ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala - Anniston Army Depot and General Dynamics Land Systems are two months into their second program resetting Stryker vehicles for the Army. This work, along with the continuation of GDLS' new Stryker production and the partners' work to repair battle- and combat-damaged Strykers, puts the installation in a position to be the self-proclaimed "Stryker hub of America," said Dale Williams, Stryker division chief at ANAD.
The current reset order will provide 73 fully mission capable vehicles for the Depot Repair Cycle Float fleet, a reserve supply for Stryker Brigade Combat teams deploying in support of the global war on terrorism.
Work for the first Stryker reset program took place between November 2009 and June 18 and yielded 312 vehicles for the 56th SBCT, Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Work for the DRCF began in May and is expected to last through October.
Department of the Army civilians and Defense contractors alike assert that, above all production goals, the warfighters' safety ranks supreme.
"The goal for everyone here is to support the men and women of our Armed Forces and give them the best we can give them," said Williams.
The public-private partnership between the depot and GDLS is a work share agreement in which Detroit, Mich.-based TACOM Life Cycle Management Command has awarded GDLS a contract to reset Strykers. Under this P3 category, the depot's labor and parts are backed by routine funding streams.
Through the reset program, work is performed in three phases and is equally split between ANAD and GDLS. From the joint technical inspection to the final inspection by Defense Contract Management Agency, every Department of the Army civilian performing touch labor - disassembly, cleaning/finishing, painting, repairing or reassembly - on the Stryker works alongside one GDLS technician doing the same.
While producing the first order of 312 vehicles, the partners energized a joint Lean manufacturing team to evaluate processes and prepare the production lines for modification before receiving the next assignment from TACOM LCMC. One effective change was made in the area of suspension inspection and repair, said GDLS' J. W. Bailey. The Lean team determined that isolating the suspension work from the rest of phase two's bay-style line provides a better product in less time.
"Not only did the improvements with Lean reduce the cycle time, the adjustments in our production line improved quality," Bailey said.
Deputy to the Commander Jack Cline touted the partners' tenacity in working through the various unfamiliar processes as they blended the experiences and skill sets of both sides-government and private industry.
"This is the best team to ever reset Strykers," said Cline. "They've paved the way for Stryker reset and Stryker repair here at Anniston."
The depot is resetting all 10 variants within the Stryker family of vehicles. Most of the reset work on the eight-wheeled Stryker is being performed inside the Combat Vehicle Facility where other mechanics, machinists and welders there are refurbishing tracked vehicles like the M1 Abrams, M88 recovery vehicle and the Paladin.
"It takes a lot of planning and coordination to get these vehicles where they need to be, when they need to be there," said Williams.
Overall, the partners are employing the skills of about 500 people on the installation in support of the Stryker.
Combined, the depot and GDLS have about 160 people dedicated to Stryker reset work. GDLS, the Stryker's original equipment manufacturer, has an additional 200-plus technicians either assembling new vehicles or repairing the combat- and battle-damaged Strykers alongside ANAD employees, said Bailey.
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