ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (June 14, 2016) -- The Integrated Suitability and Methodology Evaluation Directorate, or ISMED, and the Survivability Evaluation Directorate, or SVED, within the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command's, or ATEC, Army Evaluation Center, or AEC, conducted a Beautification Stand-Down Day June 2 at their office building, Building 4120.
The purpose of the beautification project was to demonstrate workplace pride and practice team building skills to promote resiliency and greater team cohesion.
Directors of ISMED and SVED, Col. Terry Love and Col. Scott Brooks, kicked off the event by giving a safety briefing to all participants. The safety briefing stressed the importance of safety when working outdoors and the value of embracing an opportunity to give back, and ways to have fun while doing it. As an added benefit, the beautification effort provided an opportunity for members of the two directorates to get to know each other outside of their cubicle workspaces.
Within a few hours of the beautification efforts, Building 4120 and it's landscape underwent a miraculous transformation --fresh layers of mulch were applied, overgrown bushes, hedges, and trees were pruned, trimmed or cut, and first floor windows and ledges were cleaned.
"This was a great opportunity to amp up energy activation for something positive," said Love.
ATEC's commanding general, Maj. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler and the ATEC Equal Employment Opportunity office director, Dr. Victoria Dixon, and program manager, Jody Jackson, along with AEC's executive director, James Cooke, dropped in to show their support and voiced their appreciation for the beautification efforts well underway.
Dixon stated the event was outstanding, very original, and it was the best team-building event that served several purposes at once.
The participants were treated to a potluck luncheon, enjoyed a variety of music, and engaged in friendly team-led game competitions to promote teambuilding.
The ISMED and SVED directors concluded the event by highlighting a few resiliency and team building principles with an emphasis on active constructive responding to build team connections and effective energy management to optimize performance.
Jackson expressed his gratitude for the end results of the beautification project and also stressed the importance of being part of a team and of teambuilding skills. "Magnificent esprit de corps and beautification efforts demonstrated by ISMED and SVED."
According to Love all the necessary lawn tools and other equipment to support the event were provided courtesy of the APG Directorate of Public Works, or DPW.
In light of the substantial decrease in contracts DPW needs to provide common levels of support to tenant organizations on the installation, a DPW team member expressed hopes that the ISMED and SVED directorates' beautification project will inspire other organizations to undertake the same or similar initiatives and take advantage of the equipment DPW has available to beautify their own work areas.
Just like many other office buildings on APG, Building 4120, the Huntley Building, is named after someone who left an indelible mark on military history. The building was dedicated to the memory of Cpl. Paul B. Huntley, 582nd Ordnance Ammunition Company, who gave his life on March 16, 1945 in service to this great nation while his unit was supporting the first crossing of the Rhine River by U.S. Army Forces during World War II.
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