PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. ( Feb. 11, 2015) -- The Army has selected a new senior executive leader responsible for armament research and development.
John F. Hedderich III is now the director of the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, in charge of the Army research and engineering facilities here.
ARDEC is the largest organization at Picatinny Arsenal, which is a major employer in northern New Jersey. The center plays a vital role in developing superior armament technology for the U.S. Army and other branches of the nation's military and is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced the appointment last week, which was effective Feb. 8. Hedderich entered the Senior Executive Service in 1998.
As director, Hedderich will provide strategic leadership and managerial accountability to ARDEC's budget of over $1.3 billion, 64 laboratories, and a workforce of more than 4,000 government and support personnel.
"I am pleased to have a leader with John's qualifications in the director's role permanently," said Maj. Gen. John F. Wharton, RDECOM commanding general.
Wharton said, "Hedderich has proved himself a match for every challenge as he worked to make sure our Soldiers had the armaments they need to remain the most effective fighting force in the world."
Before his appointment as director, Hedderich served as director of the Munitions and Armaments Engineering and Technology Center.
"It is with a great sense of honor and duty that I assume the role of director," Hedderich said in a message to the workforce last week. "I have worked at Picatinny Arsenal for many years in various assignments and have seen first-hand the dedicated workforce that I am proud to support, advocate and lead. Unswerving focus on supporting the warfighter has been a hallmark of our organization and it will continue to serve us well as we face current and future challenges."
Hedderich earned his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck and trained under Harvard's University's Senior Executive Fellows Program.
Hedderich was director for enterprise management from October 2003 to January 2007. In this capacity, he was responsible for ARDEC's strategic planning, human capital, portfolio and knowledge management.
From June 2002 to October 2003, Hedderich served as senior technical executive in the former ARDEC Close Combat Armaments Center, where he was responsible for developing and executing scientific and technology strategies for small, medium and large caliber weapons, ammunition, mines and countermine, non-lethal weapons and ammunition and special operations gear.
He also served as associate technical director (systems concepts and technology) where he was responsible for the Armament Technology Base Program executed by ARDEC.
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The Research, Development and Engineering Command is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness--technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection and sustainment--to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
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U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center
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