Originally published in the Corpus Chr... VIEW ORIGINAL
Originally published in the Corpus Christi Army Depot publication, Aircraftsman Vol. 21 No.9, 25 Septembe... VIEW ORIGINAL
Originally published in the Corpus Christi Army Depot publication, Aircraftsman Vol. 21 No.... VIEW ORIGINAL
As the US Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command's (AMCOM) organic industrial base for helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul, the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) expands on AMCOM's historical piece about their contributions and support in Defense when Operation Desert Shield began, 25 years ago. This collection of images and texts from the 1990 edition of CCAD's newspaper, Aircraftsman, shows how depot personnel enhanced AMCOM support by ramping up efforts to support helicopter maintenance operations during Desert Shield in August 1990. Never before published in a digital space, this material has not been widely read since its original publication 25 years ago. Every effort has been made to preserve its historical accuracy, including grammar.
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Thank you for reading,
Brigitte Rox
Public Affairs
Corpus Christi Army Depot
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Employees work 'round the clock supporting soldiers in Persian Gulf
By CCAD Public Affairs
Aircraftsman (Vol. 21 No.9) 25 September 1990
Corpus Christi Army Depot has been supporting Operation Desert Shield. Several programs and products have been placed into "accelerated production" to meet increased demands.
"When Desert Shield began in early August," said Don Greenlee, depot mobilization officer, "at the direction of the commander, we established an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to support the operation." This effort has continued on a 24-hour basis and coordinates activities in the Directorates of Maintenance and Supply.
Responding to increased demands from Aviation Systems Command and other services, several programs have moved into higher priorities and production schedules have accelerated.
The Directorate of Maintenance has increased production of engines and component parts, according to Jon Musser, EOC team member. Parts for the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters lead the list affected by this surge. Other areas are expected to see increased production demands during FY91.
"The main rotor blade program has skyrocketed," said Musser. And, according to Maintenance's records, increases in quantities on 88 on-going FY90 programs has grown from 760 units to 2,773 -- a 265 percent increase. Overtime in the Directorate of Maintenance has increased 59 percent as a direct result of Desert Shield.
The Supply side of the house has also felt the impact of Desert Shield. According to Errol B. Herwig, deputy director of Supply, they've seen an 18 percent increase in the shipments to customers in August.
"Engine, transmission and blade shipments jumped when Desert Shield first began," Herwig said. There has also been an increase in aircraft shipments, particularly AH-1 Cobras.
The most significant change in Supply operations was the increased priority classification given to these shipments. "We are receiving a number of 01 priority designators to support the operation," Herwig said. "This is only the second time I've seen 01 priorities."
Demands for CCAD support and products have increased from all the military services, particularly the Navy programs. With approximately 60 Navy programs underway, 55 of these have been accelerated now, according to Musser. The Navy program line increased by 224 percent.
The increase in production appears to be an on-going event with the Directorates of Maintenance and Supply planning to continue the present level of support.
With an increase in shipments, military transportation has been taxed. To meet demand, civilian charter aircraft have been used occasionally to move parts. And, an Air National Guard C-12 aircraft makes a daily ferry run moving parts and supplies throughout the system.
In addition to meeting accelerated production demands for component parts, the Directorate of Maintenance has been manufacturing some specific parts for Desert Shield.
Engine covers, for instance, are being prototyped and manufactured to protect the Black Hawk from sand and FOD (Foreign Object Debris) damage. An extended range fuel system has been developed for the CH-47 that gives the aircraft the ability to self-deploy across the Atlantic from U.S. sites. Also, nine new FY90 programs were initiated as a result of Desert Shield for high performance hoists, pitot/static testers, suppression kits and spreader bars.
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