Rene Kiebler (left), Deputy Project Manager, Combat Ammunition Systems, and Col. Scott Turner (right), PM CAS, present Sheela Lopez with the PM CAS 2011 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award. As the center director for the Combat Ammunition Cent...
The Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems organization reviewed the past year's accomplishments during an All Hands Meeting Dec. 15.
Col. Scott Turner, PM CAS, kicked the meeting off by welcoming the PM CAS members and thanking them for their hard work over the past year.
"It's a privilege to be able to gather with the great workforce at PM CAS and the individuals from other organizations that help us make things happen for the warfighters," said Turner.
"This is a time for all of us to gather and celebrate the team, and all the hard work and effort you put out over the year."
PM CAS employees were busy in 2011. Five items attained Full Materiel Release and four items were Urgent Materiel Releases to troops overseas.
The team also delivered ammunition valued at approximately $682 million. The delivery included more than a million mortar rounds, approximately 355,000 artillery projectiles, 62,550 artillery fuzes, more than six million mortar ignition cartridges and propelling charges, approximately 786,000 MACS M232A1, 581 Excalibur 155 mm GPS-guided artillery rounds and 970 120mm GPS-guided Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI) Rounds.
APMI is the world's first fielded GPS-guided 120mm mortar. PM CAS began delivering APMI to troops in the spring of 2011.
"I was particularly privileged to be at the location where the very first APMI was fired in training by troops. I can tell you that to those units that used the weapon in combat it is categorically a game changer," Turner said of the system's precision accuracy, which is designed to reduce collateral damage.
Rene Kiebler, Deputy PM CAS, showed the audience a letter of commendation to PM CAS from the Australian Army Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. J.G. Caligari.
PM CAS received the commendation for outstanding dedication and commitment to the Australian Army in the modernization of its artillery and mortar capability. The commendation praised the organization's technical and industry advice, as well as support in facilitating a number of critical ammunition acquisitions.
During the meeting, Turner and Kiebler also honored members of the ammunition teams.
While the entire PM-CAS group has been integral to this year's operations, Turner and Kiebler honored three persons in particular for their exceptional contributions throughout 2011.
Engineer of the Year:
Alan Totten was recognized as the Engineer of the Year for leading the failure investigation of the Excalibur Ia base failure during a lot acceptance test.
Through expeditious recovery of failed hardware, thorough analysis, timely execution of investigative testing in CONUS and in Sweden, as well as concise and clear consultation with major program stakeholders, Alan was able to determine and verify the root cause of the failure and quantify its associated safety risks that allowed Excalibur production to proceed safely.
Professional of the Year:
Sheela Lopez was recognized as the 2011 Professional of the Year for providing contracting leadership and dedication to PM CAS in her position as the Center Director, Combat Ammunition Center. She worked closely with her staff to overcome industry contracting issues while recognizing the need to meet service member requirements.
Through her efforts, PM CAS provided APMI assets to Afghanistan, advanced the Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) program and awarded an Excalibur option in an extraordinary short time to fulfill United States Marine Corps requirements.
Leader of the Year:
Peter Burke was awarded Leader of the Year for managing the 15-program Product Manager for Guided Precision Munitions and Mortar Systems portfolio, valued at $757 million.
Burke was instrumental in the XM1156 PGK program restructure approval in January 2011, as well as approval of the PGK Acquisition Program Baseline in July 2011.
The PGK program is currently on track for authorization to accelerate the current design for an Urgent Material Release to support combat contingencies in Operation Enduring Freedom in Fiscal Year 2012.
Additionally, he was responsible for guiding all Phase 2XM395 APMI Urgent Material Release activities.
His notable achievement was the successful completion of APMI qualification testing, and deploying to Afghanistan from October - November 2011 to assist in the urgent fielding of the APMI system to Soldiers in Operation Enduring Freedom.
In addition to managing these two precision programs, he oversaw the fielding and training of 320 60/81/120mm mortar weapon systems, 92 M326 Mortar Stowage kits, 223 LHMBC computers, and 124 mounted and dismounted mortar fire control systems.
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