30th AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BRIGADE
"ALWAYS ON TARGET"

Welcome to Fort Sill, Oklahoma the home of the 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and the U. S. Army Air Defense Artillery School.

The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School (USAADASCH) is conducted at Fort Sill, Oklahoma the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE). The school is organized as the 30th ADA Brigade currently commanded by COL Payne and CSM Eagan under Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). The unit began training soldiers in January 2010. The 30th ADA Brigade is currently comprised of two battalions: 2-6th and 3-6th Battalions.

Before 1989, 1-56th (Deactivated May, 2014) had three Basic Combat Training (BCT) companies and two Advanced Individual Training (AIT) batteries. After 1990, 1-56th dropped basic training and that mission was assumed by the FCoE. The unit had four batteries for enlisted AIT, one battery for the Officer's Basic Course and Captain's Career Course (added in 2004). In 1997, one company was added that trained Army truck drivers (MOS 88M). It started with ARNG and Army Reserve Soldiers, then the unit expanded to train active duty Soldiers as well.

After 2005, 1-56th ADA was broken up, the soldiers were assigned to different battalions based on their Military Occupational Specialty and systems they train on: 2-6 ADA has C-RAM, Sentinel and Stinger/Avenger, 3-6th ADA has Patriot. Officer training is the only function of 1-56th ADA today. 6th Brigade was moved from Fort Bliss to the FCoE as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure moves.

As the school moved to Fort Sill, the 88M course has moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. There was a new Army policy inacted putting AIT Soldiers back in the hands of front line Noncommissioned Officers (NCO's) and freeing up Drill Sergeants for BCT recruits.

Fort Sill Army post is located just to the north and adjacent to Lawton, and is part of the Lawton community. The City of Lawton is located in Southwest Oklahoma, in Comanche County, 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City on Interstate 44. The Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge is located to the north and west of Lawton, and is a popular area attraction.

Lawton is the third largest city in Oklahoma, and is on Forbes' List of the Best Small Places for Business and Careers.

Colonel David R. Baxter

Colonel David R. Baxter is a 1991 graduate of the United States Military Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Defense Artillery. His first assignment was as Battery Motor Officer in C/3-4 ADAR at Fort Bragg N.C. He then served as Vulcan Platoon Leader and Battery Executive Officer in B/3-4. COL Baxter’s final assignment at Fort Bragg was as Assistant S3, 3-4 ADAR.

From 1994 to 1996, COL Baxter served as an Operations Officer for the ADA Liaison Team (later the Air and Missile Defense Division), CJG3, Yongson, Korea. From 1997 to 1998, he served as Assistant S3, 5-52 ADA, Fort Bliss, Texas and as the Acting S3 for the Riyadh cluster in support of Operation Southern Watch. From 1998 to 2000 he commanded A/5-52 and then commanded C/1-56 from 2000 to 2002. COL Baxter then served as the SGS of Fort Bliss from 2002 to 2003.

After completion of the Command and General Staff College, COL Baxter deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served as the CFLCC C3 LNO to MNC-I from 2004 to 2005.

From 2005 to 2006, he served as the Current Ops Officer for the 32nd AAMDC. From 2006 to 2007, he served as Battalion Executive Officer for the 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery at Fort Bliss, Texas. From 2007-2008, he was assigned as the Brigade Deputy Commanding Officer for the 11th ADA Brigade at Fort Bliss.

From 2008-2009, COL Baxter was assigned as the 32nd AAMDC LNO to 3rd Army in Kuwait. Upon redeployment, he then served as the AMD Chief/Deputy Chief Protection Cell, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg North Carolina. In August of 2010, COL Baxter took command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery at Fort Bragg and in April 2012, deployed the Battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After relinquishing Command in UAE, COL Baxter was assigned as the Deputy Branch Chief of the Training Support Cell, G3/5/7, FORSCOM through June of 2103. COL Baxter attended the National War College from August 2013 to June 2014 at Fort McNair, Washington D.C. COL Baxter’s last assignment was as the Chief of the COCOM Integration Cell, Missile Defense Agency, Fort Belvoir Virginia.

COL Baxter is a graduate of the Air Defense Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Airborne School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College. He has a Master of Administration degree in Human Resource Management from Webster University and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. He has deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Haiti.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (5 OLC), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (4 OLC), the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award

He is married to the former Melissa Green of Fayetteville NC and has two children, Cailin (17) and Aidan (10)

CSM John Lucius Young

CSM Young was born July 22, 1971 in Albany, Georgia. He enlisted in the United States Army in June 1989 as a 31V, Unit Level Communication Maintainer currently known as a 25U, Signal System Support Specialist and attended a One Station Unit Training at Fort Sill Oklahoma. He is married to the former, Sandra W. Hall and has three daughters, Brittney, Kayla, and Brianna.

CSM Young’s duty assignments include Unit Level Communication Maintainer, HHC 504 PIR, FT Bragg, NC; Company Communication Sergeant, C/3-504 PIR, FT Bragg, NC; Retrans NCOIC, HHT 4/7 CAV, Camp Gary Owens, South Korea; Tactical Control Assistant and Radar Crew NCOIC, A/2-1 ADA FT Bliss, TX; Support Platoon and Fire Control Platoon Sergeant, B/6-52 ADA Ansbach, Germany; PLDC Small Group Leader and Senior Instructor, NCO Academy, FT Bliss, TX; Fire Control Platoon Sergeant D/3-43 ADA, FT Bliss, TX; Fire Control Platoon Sergeant A/1-43 ADA, Suwon, South Korea; Fire Control Platoon Sergeant A/5-52 ADA, FT Bliss, TX; First Sergeant B/5-52 ADA FT Bliss, TX; First Sergeant HHB/5-52 ADA FT Bliss, TX, Chief of Operations NCOIC 32d AAMDC G3; Battalion S3 Operations Sergeant Major 3-43 ADA, FT Bliss, TX; Battalion Command Sergeant Major 1-43 ADA, FT Bliss, TX.

CSM Young’s decorations and awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (5OLC), Army Commendation Medal (6OLC), Army Achievement Medal (6OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal (8TH Award), National Defense Service Medal (BSS), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal (BSS), Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), and the Senior Parachutist Badge (Jumpmaster).

CSM Young’s military education includes: the Primary Leadership Development Course; Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course; Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course; the First Sergeants Course and is a graduate the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy Class 62. CSM Young has a Masters in Business and Administration with a concentration in Leadership from Excelsior College.