New WSMR Commander outlines goals for the workforce during town hall

On July 30, White Sands Missile Range Senior Commander Col. Johnathon Nelson and Command Sgt. Maj. Hermes Acevedo held a town hall meeting for all employees at the Post Theater and via MS Teams. Employees were encouraged to attend and meet Nelson, who began his command at WSMR earlier this month. During the meeting, he addressed several topics and answered questions from the audience, demonstrating his commitment to transparency with the workforce.

Team WSMR was introduced to Col. Michael A. Lueckeman, the new Garrison Commander of WSMR. Also introduced were Lt. Col. Nicolas F. Soria, the new Deputy Commanding Officer, and Sgt. Maj. Eric Vos, who is part of the S-3 section.

Nelson shared his background and experiences, offering the audience a glimpse into his personal values and who he truly is. He took the time to educate the team about the mission, vision, and brand promise he brings to the table, highlighting that our mission centers on core competencies in national defense, making WSMR a vital part of our nation's security.

He passionately underscored how significant words like "trust," "capability," and "execution," rooted in our vision and brand promise, reflect our team's identity and are key to sustaining our success. Overall, Nelson aims to create a brighter future for the organization, the warfighter and the country through unity and inclusivity.

Below are the full statements of the mission, vision, and brand promise.

Mission: Enables winning joint warfighting capability through premier developmental testing of integrated air and missile defense, long-range fires, nuclear weapons effects, and directed energy technologies.

Vision: Most trusted and capable test organization in the Department of War-delivering future-capability through world-class teams and technologies.

Brand Promise: Focused execution. Future Ready. Value Driven.

Nelson also shared several goals; however, he emphasized the importance of his first: "accomplish the mission while keeping all the teammates safe." It is a goal he has brought with him since his days in Iraq.

"You can accomplish the mission and take care of people at the same time," said Nelson. "That's what I plan to do. I've always, you know, tried to do that in my commands, and I'm going to do that here."

One of the final key points that Nelson stressed was the concept of "Our Team/One Team." He highlighted the importance of fostering a unified environment where everyone is kept in the loop about ongoing developments. This includes inviting individuals who have never been down range to witness WSMR operations firsthand. Ultimately, the objective is to strengthen team collaboration and commitment, ensuring that all members feel connected and engaged in the mission, enabling them to function as a cohesive joint force.

View the full town hall at: https://youtu.be/CQIYHsvkmGI