Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant Deactivates

By Rebecca Montgomery, Joint Munitions Command Public AffairsApril 6, 2010

Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant Deactivates
Col. Yolanda Dennis-Lowman, commander of Tooele Army Depot, Tooele, Utah, passes the colors to Command Sgt. Maj. David Puig, Joint Munitions Command, symbolizing the deactivation of the Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant at a ceremony held March 31 at t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

RIVERBANK ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, Calif. - The Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant officially deactivated March 31 marking the end of its cartridge production mission and support to Soldiers and warfighters after almost 70 years.

"It would be an understatement for me to simply say the Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant served the Department of Defense and our nation well. Riverbank served with great distinction," said Col. Yolanda Dennis-Lowman, commander of Tooele Army Depot, Tooele, Utah, at a ceremony held March 31 at Riverbank AAP.

The cartridges produced at Riverbank AAP played a critical role in support of national military strategy. Constructed in 1942 as an aluminum reduction plant, it was converted to produce metal parts in 1951. At the height of the Vietnam conflict, employment peaked at 1,923. Riverbank had the capacity to produce ammunition metal parts for mortars and grenades and was the source for deep-drawn steel cartridge cases for Stryker and Navy gun ammunition.

Closed as a result of a 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission action, Riverbank AAP's cartridge case mission will move to Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill. Norris Industries operated the Riverbank plant for the Army and will continue the mission at Rock Island Arsenal. Production will begin at the Arsenal in 2012, with approximately 40 to 50 employees.

"I would like to express my appreciation to the current and past employees of the Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant. Through their hard work and dedication, they always ensured that the warfighter had what was needed when it was needed," Dennis-Lowman said.

The Joint Munitions Command transferred ownership of the land and buildings to the Installation Management Command's Presidio of Monterey. The city of Riverbank has entered a lease agreement with the Army to assume operational control of the facility. The JMC will have use of a hold back area to store equipment until Sept. 30 or until the JMC's property is removed. Of Riverbank AAP's four government personnel, one has retired and three are staying on as caretakers.

The plant was a subordinate installation of the JMC. JMC provides bombs and bullets to America's fighting forces - - all services, all types of conventional ammunition from 2,000-pound bombs to rifle rounds.

Riverbank AAP is the fourth JMC facility to close as the result of the 2005 BRAC. Three other JMC ammunition facilities, Kansas AAP, Parsons, Kan.; Mississippi AAP, Stennis Space Center, Miss.; and Lone Star AAP, Texarkana, Texas, have already closed. The ammunition operations at Sierra Army Depot, Herlong, Calif., and the Red River Munitions Center, Texarkana, Texas, are also slated to close. By law, all BRAC closures and realignments must be completed by September 15, 2011.