Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomes new commander

By Tony LopezMay 20, 2015

Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomes new commander
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Army Sustainment Command Color Guard displays the flags as Lt. Col. Aaron Wolfe, Col. Joe Dixon and Lt. Col. Michael Triplett salute during the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant Change of Command Ceremony, May 18. The ASC color guard, from left to right... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomes new commander
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Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomes new commander
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Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomes new commander
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Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomes new commander
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MIDDLETOWN, Iowa -- Under fair skies and cool and windy conditions, the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant welcomed a new commanding officer during an official Change of Command Ceremony, held here, May 18.

Lt. Col. Aaron M. Wolfe replaced Lt. Col. Michael T. Triplett, who relinquished command of IAAAP after two years as the senior leader.

Triplett will retire after more than 25 years of service to the Nation. He has accepted a position as a senior instructor for a high school Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program in Kentucky.

"Today, I want to talk about how this vital mission is accomplished each day,' said Triplett in his farewell remarks. "It begins with the hardworking and loyal American Ordnance employees that come to work each day. Their dedication to the mission is the building block for providing quality ammunition so the Warfighter can complete his or her mission in training or on the battlefield."

Col. Robert "Joe" Dixon, Crane Army Ammunition Activity commander, served as the official host and Command Sgt. Maj. Walton Jones, Joint Munitions Command, served as the senior enlisted officer in charge of the color guard.

"Since the beginning of our Nation, the Change of Command has represented the peaceful and orderly transition of command from one individual to another," said Dixon. "Command is the ultimate vote of confidence by our senior leadership and our Army."

As the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant's 40th commander, Wolfe will lead the organization which produces and delivers medium- and large-caliber ammunition for the Department of Defense.

Dixon noted the fine work by Triplett. "Mike has guided this plant with superb results. He handles the responsibility for the safe, secure and timely production and demilitarization of ammunition with great skill." He also recognized Triplett's efforts in community relations, facility modernization and environmental IAAAP initiatives.

Both IAAAP and CAAA are subordinate installations of JMC, headquartered at the Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. Joint Munitions Command manages 14 ammunition manufacturing plants and storage depots that provide ammunition to all military services, other federal agencies, as well as to allied nations.

Joint Munitions Command 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.

In November of 1940, 19,000 acres were acquired by the government in the Middletown, Iowa, area. Construction of the Iowa Ordnance Plant began in January 1941, and the first item rolled off the production line in September of 1942.

In 1963, the plant was renamed the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, and in 1998, American Ordnance, LLC, became the operating contractor. AO is well known for its innovation in ammunition production and performs load, assemble and pack operations at the Middletown facility.

The IAAAP workforce has varied, from a World War II peak of 13,000 employees to the current workforce of approximately 860 employees.

"Brig. Gen. Kristin K. French, JMC commander, and Col. Dixon, thank you for entrusting this command to me," said Wolfe. "It truly is an honor and I'm excited to be a part of team Iowa."

Prior to his new assignment, Wolfe served as the Chief of Logistics Plans and Operations, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart, Germany. Wolfe is a native of Lewistown, Montana. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Gonzaga University in 1997 and obtained his Master's Degree in Procurement and Acquisition Management from Webster's University in 2010.

Distinguished guests in attendance included Col. David Banian, JMC Chief of Staff; Iowa State Representative Thomas Sands; Hans Trousill, Mayor of West Burlington, Iowa; Andrew Spyrow, Regional Director, Sen. Joni Ernst's office; Penny Vacek, Regional Director, Sen. Chuck Grassley's office; as well as numerous leaders from the surrounding communities.

The ceremony featured a color guard from the Army Sustainment Command, an invocation by the First Presbyterian Church Reverend Deb Kinney, and the National Anthem sung by Landry Carr. Guests were invited to greet the Wolfe and Triplett families immediately following the conclusion of the event.

Related Links:

Joint Munitions Command webpage

Joint Munitions Command on facebook