Brig. Gen. John J. McGuiness, Program Executive Officer for Ammunition, looks at a 40 mm round from Joe Schilling, line director, American Ordnance. Col. Scott Turner (left), Program Manager-Combat Ammunition Systems, looks on. McGuiness and Turner t...

MIDDLETOWN, Iowa -- The Joint Munitions Command hosted the Program Executive Officer for Ammunition Brig. Gen. John J. McGuiness during a two-day trip to Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., and Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa.

The Jan. 16-17 trip represented McGuiness's first to Rock Island since becoming PEO-Ammunition.

"I really do look forward to working closer (with JMC)," he said. "Looking at ways on how we can mutually support one another."

While at Iowa AAP, McGuiness received a site briefing before touring the 40 mm grenade, prop charges and C4 explosive extrusion lines. He also toured the warheads production lines for Hellfire and Javelin missiles.

Other visitors to Iowa AAP included Michael Yoh, president, munitions and government, Day and Zimmermann; Paul Izzo (Maj. Gen. retired), executive vice president of international diplomacy and defense services, Day and Zimmermann; Col. Scott Turner, Program Manager Combat Ammunition Systems.

From JMC, Chief of Staff Col. Joseph Tirone and Industrial Support Director Walt Songaila, attended.

Iowa AAP Commander Lt. Col. Michael Bruens felt the tour was successful.

"I think Brig. Gen. McGuiness' visit went very well," he said. "Although time only allowed us to show him about a third of our capabilities here at Iowa, I think we were able to give him a great taste of what we do here in the ammunition production realm, and how what we do supports both the JMC and PEO-Ammunition missions."

Iowa AAP is a subordinate organization of the Joint Munitions Command responsible for producing tank practice rounds, artillery rounds and 40 mm grenades, and for pressing missile warheads.

From its headquarters in Rock Island, Ill., JMC operates a nationwide network of conventional ammunition manufacturing plants and storage depots, and provides on-site ammunition experts to U.S. combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed. JMC's customers are U.S. forces of all military services, other U.S. Government agencies, and allied nations.