WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. (April 16, 2015) -- The American Legion's National Commander, Michael Helm, launched his three-day tour of New York state last week by first visiting the historic Watervliet Arsenal, an Army-owned and operated manufacturing center.
Helm, who was elected the leader of the 2.4 million-member American Legion last August, follows a visit last January to the Arsenal by Frank Peters, the New York State American Legion Department Commander.
Truly understanding how rare, as well as how important this visit is to the Arsenal, Watervliet Arsenal Commander Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr. led a strong demonstration of workforce pride that he believes will go a long way toward building a great first impression for one who leads more than 2.4 million Veterans.
"For nearly 100 years, we have participated in community events alongside members of the American Legion," Schiller said. "But it wasn't until this year that we have worked very hard to get not one, but two of the Legion's senior leadership to visit us."
Schiller believes that engaging Veteran Service Organizations, such as the American Legion, is a natural and common sense approach to remaining engaged with the community or in Helm's case, the nation.
The Arsenal often hosts senior Army leaders, such as it did today with Brig. Gen. John "Jack" Haley, the Army's chief of ordnance, but today's visit by Helm opens up a different set of opportunities for the Arsenal to tell its story, as well as the Army story, to a national or worldwide audience.
"We have a great history and lineage that we owe in large part to the support that we get from those outside of our gate," Schiller said. "And so, we view every community engagement, such as with Commander Helm today, as critical to ensuring the Arsenal's long-term viability."
Schiller and Lee Bennett, the Director of the Army's Benét Laboratories that is collocated at the Arsenal, started the tour with a command briefing where 200 years of technology, research, and manufacturing was showcased.
From there, Helm toured several production bays where he saw critical manufacturing operations being performed, such as a 155mm howitzer tube being forged and then heat treated. Helm witnessed howitzer tubes being bent several inches as they were pressed by hundreds of tons of pressure in an effort to straighten them.
Helm also saw the Arsenal's mortar production line, which he said brought back fond memories of when he served in the 82nd Airborne Division. He closed out his visit with a trip to Benét Laboratories' product display area where new weapons technology was showcased.
"Given all the changes that you have had to work through your 200 years of operation, and where you are today leveraging new technology, you have got to be pretty excited about what you do," Helm said. "Because I am."
Peters, who visited the Arsenal last January, said that he thought so highly of his last visit that when he heard the American Legion National Commander was coming to New York, he had to share the great work that Watervliet is doing for our nation.
Helm is a U.S. Army veteran from the Vietnam War era, having served with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C., and earned his Ranger tab in 1972.
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The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-operated manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously operating arsenal in the United States, having begun operations during the War of 1812. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in July 2013.
Today's Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high-tech, high-powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark has an annual economic benefit to the local community in excess of $90 million, and its 2014 revenue was about $117 million.
Related Links:
Watervliet Arsenal's Flickr Page
Watervliet Arsenal's Slideshare Page
Watervliet Arsenal's YouTube Page
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