U.S. Army Europe recognizes General MacArthur Leadership and Eisenhower Professional Writing finalists

Photo By Richard Herman | Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, U.S. Army Europe commanding general, congratulates Lt. Col. Christopher Heatherly, chief of intelligence and security cooperation for U.S. Army Europe G-2, for winning this year's Eisenhower Professional Writing Award during a ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2019.  

WIESBADEN , GERMANY

01.27.2020

Story by Spc. Stephen Perez 

U.S. Army Europe and Africa     

WIESBADEN, Germany (Jan. 27, 2020) – U.S. Army Europe finalists of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership and Eisenhower Professional Writing competitions were recognized by commanding general Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli during a ceremony on post last Wednesday, Jan. 22.

The MacArthur Foundation and the Department of the Army established the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award to recognize company-grade and junior warrant officers who demonstrated the ideals of duty, honor, country--and who exhibited outstanding leadership and performance throughout the previous calendar year.

U.S. Army Europe had over 1,400 individuals eligible for the award, but ultimately settled on six runners-up, and nominated two company-grade officers and two junior warrant-officers to represent the command in the Department of the Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award Competition In Washington D.C.

Each nominee received a framed copy of MacArthur’s famous speech, a congratulatory note from the commanding general, and an Edelweiss Lodge and Resort vacation package.

The U.S. Army Europe Eisenhower Professional Writing competition is an annual event that highlights the best in professional writing from soldiers and civilians across the command.

Army Lt. Col. Christopher Heatherly, chief of intelligence and security cooperation for U.S. Army Europe G-2, and 2nd Lt. Ian Melendez, 76th Operational Response Command, received first place for the Eisenhower Professional Writing Competition for co-writing "Everything Old is New Again: Russian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean Use of Proxies Against the United States."

Heatherly said he entered the contest to share the Army’s story with a larger audience and to encourage others to write--specifically his former cadets.

“Everything you do--in one form or another--touches upon writing. Whether it's an NCOER, an OER, an award, a recommendation, an OP-Order--your ability to communicate in a written format is critical to what we do as Soldiers,” Heatherly said.

While all nine of the Eisenhower finalists received a Commanding General’s Coin for Excellence, Heatherly was also given the bust of General Eisenhower for the next year in recognition of his achievement.

Army Col. Trina Rice, the U.S. Army Europe G-1, whose office helped manage the competition, emphasized the importance of these kinds of contests because it provides an opportunity for members of the organization to express themselves.

“I think it’s very important for Soldiers and our civilians to participate because, again, it gives them an opportunity to express their own opinions--to use their voices,” Rice said.

Rice said that, ultimately, the judges are looking for creative writers who have knowledge and enthusiasm about the topics with which they're writing about.

“Being able to put a new spin on something that is old is what our judges are looking for,” Rice said.

While all nine of the Eisenhower finalists received a Commanding General’s Coin for Excellence, Heatherly was also given the bust of General Eisenhower for the next year in recognition of his achievement.

“I see that we’re kind of holding the award in trust,” Heatherly said. “And then we’ll pass it off to someone again next year, and that they’ll continue to do what I’ve talked about--which is--to tell the Army’s story.”



General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Runners-Up:

Capt. Jason Bleuer, C Company, Allied Forces North Battalion, US Army NATO Brigade

Capt. Sebastian Coates, 557th Medical Company, 42st Medical Battalion, 30th Medical Brigade

Capt. Quentin Sica, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 7th Army Training Command

Capt. Jordan Smith, 702d Ordnance Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment
Brigade

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric Gregory, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 18th Military Police Brigade

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Nyland, 64th Medical Detachment, Veterinary Service Support, 421st Medical Battalion, 30th Medical Brigade


Selected by U.S. Army Europe to compete in the Department of the Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award Competition In Washington D.C.:

Capt. Brian W. Crossman, B Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment

Capt. James W. Walton, 59th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th
Military Police Brigade

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Alonso Zoquier, 59th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade


Chief Warrant Officer 2 David A. Briones, B Company, 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, 12th
Combat Aviation Brigade


Eisenhower Professional Writing Competition Finalists:

First Place:
Lt. Col. Christopher J. Heatherly, U.S. Army Europe G-2, and 2nd Lt. Ian Melendez
Everything Old is New Again: Russian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean Use of Proxies Against the United States

Second Place:
Master Sgt. Thomas N. Gillespie and Sgt. 1st Class Ian D. Becker, Headquarter and Headquarters Company, Joint Multinational Readiness Center Panthers
Security Force Assistance Brigade Maneuver Advisor Teams in Large Scale Combat Operations

Third Place:
Capt. Jordan L. Woodburn and Capt. Scott A. Drake, Headquarter and Headquarters Company, Joint Multinational Readiness Center Grizzlies
Reconnaissance in the Multinational Environment

Fourth Place (tied):
Lt. Col. Jason Vincent and Maj. Stuart E. Gallagher, Headquarter and Headquarters Company, Joint Multinational Readiness Center Mustangs
Reversing Trends for U.S. Army Reserve Psychological Operations Civil Affairs Forces Deploying to the Joint Multinational Training Center

Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr., U.S. Army Europe Command Historian
The Origins of Atlantic Resolve: U.S. Army Europe's Continued Forward Presence and Deterrence in Eastern Europe

• Date Taken: 01.27.2020
• Date Posted: 01.27.2020 12:33
• Story ID: 360483
• Location: WIESBADEN , DE