REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- The U.S. Army Materiel Command added six new faces to its Hall of Fame at the AMC headquarters.
"At the Army Materiel Command we sustain the strength of the nation, but we know that the ability to do that in the past, the present and in the future is in large part a result of the commitment, dedication, work and vision of those we honor today," AMC Commander Gen. Dennis L. Via said during an induction ceremony, Oct. 27.
The class of 2015 included: James L. Flinn, III, Henry B. Jones, Arthur R. Keltz, Dr. Walter S. McAfee, Lewis J. Ashley, and Frederick J. Clas.
"This is an opportunity to pay tribute to their phenomenal careers: what they have accomplished in their lifetimes and how that still contributes to the Army we have today," said Via. "Secondly, this is an opportunity to inspire current employees. In a day where we have so much uncertainty, here are six people that did remarkable things before the internet and before we had all the other capabilities we have today; those contributions have been enduring."
Among the honorees was Flinn, who Via remarked was a senior executive that kept the Army's missiles at the highest state of readiness during war and while establishing a local university. Flinn, the former deputy commanding general of Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command, attended the ceremony with his wife, Nancy.
Flinn said he was totally surprised that he had even been nominated and was shocked to find out he was selected.
"This is just one thing I get to wear," said Flinn motioning towards his Hall of Fame medal, "but it is reflective of the kind of quality, professionalism, and caliber of people that are employed by AMC."
Clas, the oldest living recipient at 93 years old, spoke to Via on the telephone the morning of the event. Clas was unable to travel for the ceremony.
"I told him (Via) how proud I was to have had an opportunity to work at the arsenal," Clas said. "I also told him (Via) that he made an old man cry today. This award means that much to me."
Clas reported for his first day of apprentice training at Watervliet Arsenal in 1940 at just 18 years old. He worked for 18 different commanders, supported three major wars and logged nearly 100,000 hours before he retired.
Keltz, served as the principal deputy for Logistics to three AMC commanders and played an integral role in the development and employment of the AMC Logistics Support Element. During his tenure, he served as the highest-ranking civilian in AMC. Lisha Adams, who accepted the award in his behalf, serves as the highest-ranking civilian at AMC today.
Ashley, who served as the special assistant to the commander and the command ombudsman, asked that a long-time friend and mentee, Kathy Gardner, receive the award on his behalf. Many of his contributions like the CEO Forum, an annual meeting between industry executives and government officials, still exist today, more than 25 years later.
"I liked my job and the opportunity to solve problems that went toward helping the warfighter," said Ashley in a pre-ceremony interview.
McAfee, who served more than four decades as a scientist, educator, supervisor and mentor to the U.S. Army Communication-Electronics Command and the Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, community was posthumously inducted into the AMC Hall of Fame. His daughter Diane McAfee accepted the award in his place surrounded by sisters, nieces and family.
Via noted that as the former commander of Fort Monmouth, he remembers the halls and buildings named after McAfee.
Jones, a former Acquisition Center director, was also inducted posthumously.
Jones was the chief strategist and overseer of acquisition of the Army's ground combat and tactical vehicle fleet. During his tenure, he served as a section chief, branch chief, division chief, special assistant to the commanding general of U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, deputy director of Procurement and Production, and director of the Acquisition Center. His daughter Robin Jones received the award on his behalf.
When asked how it was to narrow down the nominations, Via summed it up in one word: challenging. "All of the nominations were just phenomenal individuals," he said.
AMC's Hall of Fame was established in 2012 to recognize individuals who made significant contributions to the command and the Army. Nominees are evaluated on their contributions to one or more of AMC's core missions or the lasting impacts they made on the command. A selection board reviewed 31 nominees put forth as contenders for 2015's class.
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