Perkins assumes command at MCAAP

MCALESTER, Okla. — Col. Curtis Perkins is the new commander of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

Perkins accepted the responsibilities during a change of command ceremony on June 18, and he replaces Col. Gabriel Pryor.

“To the men and women of MCAAP – thank you. You’ve taught me more about leadership, grit, and excellence than I could have ever expected. This was not just a duty – it was a blessing,” Pryor said. “As I pass the guidon, I do so with gratitude and great pride in what we’ve built together. I leave this post a better leader, a better teammate, and a better man.”

In 1999, Perkins began his Army career where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Quartermaster branch from the Army ROTC program at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Perkins' assignment before taking command at MCAAP was as the CJTF-OIR Director of Logistics in Kuwait, Iraq and Syria.

"Roughly 32 years ago, I had the opportunity to contribute to this great legacy by conducting training here at McAlester as a 55B ammunition specialist," Perkins said. "It was a foundational experience in my military career and coming back as your commander is truly a full circle moment for me."

In 2000, Perkins was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Ft. Hood, Texas. He served as a platoon leader, company executive officer, and deputy support operations officer in the 404th Division Aviation Support Battalion, where he deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom-I. After completing the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course in 2004, he was re-assigned to the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Ft. Hood. In 2006, Perkins deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom-III as a deputy brigade S4 and Echo Forward Support Company Commander assigned to 1-12 Infantry Battalion. In 2008, Perkins was assigned to 27th Brigade Support Battalion as S3 Operations Officer, followed by the Brigade Resource Manager, where he deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom-V.

"Col. Perkins' commitment to service is rooted in his family's history of service to the nation. His dedication to our nation and his career has been shaped by witnessing sacrifice, learning from failures, and through his mentorship of others," said Brig. Gen. Daniel Duncan, JMC's commander.

Perkins has earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, a Master of Arts in procurement and acquisitions management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering technology from South Carolina State University.

“I look forward to getting around to all the MCAAP directorates and meeting the people and families that have invested generations of loyalty and support to our mission over the last 80 plus years,” Perkins said. “Our mission remains instrumental to our national defense, and I am proud to serve with this dedicated team."

MCAAP, a subordinate installation of JMC, has a mission to produce, receive, store, ship, renovate, and demilitarize conventional ammunition. The installation, which is a subordinate of the Joint Munitions Command, provides Centralized Ammunition Management for training ammunition and contingency stocks for Army units in the southwest region of the United States.

JMC provides the joint forces with ready, reliable, and lethal munitions at the speed of war, sustaining global readiness. JMC is the logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition and provides a global presence of technical support to combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed.