If you had to be in the military from the early 1950’s until the flag came down in 1976, ASA was the place to be. Who could possibly describe to a soldier who never left Fort Bragg, N.C., what it was like to be in operations in Germany during the Cold War? The excitement of a live mission, coupled with Germany's scenic wonders, was a combination that lasted a lifetime.

By Army echelons, ASA supported them all, from brigade through theater Army. How many countries did ASA soldiers impact? That's hard to say. The American soldier used to be called the U.S. ambassador to any country in which he served and that was never truer then with ASA soldiers. They were quick to build rapport with the locals and even quicker to jump right in and support the local customs and activities.

There is something to be said for those who tried to learn the rules of cricket while matching drinks with our British counterparts on a Saturday afternoon. ASA soldiers could be found on volksmarches and in judo and chess clubs, just to name a few activities. Worthy of note is the ASA willingness to support orphanages and other charities when the word went out for assistance.

Yes, the flag came down in 1976 and the organization transitioned to the Intelligence and Security Command, but for soldiers and civilians who served in "Screaming Chicken" assignments, ASA memories run deep. In virtually every location where there was an ASA site, there now is an ASA alumni, keeping ASA alive and well.

Alumni organizations spawned from field stations to separate brigades and from continental U.S. assignments to small detachments on every continent of the world. Chronologically, these range from the very first field station - USM 1 at Vint Hill Farms Station, Warrenton, VA. - to units formed in the mid-1970’s.

There are too many alumni organizations to list here, but each one maintains a personnel roster and schedules get-togethers. Many publish newsletters and provide information on their activities. Today, of course, ASA alumni can found on the Internet - several ASA Web sites include chat rooms and event announcements and offer a forum for locating old comrades, or for telling anyone who will listen "how it was."

ASA was a unique command and it is unimaginable that there could ever be another like it in the U.S. Army. Many operations started by ASA units have survived. Today the ASA soldier's modern counterpart lives in a much faster and less manual-intensive, automated environment, but the good work and efforts live on. Is ASA alive and well? Thousands of us say it is.

It may have been just one short tour or it may have been a career, but soldiers and civilians remember ASA as a milestone ... and the experience continues.
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Cairns' own ASA assignments (1959- 76) took him from Morse code in intercept operator to commissioned status, culminating in assignments of operations, command and staff. Before his retirement from civil service in May, he was a senior intelligence specialist with the INSCOM Training and Doctrine Support Detachment at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.