Army Creates New Career Field

Army Creates New Career Field
February 06, 2009
Army News Service|by Jamie Findlater

WASHINGTON - The Army has announced approval for the establishment of a new Electronic Warfare 29-series career field for officers, warrant officers and enlisted personnel.

The new career field will eventually give the Army the largest electronic warfare manpower force of all the services. Nearly 1,600 EW personnel, serving at every level of command, will be added to the Army over the next three years. The Army is also considering adding an additional 2,300 personnel to the career field in the near future as personnel become available, officials said.

The Army's EW personnel will be experts not only in fighting the threat of improvised explosive devices, but will also provide commanders and their staffs guidance on how the electromagnetic spectrum can impact operations, officials said, and how friendly EW can be used to gain an advantage in support of tactical and operational objectives across the full spectrum of operations.

"The new administration has already declared they will be emphasizing technical investments across the federal government, but in particular, electronic warfare capabilities and other technological innovations," said Col. Laurie G. Buckhout, the Army's chief of electronic warfare. "The Army is leaning forward now to address the very complex challenge of controlling the electromagnetic environment in land warfare. The creation of a large cadre of full-time EW specialists is a critical step in the right direction."

Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, and former commanding general of Multi-National Corps-Iraq, recognized this vital need for greater EW capability in 2006 when he placed Navy electronic warfare officers with ground combat units in Iraq to manage the complicated electromagnetic spectrum.


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