ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- The Joint Munitions Command's Quality Assurance program enhances readiness and ensures ready and reliable ammunition is provided to the Joint Warfighter when needed. As part of this program, Quality Assurance Specialists recently received training through the Enhancing Quality Understanding, Independence, and Professionalism course at JMC headquarters on August 8-9.
Quality Assurance Specialists are a critical element in JMC's role as the sustainment and logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition. They provide oversight of ammunition production, ensuring quality and technical requirements are met.
"I really believe, as team JMC, we are working to ensure quality products are entering the ammunition stockpile. The EQUIP course gives us an opportunity to focus on our quality policies. It's critical for the readiness of the Army," Celia Hadden, the director of the quality directorate at JMC, said.
When speaking to the group, she stated, "To ensure these requirements are met, you must first understand the requirements. This is why you are here today. Whether you are a new quality professional or an experienced one, you will walk away at the end of this course with a better understanding of ammunition quality requirements," Hadden said.
Col. Michelle Letcher, the JMC commander, also commended the quality assurance professionals' role in ensuring safe and reliable ammunition for the Warfighter.
"In my 23 years of experience serving in uniform, I've always had great confidence in the quality of the ammunition delivered to the Warfighter," said Letcher.
During the EQUIP course, employees received quality assurance direction, learned historical lessons, and shared best practices. Topics included Army regulations, quality policies, critical characteristics control, quality assurance surveillance plans, and ammunition data card review. A new addition to this year's course was a set of case study exercises titled "What Would You Do?," which helped attendees apply lessons learned.
"The purpose of the course is to supplement the acquisition training requirements for the quality assurance career field," said Bill Dunkin, chief, Production Quality Management Division.
"The course included discussion on a variety of quality topics that ensures synchronization, standardization, and continuous improvement across all conventional ammunition producers," said Dunkin.
The course is available for all quality assurance personnel from government-owned, government-operated and government-owned, contractor-operated installations involved in the oversight of conventional ammunition. This was the fourth training course held since its implementation. The course is offered to new QA employees and to current employees as a refresher.
Joint Munitions Command produces small-, medium-, and large-caliber ammunition items for the Department of Defense. The primary mission of JMC is to manage the production, storage, issue, and demilitarization of conventional ammunition for all U.S. Military Services. JMC provides a global presence of technical support to U.S. combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed.
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