures with all echelons because although, we may have had

the first outbreak we can prevent others from learning the same lessons we

have already learned.

We are all in this fight together, we will prevail versus this biological foe. Like

combat we need to lean on our brothers and sisters to our left and right to not

only do the right thing but do so in the interest of those they serve with. In

these crazy times, be safe, follow guidance, look out for each other, sharebest practices and ultimately we will prevail!

While it is frustrating to disseminate information

rapidly - it is based on up-to-date information. I

compare this to receiving the S2 enemy

SITEMP brief prior to a patrol. Knowing that a

patrol had just run into an ambush is similar to

our contact trace teams identifying potential

exposures. Ultimately, they both give us the

knowledge to prepare for the potential battle

we may face.

Page | 9

Quotes Worth PonderingBy CPT Keith Beeson, 61st QM Battalion S3

THE SPARTAN LEADER

With the recent celebration of our countries Independence Day I share with

you a quote from U.S. Grant. The quote also seems apt with the current state

of affairs across our country.

Before Grant became the 18th President of the United States he was earned

his reputation by leading the Union Army as Commanding General of the

United States Army in winning the American Civil War.

He is also a native of the Great State of Ohio

Issue 6, 07 July 2020

"If our country could be saved or ruined by the

efforts of any one man we should not have a

country...What saved the Union was the coming

forward of the young...of the nation. To their

devotion, we owe the salvation of the Union.”- Ulysses S. Grant, July 4th, 1878

TRAGIC LESSONS: A THREAD ON

TASK FORCE SMITHXVIII Airborne Corps / May 21, 2019 @18airbornecorps https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1279741494103027712.html/

Page |10

TwitteringsBy CPT Keith Beeson, 61st QM Battalion S3

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

1 of 60

TRAGIC LESSONS: A THREAD ON TASK

FORCE SMITH

2 of 60:

70 years ago today, Task Force Smith was

overrun by North Korean Forces. Let’s explore

that event a little more closely.

3 of 60:

Throughout the Army “Task Force Smith” has

become both a cautionary tale against

complacency and shorthand for a lack of

preparation for combat.

4 of 60:

“No More Task Force Smiths!” goes the warning

cry; an admonition against complacent

leadership.

5 of 60:

But what's the real story? Why was such a

small force committed to such a large North

Korean force? Why was FECOM (Far East

Command) caught so off guard? We’re so glad

you asked.

6 of 60:

It all started with Harry Truman, a frequent

character in #TDIDCH. After WWII, Pres

Truman made dramatic cuts to a

colossus @USArmy the country could no longer

afford.

7 of 60:

Clearly, we had to downsize the Army’s

presence in the Pacific. Clearly, we had to

prioritize military resources in Europe, where

the Soviet Union sought to expand its influence.

9 of 60:

General Douglas MacArthur, CINFE

(Commander-in-Chief Far East), protested

and pleaded for more troops and more

money with which to train and equip them.

But Truman wouldn’t hear it.

10 of 60:

From 1947 - 1950 Far East Command was

effectively rendered unable to fight. Troop

strength was cut in half. What remained was

cut by a third.

11 of 60:

Forget on-time services and motor pool

stabilization: There was not enough

equipment to fight and there were not

enough people to keep that equipment

serviceable. Many units just gave up trying.

12 of 60:

So at dawn on Sunday, 25 June 1950, when

the North Korean Army (NKPA - North

Korean People’s Army) crashed through the

38th Parallel into democratic South Korea

behind artillery fire launching the Korean

War, there wasn’t a heck of a lot MacArthur

could do.

Page |11

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

TRAGIC LESSONS: A THREAD ON TASK FORCE SMITH

By CPT Keith Beeson

13 of 60:

The ROK Army fought with the equipment

they had, but the @USArmy and

the @DeptofDefense were unprepared.

14 of 60:

In the early days of the war, the NKPA seized

the South Korean capital of Seoul, and was

making its way south in a bid to take over the

entire country.

15 of 60:

MacArthur knew he had no large ground

force established in Korea & not enough

cargo planes in the region to quickly transport

a large ground force to the fight. So he

decided to make one.

