CAAA receives Army Superior Unit Award

By Mr. Thomas Peske (AMC)December 6, 2007

Brig. Gen. Phillips attaches streamer
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Brig. Gen. Phillips and Brig. Gen. Rogers tour CAAA
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CAAA Depot Operations' Supervisory Operations Specialist Dennis Sickel briefs JM&L LCMC Commanding General Brig. Gen. William Phillips and JMC Commanding General Brig. Gen. James Rogers on how the Ammunition Transportation and Tracking Control Center... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
CAAA receives Army Superior Unit award
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CRANE, Ind. - Brig. Gen. William N. Phillips, commanding general of the Joint Munitions & Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, and Brig. Gen. James E. Rogers, commanding general of the Joint Munitions Command, visited Crane Army Ammunition Activity Nov. 28 and presented the activity with an Army Superior Unit Award.

Crane Army hosted the two commanding generals in order to present a strong overview of the activity's operations and efforts toward continuous improvement through a command briefing and a tour of the activity. This was Phillips' first visit to Crane since becoming the JM&L LCMC commanding general.

At the presentation of the award, Phillips told Crane employees that the award directly reflected their efforts in supporting all service members.

Paraphrasing a quote by Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Richard Cody, Phillips said, "You cannot measure your importance to this Global War on Terrorism fight by your proximity to the battlefield. There are unsung heroes right here at Crane Army Ammunition Activity that are doing extraordinary work in support of service members and Soldiers. And this was just an opportunity to thank the many unsung heroes right here."

The basis of the unit award is to recognize JMC headquarters and its subordinate commands efforts to support warfighters at a moment's notice. Rogers explained the decision was made at JMC to put every ammunition installation in for the award, so that all installations and the headquarters would be recognized for their support of the warfighter.

He said, "We are the only command in AMC that (Gen. Benjamin S. Griffin, commanding general of Army Munitions Command) agreed to allow that to happen. Every other command had to apply separately by installation. That is something very telling."

During the visit, CAAA provided Phillips and Rogers with presentations highlighting current operations, future goals and its Lean/Six Sigma improvements. CAAA's Chief of Staff Norman Thomas escorted the visitors on a tour of the activity, allowing the CAAA employees a chance to showcase the activity's hard work and improvements through Lean Six Sigma.

The tour included the pyrotechnic facility, machine shop, medium caliber projectile production facility and ammunition surveillance workshop. The tour also highlighted the Ammunition Transportation and Tracking Control Center and how the system is used to increase shipping and receiving productivity.

Accompanying Phillips and Rogers to CAAA were JM&L LCMC's Command Sgt. Maj. Larry C. Taylor and JMC's Sgt. Maj. James E. Taylor.

CAAA was established in October 1977 and is a tenant of the Navy Region Midwest, Naval Support Activity Crane. The Army activity maintains ordnance professionals and infrastructure to receive, store, ship, produce, renovate and demilitarize conventional ammunition, missiles and related components.