ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- The depot celebrated its diamond anniversary Sept. 1 with hundreds of employees and Morale, Welfare and Recreation patrons.
"We are so proud our rich history," said ANAD Commander Col. Martine Kidd as she welcomed the audience. "Obviously, I was not here when the land was procured, the initial facilities constructed, or the original mission formulated. But, I am absolutely thrilled to be present today, serving as the 34th commander while participating in the great things that are occurring."
The event kicked off at 9:30 a.m. with the Army Materiel Command Band, which played patriotic music and got the crowd excited for a day of fun.
During the opening ceremony, the crowd heard from a variety of people who shared messages on the importance of the installation, including Senator Richard Shelby; Congressman Mike Rogers; Lisha Adams, Army Materiel Command Executive Deputy to the commanding general; Matt Pausch, TACOM Life Cycle Management Command's chief counsel; Bill Caudle, a longtime resident of Bynum; and Everett Kelly, president of AFGE Local 1945.
Shelby reiterated the importance of the depot throughout history and today while Rogers presented a Congressional proclamation regarding the depot's 75th anniversary.
Caudle shared anecdotes from his childhood on depot - from kite flying to the family atmosphere surrounding all the residents.
"Every resident of the base at the time knew each other," he said, adding the adults were often authorized to keep an eye out on all the kids.
"Without the experience of growing up here, many of the Bynum Kids would not have grown up to be who we are."
Numerous games, displays, performances and contests entertained participants as the day progressed.
A Kids Zone with inflatable play spaces, workshops and displays geared toward children was available for those who brought their children to the event.
The young, and sometimes the young at heart, were able to view displays from the JSU Science Truck and Marshall Flight Center.
Tours took guests through the industrial area to showcase the products created at ANAD.
The anniversary celebration culminated with David and Goliath - in which a tank faced off against a car.
More than $16,000 worth of prizes were won by participants in the various contests and at the end of the day during the grand prize drawings.
And, naturally, there was food. A variety, in quantities designed to feed an army, was available from DFMWR and the sponsors.
Photos by Mark Cleghorn
Col. Martine Kidd, second from left, cuts Anniston Army Depot's birthday cake with the help of, from left, Lestlie Sandridge, the most recently hired Anniston Army Depot employee; Everett Kelly, president of AFGE Local 1945; and Paul Bonds, one of the longest-serving depot employees.
Col. Martine Kidd took the first turn in the dunking booth at the 75th Anniversary Celebration.
One of the last activities of the day featured a M1 Abrams tank demolishing a small car.
Participants at the event had numerous games and activities to choose from, such as corn hole, a game played by tossing bean bags, shown here.
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