16 of 60:

The best MacArthur

and @EighthArmyKorea’s General Walton

Walker could come up with was a delaying

force to contact the enemy until the 24th Inf

Div could come in from Japan by sea via the

port of Pusan.

17 of 60:

They sent in ~ 400 soldiers led by 34-year-

old WWII-vet Lieutenant Colonel Charles B

Smith: ~ half of Smith’s 1 Battalion, 21

Infantry Reg + some artillery. No tanks. No

forward air controllers. No combat engineers.

No air defense. Not even recon platoons.

18 of 60:

Most importantly, not nearly enough force to

slow down the NKPA. This force, Task Force

Smith, was to be the American combat unit to

meet the enemy in the Korean War.

19 of 60:

Now, the odds were REALLY stacked against

TF Smith. They did not have full platoons due

to manpower shortages.

20 of 60:

Much of TF Smith’s equipment

didn’t work; in Japan they were

never able to maintain most of the trucks

because they didn’t have enough mechanics or

enough $$$ for parts.

21 of 60:

TF Smith was mostly 18 - 20-year-old draftees

who did not fight in WWII and were never

trained in realistic combat scenarios.

22 of 60:

TF Smith would basically have to do the best it

could and stop the North Koreans as far from

Pusan as possible to give the 24th In Div

enough time to get set in theater w/combat

power

23 of 60:

MacArthur and Walker hoped that if the ROK

units saw TF Smith stand and fight against a

MUCH larger NKPA force in Osan, their ROK

counterparts would be so inspired that they

would rally and hold off their North Korean

adversaries.

24 of 60:

Task Force Smith assembled and moved out

really, really quickly. The unit had never trained

or prepared to move out on such short notice

and in the chaotic hustle, the men left a lot of

necessary combat equipment in Japan.

Continued on Page 9

Page |12

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

TASK FORCE SMITH

By CPT Keith Beeson

25 of 60:

They got into ships in Japan and headed for

South Korea.

26 of 60:

TF Smith arrived in the port of Pusan on the

morning of July 1. The next morning, July 2,

the men arrived in Taejon, S. Korea by train.

27 of 60:

MacArthur could only monitor.....and hope.

28 of 60:

On July 4, Charles Smith set up his command

post in Pyeongtaek, some 15 miles southeast

of Osan, with a plan to develop a defensive

position in Osan the next day and wait there

for the enemy.

29 of 60:

In the early, early morning of July 5, Task

Force Smith moved out of Pyeongtaek in

dozens of trucks in blackout condition in a

pouring rain, reaching their position at 3 a.m.

By daylight, TF Smith was dug in.

30 of 60:

Smith and his men did not have

to wait long for the enemy. At

around 7:30 a.m. observers spotted eight

Soviet-made T-34 tanks of the NKPA’s 107th

Tank Regiment rolling directly toward them.

31 of 60:

By 8:30 AM, Smith’s tiny force was as isolated

and outnumbered as the Texians at the Alamo.

32 of 60:

2 regiments of the NKPA’s 4th Inf. Div.,

supported by a tank regiment—some 5,000

well-trained, well-resourced soldiers and three

dozen tanks - closed with the tiny tankless Task

Force.

33 of 60:

The @USArmy had no anti-tank mines in

Korea, & in the rush to get to the fight, TF Smith

brought none with them from Japan.

34 of 60:

The T-34s soon opened fire on the Americans

with their turret-mounted 85mm guns and 7.62

machine guns. The North Koreans melted

through TF Smith’s initial defense.

35 of 60:

19 year old Kenny Shadrick from Harlan

County, Kentucky, a member of the bazooka

team, was the first American Soldier killed in the

Korean War.

Page |13

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

TASK FORCE SMITH

By CPT Keith Beeson

36 of 60:

For much of the early afternoon, TF Smith held

valiantly. Despite all the odds stacked against

them, they actually delayed the North Koreans

for a few hours.

37 of 60:

By 2:30 PM, TF Smith was basically completely

defenseless. The men had no comms (NKPA

tanks cut the comms wires).

38 of 60:

Large numbers of the enemy were now on both

flanks and moving toward their rear; a huge

enemy reserve waited in front of them.

39 of 60:

Most of their limited amount of ammunition was

gone.

