Depot designated Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for APE

On March 1, the Secretary of the Army, the Honorable John M. McHugh, designated Tooele Army Depot as a Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence (CITE) for the depot level maintenance it performs in support of Ammunition Peculiar Equipment (APE). This makes TEAD one of nine installations within the Department of the Army to receive CITE designation and the second within Joint Munitions Command.

To become CITE designated a depot-level activity must have a recognized core competency that does not exist anywhere else in the Army. At TEAD that core competency exists within the Ammunition Equipment and Manufacturing Directorate and its mission to design, fabricate, test, field and maintain Ammunition Peculiar Equipment. APE is used in support of conventional and chemical ammunition maintenance, surveillance, demilitarization, renovation, modernization, packaging and preservation throughout the world.

"With the CITE designation comes a great deal of pride and acknowledgement of the unique capability that exists here and the workforce is buzzing with excitement over this long over-due recognition," said Col. Yolanda Dennis-Lowman, TEAD commander.

TEAD has been the original equipment manufacturer for APE since 1955 and is the only Department of Defense depot that provides depot level maintenance and training support for APE. As of 2009, there were more than 407 pieces of active APE located at installations all over the United States and in countries around the world. Some of those APE pieces include the Deactivation Furnaces used in the demilitarization of small arms and munitions components; the Mobile Brass Certification Units used to flash spent brass prior to turn in or recycle; and the Prime/Deprime Machines used to deprime cartridge cases with screw type primers prior to salvage or repriming.

CITE designation opens the doors for the depot to engage in public-private partnerships with private entities, which may help the depot reduce its costs and maximize the use of TEADs skills and capabilities, said Rick Nesbitt, deputy to the commander at TEAD. "As an Army Working Capital Fund installation, the rate TEAD charges its customers depends largely on the amount of workload TEAD receives. Being able to partner with private industry will help TEAD reduce its cost by sharing some of the expenses of operations with its partners."

TEAD has already demonstrated an aptitude for successful partnerships by partnering

with Safety Management Services, West Jordan, Utah, more than two years ago to conduct energetic material testing and some fabrication and engineering, said Roger Hale, testing officer at AEMD's Test Site. SMS is an approved and authorized Examining Agency for the testing of explosives and hazardous materials for the Department of Transportation. The testing conducted by SMS at TEAD helps determine DOT transportation classification, including the proper shipping name, hazard class and division, and compatibility group for explosive substances and articles.

AEMD has partnered with Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK), Minneapolis, Minn., and Southern Technologies Incorporated (STI), Longwood, Fla., to provide Australia with an operational Explosive Waste Incinerator. ATK is responsible for the majority of the facilities construction and equipment installation while AEMD and STI are providing engineering design, systems integration and systemization, according to Dave Ayala, TEAD's Business Development team lead. AEMD will also be responsible for training personnel on operating and upkeep of the system.

"CITE designation will improve readiness by making the workforce sharper, more skilled, knowledgeable of and trained in the best commercial practices from participating in public-private partnerships," Dennis-Lowman said. "Additionally, I anticipate improved surge capability as a result of a better workforce, capital improvements and more efficient and effective processes."

Other CITE designated installations include Tobyhanna Army Depot, CITE for C4ISR and Electronics, Avionics and Missile Guidance and Control; Letterkenny Army Depot, CITE for Air Defense and Tactical Missile Systems; Anniston Army Depot, CITE for Combat Vehicles, Artillery, Bridging Systems, and Small Caliber Weapons; Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, CITE for Mobile Maintenance Systems; Sierra Army Depot, CITE for the Reset of Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units; Corpus Christi Army Depot, CITE for Rotary Wing Aircraft; Pine Bluff Arsenal, CITE for Chemical and Biological Defense Equipment; Red River Army Depot, CITE for Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, the Small Emplacement Excavator, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Multiple Launch Rocket System Chassis, Patriot Missile Recertification and rubber products.