Ex-Army brat has been inspecting ammo for 40 years and counting

RADFORD, Va. — Don “Turk” Turkovich has been traveling his entire life.

The soon-to-be 73-year-old is a former Army brat. His father, Albert Turkovich served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, spent 24 years wearing a uniform for the Army, and he retired as a major. Born in Landau in der Pfalz, Germany, Turk spent his childhood in many places, including Monterrey, California; El Paso, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Turkovich’s lifelong link to the Army led him to becoming a Quality Assurance Specialist (Ammunition Surveillance), and it’s something he’s been doing for 40 years and counting.

“My dad called when I was going to college at the University of New Mexico, and said he had a buddy from Vietnam, Bill Overton, going to do an ammo inspection at Fort Bliss (near El Paso), and asked if I wanted to meet with him,” Turkovich said. “At the time, I didn’t pay that much attention to what he said about the QASAS program.

“Years later, my dad and I ran into Bill again,” Turkovich added. “He started talking more about the program, and he said ‘well, if you’re interested, I can get you an application and you can apply to the school.’ He sent me an application, I filled it out, sent it in and I forgot about it because I hadn’t heard anything in about a year and a half.”

After initially declining an offer to join the QASAS program, Turkovich reconsidered three months later and reached out to Overton to see if the opportunity was still available. A few days later, he got confirmation that it was, so he packed up some of his belongings, grabbed his dog, and set off in his van from El Paso to Savannah, Illinois, to join the QASAS intern program at the Army Defense Ammunition Center and School.

QASAS personnel play a vital role in ensuring that service members across the globe have access to dependable, high-performing, and lethal munitions — covering everything from small-caliber ammunition to missiles and large rockets.

“People in regular jobs fall into a routine where each year feels the same, but being a QASAS offers constant variety, and that’s something I really enjoy,” said Turkovich, whose career has involved stops at eight duty stations and six deployments – three to Afghanistan, one to Israel, one to Portugal, and one to Sardinia. “Every location has a different mission and different challenges. The most challenging thing is when you hit a new duty station, and you must figure out what your priorities are. You then get those done and work on other projects.

“I like working with Soldiers, supporting them, and teaching them things,” Turkovich added.

For more than a century, QASAS experts have served as the foremost authority on explosive safety and ammunition reliability. QASAS professionals empower warfighters with the confidence needed to execute their missions successfully. At the same time, their contributions help reduce waste, cut costs, and improve overall efficiency in military readiness.

Drawing from extensive training and real-world experience, QASAS offer critical tactical perspectives that shape high-level decision-making, ensuring missions are executed with precision and operational dominance.

Turkovich, who for the last 10 years has been working at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia, was recently recognized for his dedication. Lt. Col. Adrien Humphreys, RFAAP’s commander, presented him with his 40-year Civilian Service Certificate and pin, a one-star note and a commander’s coin in a ceremony on April 30.

“The QASAS expertise is undeniably critical in ensuring quality, reliability, and lethality across the ammunition enterprise,” Humphreys said. “I can attest RFAAP has benefitted from Don’s expertise and experience.”

Jeff Howell, who is the operations chief at RFAAP, echoes the same sentiments.

“Don is a true professional that has a keen eye for how to store ammunitions and explosives safely at RFAAP. He has a diverse skillset that allows him to make connections with different outside agencies and accomplish unique tasks,” Howell said. “RFAAP is incredibly lucky to have Don’s wide range of experiences and unique skillset. He is always willing to put in the extra effort to ensure the mission is accomplished.”