40 of 60:

There were no reinforcements anywhere around

to help.

41 of 60:

Pouring rain prevented friendly air from arriving

at the scene.

42 of 60:

Charles Smith did the only thing he could:

ordered a retreat. [blue line on map]

43 of 60:

The retreat quickly broke down

into a confused and disorganized

rout. With virtually no comms, the retreat order

was passed by shouts. Things became chaotic

and most of the TF wasn’t sure what was

happening or where to go.

44 of 60:

Task Force Smith suffered its highest casualties

during this withdrawal as its soldiers were most

exposed to enemy fire.

45 of 60:

Most equipment was left in place by retreating

American Soldiers, to be captured by North

Koreans.

46 of 60:

It was the first American battle of the Korean

War and it was a humiliating defeat.

47 of 60:

TF Smith lost 60 dead, 21 wounded and 82

captured. ~ 40% of the TF was a casualty in the

fight. Most of the equipment was destroyed or

captured by North Koreans.

48 of 60:

So, what does it all mean? What is the real

moral of Task Force Smith?

49 of 60:

Certainly there is a lesson in there about the

inability to predict when and where the next war

will begin. Truman hedged his bets that North

Korea would not attack the South and did not

allocate enough men and materiel there.

50 of 60:

There’s a lesson about the need to train in

realistic, tough, combat-focused scenarios and

environments.

51 of 60:

However, the most important lesson is the most

complicated: Army leaders must scan the global

environment for gaps and opportunities for our

enemies. The truth is, we should have known

North Korean was going to attack.

Continued on Page 11

Page |14

THE SPARTAN LEADERIssue 6, 07 July 2020

TASK FORCE SMITH

By CPT Keith Beeson

52 of 60:

The South Korean defenses were practically

BEGGING to be attacked.

53 of 60:

Army analysts were wrong because they were

not paying attention to global trends. The cost

of erroneous environmental scanning and

prognosticating is potentially catastrophic.

54 of 60:

There’s another important message in here

about the role journalists play in combat. We

know much of what we know about the story

we just told because the NY Herald Tribune’s

Marguerite Higgins bravely traveled w/ TF

Smith & masterfully reported on this event

56 of 60:

Also, sometimes when the history

of TF Smith is recounted, the wrong

story is told.

57 of 60:

Some books on this subject focus on a gutsy,

under-equipped, undermanned force that

valiantly held off a larger North Korean force.

That is true but can paper over the more

important conclusion.

58 of 60:

Leaders failed the men of Task Force Smith.

59 of 60:

And while MacArthur and the Army adjusted

over the course of the next 4 months and

eventually fought to a draw, today's

technological advancements (AI, cyber,

missiles) may no longer allow such

adjustments.

END:

The next war’s opening salvo may prove to

be the Nation's final if the Army is not

prepared.

55 of 60:

Independent combat correspondence is

important for the country. It’s also important for

our understanding and for the development of

lessons learned.

For further reading on the Korean War –

This Kind of War by T.R. Fehrenbach is

an excellent account of the war. The

story of Task Force Smith is an excellent

reminder of our constant requirement to

be Always Ready to Fuel the Fight!

15

Thank You

Thank you for reading the fourth edition of The Spartan Leader.

Request for Submissions: In order to make this the best

resource possible for developing Leaders, we ask that if you have

any content you would like to share that will help to develop others

in the Battalion that you send them to the S3/editor (CPT Keith

Beeson).

Editor

CPT Keith Beeson, 61st Quartermaster Battalion S3

[email protected] @keithbeeson

This Edition’s Contributors

LTC Paul Smith, 61st QM Battalion Commander

CSM Keysa Chambers, 61st QM BN Command Sergeant Major

CPT Bryan Miller, 53rd Quartermaster Company Commander

CPT Keith Beeson, 61st QM Battalion S3

Page |

THE SPARTAN LEADER

Resources:

A free discounted e-books email subscription:

https://www.bookbub.com/welcome

Battalion Command Sergeant Major

CSM Keysa L. Chambers

Battalion Commander

LTC Paul W. Smith

61st Quartermaster Battalion Leadership

Issue 6, 07 July 2020