West Point captain named Weinstein winner. Widow of award namesake made honoray member to MI Corp

Sierra Vista Herald ^ | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

FORT HUACHUCA — At least it wasn’t a life-size replica of the sphinx, which sits out the Intelligence Center of Excellence headquarters building.

Rather, it’s a small model which Capt. Chad R. Lorenz was presented at a Friday luncheon during the day’s Military Intelligence Hall of Fame events.

He was named this year’s winner of the Lt. Gen. Sidney T. Weinstein Award, at which the general’s widow, Pauline, and several of their children and grandchildren attended.

Earlier, the general’s widow had been inducted as an Honorary Member of the MI Corps.

Speaking at the luncheon was retired Army Col.Daniel F. Baker, who noted he worked twice for Weinstein, noting the general was a person who enjoyed the Army song of the 1980s “Be all you can be,” and had it played any time he spoke about soldiering. It was also played as part of Baker’s presentation.

In effect it was Weinstein’s theme song, Baker said.

For the general, the song emphasized the strength of the Army, which to him was caring, comforting and professional, the speaker said.

“General Weinstein truly loved soldiers,” but don’t think it meant he coddled the troops but rather challenged them to be successful,” Baker said.

And during the general Army career he “raised countless leaders,” the speaker said.

And, an upcoming leader is the 2014 recipient of the award named after Weinstein, Baker said.

Called to the stage with his wife Rachel, the 29-year-old Lorenz stood and received an Army Commendation Medal from Maj Gen. Robert P. Ashley Jr., the commander of the Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca.

Telling on himself, the captain noted he did not know he had been put in for the award by his unit at Fort Hood, Texas.

In April he said he got a phone call from someone he thought was a major congratulating him on being named the winner, which was to be presented at the annual MI Hall of Fame event some two months later.

What Lorenz did not hear, because of what he said was a bad connection, was that what he thought was a major, was in fact a general, so initially the discussion — to him at least — was between two soldiers, with one only being one grade above the captain.

In reality, on the other end of the telephone was the person who was five grade above Lorenz’s rank.

The 2007 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY., was born in Texas. He deployed twice to Afghanistan, first in 2008 and again in 2013.

Currently, Lorenz is the intelligence officer for 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood in Texas.

As a young officer, Lorenz said it is important for “leadership to invest in mentorship,” which he added is what Weinstein did.

“I’ve benefitted from leaders who have mentored me,” the captain said.

[2ndDivisionVet]

My alma mater.