At the family’s request, we have added this photo of the change of responsibility
between CSM Stephens and CSM AC Cotton.

Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) John Marshall Stephens of Fort Knox, KY, passedaway with his sons by his side at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Fort Thomas, KY, onSeptember 24, 2024. He was born in Staunton, Virginia, on June 23, 1939, and he waspreceded in death by his father, Charles Richard Stephens; his mother, Mable GlennHarris; his sister, Sara “Sally” Bruntz; and his brother, Richard “Dickie” Stephens. He issurvived by his sons John (Donna) and Bill (Cindy); and his seven loving grandsons,Tyler, Blake, Grant, Jacob, Colin, Zachary, and Jack.CSM Stephens had a long and distinguished military career from 1957 to 1990. Duringhis 33 years of service, he made significant contributions to U.S. Cavalry and ArmorForce. His leadership assignments included First Sergeant, H Troop, 17th Cavalry, 23rdInfantry Division; First Sergeant, A Troop 3-17 Air Cavalry Squadron in Vietnam; CSM,2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment; CSM, 11th Armored CavalryRegiment; CSM, 7th Army Training Command; Commandant, First ArmyNoncommissioned Officer Academy; and CSM, United States Army Armor Center andFort Knox.

CSM Stephens’ career was highlighted by his time with the 11th ACR in Fulda,Germany, where he served as the senior enlisted advisor for Regimental CommandersSaint, Sunell, and Crow; and his time as the senior enlisted advisor to the Chiefs ofArmor (Brown, Tait, and Foley) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. CSM Stephens and his fellowCavalry Troopers served at the height of the Cold War in the 1970s, protecting ournation’s freedom by standing watch over the Fulda Gap. They never blinked, andfreedom prevailed!

CSM Stephens’ awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star with OLC;Meritorious Service Medal with OLC; Army Commendation Medal with OLC; andCombat Infantry Badge. Post-retirement, CSM Stephens was awarded the Order ofSaint George Gold Medallion in 1998. The Gold Medallion is the US Cavalry and ArmorAssociation’s highest recognition of those who continue to advance the Armored Forceafter leaving service. In 2022, he was enshrined in the Major General Adna R. ChafeeJr Award Program. This award recognizes the finest Leaders who have made long-lasting contributions within the Armored Force. This is the highest honor presented onbehalf of all Armor and Cavalry Soldiers past and present, designating the awardees asLegends of Armor. His portrait and biography hang in Patton Hall at Fort Moore, GA,among our nation’s greatest Armor and Cavalry historical leaders.

CSM Stephens continued to provide counsel and mentorship to many officers andnoncommissioned officers throughout his retirement years. His impact crossedgenerations of leaders. You could say that he never stopped serving our nation.

John applied the same passion he gave to his beloved nation and soldiers to his otherinterests in life, including golf, coin collecting, and the outdoors. He took up golf in 1965and quickly fell in love with the game. His talents and dedication enabled him to reach anear-scratch status in the 1970s and he made the All-Army Golf Team while serving asthe CSM of the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr, Germany. He shared alove for hunting and fishing with his sons throughout his life. After serving in Vietnam, hewas assigned as the senior enlisted advisor to Murray State University ROTC’s TheRacer Battalion. During this assignment, he could fish with his young boys on KentuckyLake. He would tell stories of watching little Johnny and Billy catching big KentuckyCrappie Slabs and wondering who would pull who in — the boy or the fish. He alsodeveloped a passion for coin collecting in the 1970s. As he sharpened his numismaticskills, he developed close friendships throughout Europe and the US. He was known for his early American copper collection and, according to a prominent U.S. dealer, hadamassed one of the top-five bust-half collections in the nation.

