WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army has named its newest integrated air defense system after Sgt. Mitchell W. Stout, the only Air Defense Artillery Soldier to receive the Medal of Honor. Formerly known as Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, the SGT STOUT will protect maneuvering forces by defeating, destroying or neutralizing unmanned aircraft systems, rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, rockets, artillery and mortars.
During a celebration of the Army’s 249th birthday at the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George described how the SGT STOUT program is part of the Army’s commitment to continuous transformation.
“The world and warfare are changing rapidly, and we will stay ahead of our adversaries,” George said. “This is critically important because the character of war is changing rapidly, and disruptive technology is fundamentally altering how humans interact.”
Beginning in 2018 with the development of requirements, the Army moved out quickly to develop, test and deliver this important capability. The first two SGT STOUT battalions are in Germany and at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the Army recently fielded its third battalion at Fort Cavazos, Texas, in February. In April of 2024, six SGT STOUT vehicles and more than 40 Soldiers provided effective short-range air defense during live-fire exercises as part of DEFENDER 24's Saber Strike exercise in Poland, demonstrating the ability to protect Soldiers like its namesake.
“The reason we exist is to be the premier warfighters the world has ever seen, and to do that you’ve got to be a good teammate,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer. “You’ve got to take care of your family. You absolutely have to develop yourself. We’ve got to have the right leaders. You’ve got to have the right equipment – it is all anchored to the foundation of warfighting and warfighters.”
Sgt. Mitchell W. Stout
On March 12, 1970, Sgt. Mitchell W. Stout, who enlisted into the Army from Raleigh, North Carolina, was serving with C Battery, 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery, in Vietnam when his searchlight crew position came under heavy enemy mortar fire and ground attack. As the mortar attack subsided, a hand grenade landed in their bunker. Displaying great courage, Stout grabbed the grenade and ran to the door, but it exploded before he made it out. By holding the grenade close to his body and shielding its blast, he protected his fellow Soldiers in the bunker from further injury or death.
“Naming this game-changing air defense capability after SGT Stout was appropriate and well-deserved, given his heroic efforts to protect fellow soldiers from danger, said Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. “The M-SHORAD was designed to do the same against a variety of airborne threats.”
According to his sister, Susan Tyler, who attended the ceremony, “Love for his guys is what led him to volunteer for a second tour. He felt like he could offer them more than somebody that hadn’t been there before. That maybe he could help somebody.”
The SGT STOUT – a family of systems that detects, tracks and engages threat aerial objects – will continue to protect Soldiers, like its namesake, well into the future as new variations are already under development to meet the demands of a changing battlefield.
For more information, please contact Mr. Darrell Ames at [email protected] or (256) 876-0875.
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