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Middle East District Mission

Video by Chris Gardner
Frontier Banter: Power Projection and Quality of Life: Baird twins & CSM Pearson reveal how Fort Sill stays mission-ready
Fort Sill Public Affairs
April 28, 2025 | 57:39
New Frontier Banter episode alert! Ever wondered what it takes to run Fort Sill—and why that matters off-post, too? Tune in as Garrison Commander Col. Derek Baird sits down with his identical twin, Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Thomas “TJ” Baird, and Fort Sill Garrison CSM Bill Pearson for “Double the Baird, Triple the Insight.” With 50 years of service between them, the brothers trace their journey from sand-bagged guard towers to the Pentagon and Installation Management Command, explaining how leading a “small city” of Soldiers, civilians, families, and contractors is nothing like line-unit command.

You’ll hear why “power projection” starts with finding 600 extra mattresses for Basic Training expansion, how drones, artificial intelligence, and the new 6.8 mm rifle are reshaping local ranges and motor pools, and why those upgrades translate into safer airspace and new jobs for the Lawton community. The trio swap hacks for beating calendar overload (their tongue-in-cheek “Microsoft Outlook Kill Chain”), open up about resilience after broken bones and course failures, and share family-friendly moments—like TJ’s battlefield-traveling teddy bear, Cool Bear, now starring in a children’s haiku book.

Whether you’re a Soldier looking for leadership tips, a spouse seeking work-life harmony, or a neighbor curious how post projects boost the regional economy, this episode has something for you!
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Frontier Banter: Power Projection and Quality of Life: Baird twins & CSM Pearson reveal how Fort Sill stays mission-ready
Frontier Banter: Power Projection and Quality of Life: Baird twins & CSM Pearson reveal how Fort Sill stays mission-ready
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Mission

The Middle East District provides engineering, design, construction execution, and related services and support to mission partners in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR) to increase regional security and stability in support of enduring U.S. interests; on order, supports contingency operations.

 

The Middle East District is a subordinate element of the Transatlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

USACE Mission and Vision

OUR VISION: Engineering solutions for the Nation’s toughest challenges

OUR MISSION: The Middle East District provides design, construction, execution and related engineering and reach-back services to mission partners across the CENTCOM AOR in order to enable regional security and stability; on order provides support to contingency operations

OUR FOUNDATION: A professional team rooted in the Army Values reinforced by Trust, Dignity, and Respect throughout and dedicated to our mission and the organization

 

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