Although John had many passions, none were as important to him as his family. He didan amazing job of balancing his military responsibilities and raising his sons by himselfthroughout their teenage years at Fort Knox, KY. So many of the same leadershipqualities that benefited the Officers and NCOs he served with gave John and Bill anincredible head start in life. He had a sixth sense of knowing when to get involved orwhen to stand back and watch his sons stumble and develop on their own. He alwaysknew when his sons needed a hand on their back or a boot up their rear, and it wastypically a hand on their back. He had the same love and passion across his sevengrandsons. Baseball was by far John’s favorite sport, and he was blessed with his ownteam of nine boys – two sons and seven grandsons. Papaw Stephens was a great lifecoach to all.

A celebration of life is planned for the main post chapel in Fort Knox, KY. A specific datein the near future will be announced soon. Burial will occur in Arlington NationalCemetery, with the actual date to be announced when it becomes available.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider donating to the Blackhorse GeneralScholarship Fund in memory of CSM Stephens. The fund was established to helpeducate the children of Blackhorse Troopers killed in action or incapacitated by woundsand later expanded to assist all Blackhorse children. We can’t think of a better way tohonor CSM Stephens than to give to the Blackhorse Scholarship Fund and helpeducate the sons and daughters of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. The StephensFamily will match every donated dollar to the Blackhorse Scholarship Fund to create aseparate donation to the US Cavalry and Armor Association’s Scholarship Fund. Theimpact of your donation will be felt across the US Cavalry and Armored Force.

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Joseph H. Protsman, 74, passed away on September 14, 2024. Joe was born in Beatrice, Nebraska on May 17, 1950, to Joseph and Anna Protsman. He was in the United States Marines from 1970-1976 and in the United States Army from 1976-1987. He was a staff sergeant tank commander in 1st Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1979-80. His medals, badges, citations include the following: U.S. Marine Corps-National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two stars, Rifle Marksman Badge, Good Conduct Medal. U.S. Army-Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon/Overseas Service Ribbon (3), Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (2), Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal, and Expert Qualification Badge (M16).

Joe enjoyed walking around town and talking to many people along the way. He was a truck mechanic by profession and a car mechanic for family and friends. He also enjoyed fishing.

He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters Marilyn McCammond and Ester Choitz; daughter Martha; and son Lewis.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Connie; sister, Frances Johnson; son, Robert S. Protsman; grandchildren: Morgan Powell, Danny Protsman and Robert Protsman, II; great-granddaughter, Chandler; and many nieces and nephews.

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Anthony R Cozier, 83, of Orange Park, Florida, passed away on March 8, 2024. Tony was born on March 28, 1940, in Barbados, West Indies, to Doreen and James Cozier. At the age of ten, he moved to the United States and settled in East Orange, New Jersey, with his family, which included his sister Maureen King. After completing his studies at Rutgers University, he joined the U.S. Army and served his country for 24 years achieving the rank Lieutenant Colonel. He served as the company commander of the 919th Engineer Company, 11th ACR in Vietnam in 1970-71. One of his notable assignments was in 1971 when he was appointed assistant professor of military science at Clarkson College of Technology. It was during this time that he met his wife, Rose, whom he has been happily married to for 51 years. Together, they have three children: Mangea, Martin, and Malika. Tony furthered his education and obtained his Master’s Degree in 1974. His greatest joy in life was spending time with his grandchildren who refer to him as Pop. Prior to retirement, he dedicated 10 years to teaching and mentoring young adults in the Duval School System. After retiring, he pursued a career as a Real Estate Broker and later found fulfillment in his work with prison ministry.

Tony is survived by his beloved wife, Rose Cozier. He was also blessed with three children: Mangea (married to Barbara), Martin (married to BJ), and his daddy’s little girl, Malika (married to Rockie). Additionally, Tony was a proud grandfather to six wonderful grandchildren named Mila, Micah, Ilana, Jack, Maxwell, and Madison. He is also survived by sister Moureen King; nephews Buddy King and Zev Weinberg; and nieces Zuta Gilchriest and Hannah Weinberg.

