ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. - Anniston Army Depot began its final step toward becoming the core depot for the Army’s Stryker program May 2 when it inducted an Infantry Carrier Vehicle to be overhauled on the installation.

Since 2001, ANAD has been instrumental in the Stryker program, first by assisting General Dynamics Land Systems with new production and most recently with reset as well as battle- and combat-damaged programs.

The ICV now winding its way through the depot shops is just the first of 10 pilot overhauls ANAD will complete over the next two years.

According to Ryan Gilley, depot production controller, there will be a pilot overhaul for each of the Stryker variants, seven of which will occur in the next year.

“This pilot is for the ICV, specifically ICV-0003-01,” said Gilley, adding the numbers in the vehicles name indicate it was the third ICV produced new at ANAD by GDLS in 2001.

Through the overhaul process, the ICV is being reduced to its bare components and hull. Some of those components still need to be repaired or replaced by GDLS, but many of them will be repaired in the depot’s support shops.

“We are going to reuse as many of the components that come off the vehicle as we can,” said Gilley. “While GDLS will manage some of the material through their normal vendors, this partnership is shaping up to provide ANAD with a new outlook on Stryker.”

Among the items being reworked or replaced by the depot are 200 wiring harnesses and cables, seven electronic components and the hydraulic manifold unit, which is being serviced by the depot’s hydraulic shop.

“We are using the knowledge and equipment we have in place to repair these components and we’ll add more capabilities as we go along,” said Gilley.

David Mize, the depot’s Stryker program manager, said this pilot would set the foundation for the remaining pilot programs. Since each Stryker has many of the same basic systems and the same basic hull structure, each successive pilot program will focus on the variant-specific items.

“The nature of a pilot is to learn and we will learn a lot with this one,” said Mize. “The depot’s shops have everything in place that we know about to this point and we will learn what else is needed as we go.”

According to Vince Grasser, shop supervisor for the Stryker overhaul program, this overhaul is different from past overhaul programs which had five or more vehicles brought in for a complete overhaul. In those programs, the first vehicle completed was tested as the pilot vehicle. For this overhaul, only one vehicle was inducted.

That ICV has now been completely disassembled and the parts are being separated and sent to the support shops.

Most of those support shops have never worked on Stryker parts before, so mechanics are bringing each part to its respective support shop personally, to ensure the shops knows what is expected and to ensure they have the proper instructions.

“Because this is all new, it is a challenge to get the support shops the knowledge they need to work Stryker parts, particularly since they are so accustomed to working M1 tanks,” said Grasser.

Grasser said the program is not slated to end until Sept. 30, but, if the overhaul remains on schedule, the vehicle should be complete in mid-August.

This pilot is setting the stage for additional Stryker work in the future, much of which will be seen by the depot’s numerous support shops.

“When we begin this overhaul work, the support shops will get a lot busier,” said Dale Williams, Stryker division chief. “One day, the Stryker will be just like the M1 and we will be able to overhaul every component on the vehicle.”