A year in review for the Army

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  • A 59-year-old former Marine and civil affairs soldier graduated Army basic combat training in August 2020 — a prerequisite for him to enter the Army Reserve after a 10-year break in his military service. Staff Sgt. Monte Gould, who served in Afghanistan in 2004, left the Army two-and-a-half years short of retirement in 2009. But as civilian life calmed down, Gould began a yearlong process to reenlist with the 405th Civil Affairs Battalion detachment out of Las Vegas, Nev. Gould’s first score on the ACFT was a 409 out of a possible 600 points. His second score was 460. (U.S. Army)
  • The Army took two shots from its Extended Range Cannon Artillery system, which both reached 65 kilometers in range and hit their intended targets, in a demonstration at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., on March 6, 2020. The demo proved the cannon is capable of firing roughly 40 miles. A long-range cannon is intended to give the service a desired level of standoff outside of the range of enemy artillery. (Edward Lopez/U.S. Army)
  • Lawmakers introduced a bill in September 2020 named after Fort Hood soldier Spc. Vanessa Guillén to revamp how the military addresses sexual assault and harassment in its ranks. Prosecutors claim another soldier murdered Guillén, 20, in an armory and then dismembered her body in the spring. Before she disappeared, she told her mom that she was experiencing sexual harassment from an Army sergeant but was concerned about the ramifications of filing a complaint, Guillén’s family claims. The legilsation would make sexual harassment a punishable crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and would also permit those who were sexually harassed or assaulted to file claims within the Defense Department for compensation. It would also demand independent investigations outside of the chain of command by “trained and experienced professionals,” according to Rep. Jackie Speier. (Godofredo A. Vásquez/Houston Chronicle via AP)
  • The Army launched an assessment in June 2020 to examine racial disparity within its justice system. The evaluation joins that of the other armed services following the release of a 2019 Government Accountability Office report that found Black or Hispanic service members are more likely to face a trial than their white counterparts. Meanwhile, West Point’s Inspector General’s Office began in July 2020 a “comprehensive review of all matters involving race” following pressure from alumni. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
  • After five soldiers died by suicide at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska, between May 2018 and April 2019, the Army launched a behavioral health study. The suicide rate there stood out compared to the rest of the active-duty Army, according to the Pentagon, so now the service has implemented initiatives to help personnel stationed there, including predictable time off, an intensive behavioral health program, vitamin D supplements, black-out curtains, a focus on empathy for soldiers facing legal action and an increased food allowance. If you need support, the Veterans and Military Crisis Line provides 24/7 confidential service for military members and their family. It can be reached at 800-273-8255, or via online chat at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. (John Pennell/U.S. Army)
  • The Pentagon rescinded a policy in May 2020 released earlier in the month that prevented recruits who had contracted COVID-19 from enlisting or earning a military commission. The current policy is to look at each recruit on a case-by-case basis. That means a full work-up by military entrance processing station doctors, with time of diagnosis, complications and recovery taken into account. If there are any indications that a recruit hasn’t fully cleared the virus or is still suffering from complications, the individual could be prevented from moving on to initial entry training. (Sgt. Dustin D. Biven/U.S. Army)
  • The U.S. tested a hypersonic glide body March 19, 2020, from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. The test, run jointly by the Army and Navy, was deemed a success. The Common-Hypersonic Glide Body, or C-HGB, launched and flew at hypersonic speed to “a designated impact point,” according to a statement issued by the Pentagon. (U.S. Navy)