Army working group synchronizes ammunition management, ordnance leader recognized

By Mr. Tony Lopez (AMC)October 27, 2016

Army Working Group Synchronizes Ammunition Management, Ordnance Leader Recognized
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Working Group Synchronizes Ammunition Management, Ordnance Leader Recognized
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Patricia Huber, right, JMC deputy to the commander, presents Patricia Shabunas with the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe Award on April 13. The prestigious award recognizes Ordnance Corps personnel who have gone above and beyond in providing quality a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Working Group Synchronizes Ammunition Management, Ordnance Leader Recognized
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sue Carlson, Robert Grubbs and Richard Senkbile, Department of the Army, Headquarters, co-chaired the Total Army Ammunition Authorization and Allocation Committee working group April 13 -16 at the Joint Munitions Command. Robert Grubbs, standing, dis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Working Group Synchronizes Ammuntion Mangement, Ordnance Leader Recognized
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Matt Cortez, left, and Andrea Gentry, right, Inventory Management Specialists for Joint Munitions Command, review information during the Total Army Ammunition Authorization and Allocation Committee working group held April 13 -16. Experts from JMC, P... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Joint Munitions Command's Munitions Logistics Readiness Center hosted the semiannual Total Army Ammunition Authorization and Allocation Committee working group meeting here, April 13-16.

Senior leaders from Department of the Army Headquarters co-chaired the four-day working group, which included personnel from JMC, the Program Executive Office for Ammunition, and other Army commands involved in managing ammunition.

Patricia Huber, JMC deputy to the commander, provided opening remarks and welcomed the working group attendees. In addition, she awarded the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe to Patricia Shabunas, Logistics Management Specialist for JMC, who is retiring after more than 37 years of service to the Army and the Nation.

The Order of Samuel Sharpe is a prestigious recognition of Ordnance Corps personnel, nominated by their peers, who have demonstrated integrity, moral character, and professional competence during their federal careers. It recognizes and honors those who have gone above and beyond in providing quality ammunition to the Warfighter.

The goal of the mission-critical working group meeting, the TA4C, was to synchronize ammunition requirements throughout the Army, based on operational and training requirements and supply availability. A total of 568 conventional ammunition items, ranging from small-caliber ammunition to large artillery rounds, were reviewed and discussed.

"There are some of you who were involved in these TA4C meetings prior to conflict, but many of you are only familiar with it while we have been at war," said Huber. "It was actually more complicated during peacetime because we didn't have all the ammunition we needed, nor were we manufacturing to our requirements. The allocations for some of the critical items could never meet your total needs. Today, we have a sufficient supply of ammunition, but we need to prepare for the out years to prevent the same scenario from happening in the future."

"Much of this 'allocation' business could probably be accomplished through automation, but it is important for all of you to come together to ensure you are in sync with the latest strategies and plans," concluded Huber. "What does tiered readiness, being globally responsive and regionally aligned mean for ammunition? We all need to discuss and agree with what it means. That is why you are here today and what you need to do. We will never go back to the way things were before conflicts, so we have to figure out how to work the future for ammunition."

The working group forum reduces the number of unforecasted execution-year requirements and allows for prioritization of all mission-critical requirements prior to mobilization training, as well as prioritizing overseas contingency operations' demands.

Approximately 135 ammunition managers attended the forum, which allowed commands worldwide to meet for the purpose of requesting both authorizations and allocations for conventional ammunition based on current and projected requirements and forecasted asset availability.

"The Total Army Ammunition Authorization and Allocation Committee is the forum that brings the Army Munitions Enterprise together at one location to match resources to requirements and addresses issues that have the potential to negatively affect munitions readiness across the Army if not addressed in a timely manner," stated Bob Grubbs, Department of Army, Army Munitions Management Division.

JMC produces small-, medium- and large-caliber ammunition items for the Department of Defense. JMC is the logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition and provides a global presence of technical support to U.S. combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed. JMC's logistics operation is unique to the Department of Defense and its industrial base is an important asset in providing ammunition to the Warfighter.

Related Links:

Joint Munitions Command webpage

Joint Munitions Command on facebook