MOLINE, Ill. -- An early morning audience on May 23, heard the importance of the Joint Munitions Command's mission and its relationship to small businesses.
Brig. Gen. Kevin G. O'Connell, commander, JMC, spoke 15 minutes as part of the Midwest Small Business Government Contracting Symposium 2013, held at the iWireless Center in downtown Moline.
O'Connell discussed JMC's footprint across the continental United States and its partnerships with other government organizations.
"JMC is making great strides to support our small business goals for (fiscal year) 2013," he said.
JMC has a historical place in its relationship with small businesses, O'Connell said.
"The 40 mm grenade contract was the largest small business contract ever awarded in (Department of Defense), approximately $1.5 billion," he said.
In discussing the JMC mission, O'Connell noted a time when munitions readiness was not good, which led to the creation of the Munitions Readiness Report (MRR).
"I believe (retired) Maj. Gen. McManus was the godfather of this. Right after 9/11, (former Chief of Staff of the Army) Gen. (Eric) Shinseki asked [Gen.] McManus to improve ammunition readiness. As you can see on the chart, we've made great strides from 2002 to 2013. Whereas in 2002, most of our ammunition stocks were in the red and black category (unavailable), now our ammunition stocks are green (available)."
Despite the talk of declining budgets and fiscal uncertainty, Brig. Gen. O'Connell said ammunition readiness can't be allowed to "slip back" to pre 9/11 levels.
From its headquarters in Rock Island, Ill., JMC operates a nationwide network of conventional ammunition manufacturing plants and storage depots, and provides on-site ammunition experts to U.S. combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed. JMC's customers are U.S. forces of all military services, other U.S. Government agencies, and allied nations.
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