Caption: FORT SILL, Okla. — Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

Caption: FORT SILL, Okla. — Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

FORT SILL, Okla. — The Fires Center of Excellence G2 Security division neutralized 53 inoperable GSA security containers April 20-24, saving the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

The event helped all five brigades across Fort Sill regain compliance with federal and Department of Defense security regulations, including FED-STD 809B and AR 380-5.

Heavy-duty GSA containers often become inoperable due to mechanical wear or misplaced combinations, which are tracked via SF 700 procedures. When these safes fail, they occupy valuable workspace and remain as "clogged" items on unit property books.

Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

Caption: FORT SILL, Okla. — Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

During the week-long operation, FCoE G2 experts handled the technical work in-house. The execution team included Melissa Baker, Sgt. 1st Class Audares McManus, and Carlos Harbin Sr. from FCoE G2, as well as Brant Davidson from the FCoE Transformation Integration Directorate (TID).

"The process involved carefully cutting into the drawer heads, allowing the safes to be opened, emptied, and the locking mechanisms removed," said Baker, the FCoE information security program manager.

Harbin, the FCoE command security manager, said an event of this scale requires total team effort. Support from Anthony Bland of the TID and Tony Phillips of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) ensured the containers were moved to a centralized location for processing.

Caption: FORT SILL, Okla. — Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

Caption: FORT SILL, Okla. — Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

Financial and procurement support was managed by Teresa Sneed of the FCoE G8 and Staff Sgt. Eric Zimmerman, the headquarters detachment government purchase card holder. Their work allowed the team to secure the safety gear and specialized equipment necessary to perform the task without outside contractors.

Once neutralized, the containers were processed for turn-in to the Defense Logistics Agency, routed to the landfill, or staged for future recertification.

Caption: FORT SILL, Okla. — Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

Members of the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) G2 Security division and Transformation Integration Directorate work to neutralize inoperable GSA security containers during a week-long operation at Fort Sill, April 20-24. The in-house team successfully processed 53 broken safes by cutting into the drawer heads to remove the locking mechanisms. This effort helped five brigades regain federal security compliance and saved the Army an estimated $48,000 in commercial locksmith and disposal fees.

U.S. Army Photo by Carlos Harbin, FCoE G2

In one instance, specialists opened a container using the original factory combination. This saved the red-label container from destruction and allowed it to be returned to service immediately without the cost of replacement parts.

The internal operation resulted in significant cost savings. By using Fort Sill personnel instead of commercial locksmiths, the installation saved approximately $48,000.

"Now, it is incumbent for all units to ensure proper SF 700s are updated, maintained, and properly stored to alleviate the enormous expense required to neutralize the container," Harbin said. "Overall, this was a great event, and the spirited team of professionals made it possible and a remarkable success.”