Tony’s accomplishments are truly remarkable. Not only did he achieve the rank of 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo, but he also traveled to various countries, with his most memorable journey likely being the Benny Hinn Miracle Crusade to Israel. Riding around town on a camel was just one of the many adventures he enjoyed. Despite his age, Tony never ceased to keep himself occupied. His daughter-in-law often teased that he was in better shape than the rest of the family. Tony’s retirement was not spent on the golf course like many others, but rather in the gym, where he found solace. This choice eventually led him to develop a deep passion for running. He participated in a series of races, starting with the Gate River Run 15K in 2011, followed by the Donna Half Marathon, Captain Chuck Cornett Navy Run 10K, Biathlon, and several triathlons. His final race was for his 75th birthday in Clearmont in March 2015, where he finished 413th in 2:19:30 after completing a swim of 0.25 miles, a bike ride of 10 miles, and a 3.1-mile run.

In addition to his surplus of leisure time, he also devoted himself to cultivating a magnificent rose garden in the front of their residence as a tribute to his wife, who was named Rose. The commitment and effort that he invested in this garden, in an attempt to fashion something even remotely as exquisite as his beloved spouse, clearly demonstrated his unwavering devotion to her.

The Blackhorse Association is excited to announce that we are taking orders for the print edition of the 1959 Yearbook of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. This amazing yearbook documents the regiment when it was stationed in West Germany during the Cold War.

All proceeds from the sales of the yearbook will benefit the Association’s scholarship fund, which provides annual scholarships to college students who have close relatives who served in the 11th Cavalry.

We are taking orders for the 1959 Yearbook until October 15, 2024; they will be shipped to you in early November by USPS.

Please support our scholarship fund by visiting the following link on our website and ordering your copy of the 1959 Yearbook. Thank you for your support!

opens in a new window1959 Yearbook of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment – The Blackhorse Association

Courtesy of Don Snedeker

The attached photo is from August 1964. The Regiment had just arrived at Fort Meade, Maryland after seven years of patrolling the Czechoslovakian border in southern Germany. The framed H Troop guidon was carried by the Regiment while pursuing Pancho Villa in Mexico in 1916-1917. It was presented to the 33rd Colonel of the Regiment, Don Boyer (right wearing Khakis), and Regimental Sergeant Major Arthur Hawthorne (next to Boyer in Fatigues), by Captain (USAF) Robert Merrill (center). Captain Merrill’s grandfather, Major John Merrill, was the H Troop commander in Mexico. On the left side of the photo are the then-H Company Commander and First Sergeant.

By Bill Mahon
E Troop, 2/11 ACR

From the birth of their banner in days of yore,
To the Philippine shores where their valor roared,
The Blackhorse Regiment forged its name,
In the crucible of conflict, they claimed their fame.

Chasing Villa through Mexico’s dust,
Their relentless pursuit, a mission just,
With grit and resolve, they pressed the fight,
In the darkest of hours, they were the light.

Through World War’s fury, they stormed ashore,
In Europe’s fields, they battled more,
From France to Germany, breaking the line,
Their courage and skill, forever enshrined.

In Vietnam’s jungles, through rain and strife,
The 11th Cavalry risked life for life,
Cambodia’s borders, they boldly crossed,
For freedom’s cause, no matter the cost.

Cold War sentinels on Germany’s plains,
Guarding the Fulda with vigilance strained,
Their watchful eyes, a shield of might,
Deterring foes in the dead of night.

Desert Storm’s sands saw their return,
In mechanized fury, their engines burned,
The Gulf’s fierce battles, they faced once more,
A testament to their warrior lore.

Now at Irwin’s desolate, sun-baked land,
Training the troops, a seasoned hand,
The Opposing Force, they lead the way,
For the soldiers of tomorrow, they pave the day.

“Allons!” they cry, “Let’s go!” with pride,
In every endeavor, their hearts allied,
The Blackhorse Regiment stands ever tall,
A legacy of honor, inspiring all.

So here’s to the brave of the Blackhorse lore,
Who’ve written history with deeds of yore,
From jungles green to deserts wide,
Their spirit endures, a nation’s pride.

Allons!

Do you have items of interest that are related to the Blackhorse? Please send them to Clint Ancker, Director of Communications, at opens in a new windowbanditsix@aol.com.