WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. (May 2015) -- For more than 200 years, communities around the Watervliet Arsenal have supported this historic Army manufacturing center through countless ebbs and flows of conflict. It seemed only right, given this great history of support, that the Arsenal help repay its debt in May by helping small-town America honor its service men and women.
Although the arsenal participates in more than 60 community events each year, May is typically its busiest month for engagement. This May was no different as the Arsenal participated in three Memorial Day Ceremonies, three Veterans-related ceremonies, one middle school career day, hosted a chamber of commerce meeting, and a spoke before an F.B.I. officer association.
Although one event is not more important than the other, something magical happens when the Arsenal participates in local parades. These engagements allow the Arsenal to help reconnect thousands within the community to its military.
The Arsenal supported two parades this month: the Village of Green Island Memorial Day parade on May 21; and the City of Watervliet's Memorial Day parade on May 25.
"As I am nearing two years in command, in which I have attended more than 75 community events, I remain awestruck by the tremendous outpouring of local support to our nation's service men and women," Arsenal Commander Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr. said at a ceremony following a parade.
Schiller also acknowledged the great support in the parades by the Arsenal workforce and their family members.
"It is truly great to see representation from throughout the Arsenal workforce, as well as by the family and friends of the workforce, to do what is right this Memorial Day season by fielding a parade contingent to commemorate our fallen troops," Schiller said. "Given our history, there is no better place for us to be than to be with the community this Memorial Day."
For those who participated the 'why' was simple …
"I'm almost embarrassed to say that before the Arsenal started doing parades in 2009, I had forgotten what the true meaning of what the holidays were for," said Bruce Pienkoski. "But after I supported that first parade, I saw how important the parades were to the community in its remembrance of those who have fought and died for our country."
Pienkoski has now participated in 14 parades since 2009.
In addition to activities tied to Memorial Day, the Arsenal also had the great honor to participate in the New York state Senate's Veterans' Hall of Fame Ceremony at the Capitol.
In recent years, each senator has nominated one Veteran from their district to receive a prestigious award during its annual Veterans' Hall of Fame Ceremony. This was the Arsenal's fourth year supporting this event.
Not only was the Arsenal commander the keynote speaker this year, the Arsenal also set up, with the support of the Army's Benét Laboratories, several booths and table displays outside of the ceremony to tell the Arsenal and Army story to the senators, members of the Assembly, Veteran Service Organizations, Veterans and their family members and friends.
The importance of this engagement was well acknowledged by Lee Bennett, the director of Benét Laboratories.
"Benét Labs, as part of the Army family, welcomes any opportunity to support our Veterans, especially when hearing their stories of courage and sacrifice reminds our workforce of the importance of our mission," Bennett said. "Participating in this event truly went beyond telling the Arsenal and Benét Lab's stories, because the event gave us a chance to personally thank the Veterans and their family members for their service and sacrifice."
According to Jake Peart, the Arsenal's Business Development Officer who spearheaded the Arsenal's display at the event, "The team was honored to witness the recognition of a wide variety of New York state Veterans, as well as to engage them and their family members at the Arsenal and Benét Labs displays."
Stephen Luther, an Arsenal apprentice who has now supported the Senate ceremony for the last two years, said, "It was truly an honor to listen to the Veterans as they told their stories about their experiences with many of the products the Arsenal manufactures."
Hearing those stories, Luther said, gave him a better sense of purpose for what he does, as well as a greater sense of pride to be a part of the Arsenal's history that Veterans shared with him that day.
So, while many Americans headed off to beaches and amusement parks this month, the Arsenal continued to build ̶ build on its ties and relationships with the local communities.
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The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-operated manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously operating arsenal in the United States, having begun operations during the War of 1812. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in July 2013.
Today's Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high-tech, high-powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark has an annual economic benefit to the local community in excess of $90 million, and its 2014 revenue was about $117 million.
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