Redstone Arsenal, Ala. -- For the first time, nearly 70 Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army visited the U.S. Army Materiel Command and other tenant organizations here May 4 as part of their annual conference.
Their first stop was AMC with a brief from Gen. Dennis L. Via, commander of AMC. Via is the leader of a $50 billion organization charged with providing materiel and equipment to the nation's warfighters throughout the world. AMC has a presence in all 50 states, where many of the CASAs reside, and impacts 145 countries.
Via went into more detail about the Organic Industrial Base, 23 geographically-dispersed facilities tasked with the mission of manufacturing, repairing and resetting the military's equipment.
"If you have one of these facilities in your home state, I recommend you take the time and go see it," Via said. "Most people have no idea that the Army does this around the country."
Via noted a few examples such as Anniston Army Depot which strips tanks down to the hull for repair, Corpus Christi Army Depot which repairs battle-damaged aircrafts, and Watervliet Arsenal which has been producing gun tubes since the War of 1812.
"The OIB is a readiness insurance policy for the United States," Via said. "Just like we have insurance policies on our automobiles and our homes ... when you need it, you want it to be there. I highly encourage you to go see it because you are a very powerful group."
CASAs have a unique role as community representatives from regions near military installations all over the United States.
"We report directly to the Secretary of the Army on how the public views the Army and issues that the Army is facing, and quite frankly we carry the public's message to the secretary," said Joe Fitzgerald, the North Alabama Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army.
They come from a variety of backgrounds, from members of the military, business leaders, educators and more, meaning that not all of them have a full grasp on all the Army does when they begin serving in their roles.
That is what these educational tours are all about, Fitzgerald said.
Monday afternoon the group also toured the Software Engineering Directorate and the Prototype Integration Facility, both part of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center and a subordinate organization of AMC.
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