ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. - With the introduction of the Army's Logistics Modernization Program in October, a new directorate was born at Anniston Army Depot, the Directorate of Material Management.

This new organization has been tasked to manage the parts and products used in production of vehicle and weapons throughout the installation - from planning and requisition to receipt, storage and, if necessary, returns.

At the head of this new organization is Steve McCarley.

McCarley came to ANAD in 2004 as the supply management branch chief in the operations management support division. Since then, he has worked as branch chief of the workload analysis branch and as the division chief for the operations management support division.

"Being the division chief was a key part of my preparation and development for this position," McCarley said. "It enabled me to get more exposure to the supply system as an enterprise and it enabled me to do the necessary planning to ensure when material was needed, it was available for the production line."

But the depot wasn't McCarley's first exposure to the supply side of a maintenance mission.

A native of Jacksonville, McCarley attended Jacksonville State University before joining the Army in 1982. During his time in service, he returned to school and earned his bachelor's degree in 1996.

Though he started military life as a private, he quickly moved into the warrant officer ranks and retired in 2003 as a chief warrant officer 4.

During his military career, McCarley worked as a unit maintenance technician with a focus on logistics.

"I controlled all aspects of maintenance at the unit and battalion level," said McCarley. "If you consider that I came out of a military system into a position where I'm supporting the military, it connects."

He and his new directorate have faced the challenge of making the LMP system function for the depot's maintenance shops.

"Although we had training going in to LMP, nothing prepares you like getting behind a computer and doing it," said McCarley.

The new directorate consists of three divisions with an authorized total strength of 392 people - material staging, material planning and material control and services - each of which has its part in ensuring the components for various items produced at ANAD are where they need to be when they are needed.