LAKE CITY ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, Independence, Mo. -- The Commanding General of the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command, BG Michelle Letcher, conducted her quarterly review of Lake City Ammunition Plant, and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, here Oct. 23.

The focus of the visit was to discuss the endeavors of both plants in support of JMC's 2020 campaign plan within three critical lines of effort: strategic readiness, future force, and personnel readiness.

The MCAAP Commander, Col. Shane Upton, along with the LCAAP Commander, Lt. Col. Dana Crow hosted the event.

The review coincided with the recent publication of the Army Modernization Strategy, and particular emphasis was given during the review to the innovative initiatives by both plants that enhance their agility and adaptability in support of future force requirements.

"JMC is creating improved processes and a framework to execute modernization of all critical areas of the ammunition Organic Industrial Base," said Letcher. "By doing so, it better synchronizes execution of all projects, while responsibly using all available funding sources. MCAAP and LCAAP, aligned with JMC -- focused on future projects that build more multi-use and flexible manufacturing facilities which can quickly be changed to adapt to rapidly emerging technology requirements."

LCAAP is currently engaged in modernization and munition reform projects valued at more than $254 million in execution. MCAAP's modernization projects include a multi-use load facility, a demilitarization facility, and state-of-the-art X-ray and ultrasonic mixing technology, among others.

JMC's modernization plan encompasses infrastructure, equipment, information technology, cyber and human capital requirements; while ensuring each installation supports current Warfighter readiness gains, looks for ways to increase surge capacity in order to ensure victory in a peer-threat global environment and adapts to build and supply the ammunition needed to win on the battlefield of the future during Multi-Domain Operations.

Upton said the operational review and observations of production operations were of great benefit to both LCAAP leadership and the entire MCAAP organizational team.

"We demonstrated a different side of the multi-functional operations positioned under the MCAAP command structure," said Upton. "During our last quarterly update conducted at MCAAP, BG Letcher was presented an in-depth assessment of supply depot operations and saw first-hand MCAAP's continuous efforts to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Here at Lake City, the production mission is a much different capability in terms of generating Army readiness. LCAAP produces small-caliber projectiles. Improvements in modernization and efficiencies that are aligned with JMC efforts are critical to strategic readiness, future force, our Soldiers and people."

LCAAP is a Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated (GOCO) installation and producing small-caliber munitions, with a production capacity of 1.2 billion rounds per year. It conducts contract oversight and operates the North Atlantic Treaty Organization test center.

MCAAP receives, stores, ships, produces, renovates and demilitarizes conventional ammunition. MCAAP also provides Centralized Ammunition Management for training ammunition and contingency stocks for Army units in the Southwest Region.

JMC operates a nationwide network of conventional ammunition manufacturing plants and storage depots that produce, store, distribute and demilitarize munitions for U.S. forces of all military services, other U.S. government agencies and allied nations.