Fort Gordon, Ga. -- Soldiers from the 56th Signal Battalion, 63rd Signal Battalion, and 67th Signal Battalion at Fort Gordon, Ga., had the opportunity to show their stuff as they trained, commissioned and revalidated the AN/TYC-24 Tactical Message System for secure messaging, April 12-May 7 at Dixon Hall and the 93rd Signal Brigade's Theater Network Operations Security Control Center.

"TMS is the tactical arm of the Defense Message System," explained CPT Consuello Hodges, brigade network manager and TMS network planner, 93rd Signal Brigade. This thing is Army wide, and having the 93rd's Soldiers here demonstrating the system really makes the hard work spent in planning at Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Huachuca, Ariz., and Fort Monmouth, N.J., well worth it.

"The idea here is to extend the same DMS messaging service used in garrison to deployed units," said Hodges. "TMS provides that seamless integration. It provides a local area network on wheels in a tactical environment. The compact TMS hardware, which includes three laptop computers, a router (all operated from transit cases), and a kilowatt generator, is transportable in a single High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. That replaces the five-ton, truck-mounted AN/ TYC-39 Automatic Digital Network message switch."

"The Exchange server, which part of the TMS suites, allows units to have both secure and nonsecure messaging in one system," said Robert Schreurs, TMS functional area expert and instructor, Titan Corporation, Information Assurance Security Engineering Directorate/ Titan Defense Message System Team, U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command, Fort Huachuca, Ariz. "Having the training and revalidation at South Theater (Network) Operational Center gave us a chance to show the system in action to the people who will be implementing the software backbone of TMS into their organization. The response was fantastic," Schreurs said.

Exchange Server represents a leap in technology for the DMS program. Less than 45 minutes elapsed, from the Soldiers working out the administrative issues to having the TMS system up and running. We've got this down to a science. It all went together really smooth, as planned, said class honor graduate SSG Jason Bonner, 63rd Signal Battalion information assurance security officer.

It was a very demanding schedule to train 13 new personnel and revalidate five TMS suites for the 93rd Signal Brigade in the time allotted. But due to focused and motivated soldiers and support personnel within this command, it was successful, said William Hunt, Titan team leader, Information Assurance Security Engineering Directorate/Titan Defense Message System Team, USAISEC, Fort Huachuca, Ariz. And as secure DMS tactical organizational messaging is being deployed to the warfighter, the 93rd's activity will be able to support the current U.S. Army missions of today with a foundation for future initiatives.

CPT Hodges is commander, C Company 3/399th Battalion, 7th TSB, 100th DIV (IT) located at Fort Campbell, Ky.

He is responsible for four Standard Teaching Locations and the training of the STL coordinators, providing support to 2/100BN(MP), 6/100(TC), 7th BDE, and 100th DIV TASS units. He was mobilized with the 93rd Signal Brigade as a Systems Engineer during Operation Noble Eagle and later requested to be demobilized to accept an AGR position within the same command.

After completing the AGR program, Hodges reported back to Fort Gordon as the brigade network manager and was selected by his command to attend the Army's nine-month 53A Information Systems Officers Course, at Fort Gordon's, School of Information Technology.

He developed skills to manage computer systems and provide automation expertise at all levels of command. He has served as advisor to the commander and staff on automation policies and technical, matters, economic analysis and established procedures for effective use of computer resources. CPT Hodges is a 1994 graduate of the Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn.