ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- The Anniston Munitions Center held a virtual change of command ceremony Wednesday, July 1.
Lt. Col. Thomas Smith assumed command of the organization. He comes to Anniston from Raleigh, NC, where he served as the battalion executive officer for the 2nd Brigade U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
He looks forward to assisting the organization to continue their high standards in ensuring the readiness of America’s war fighters.
“It is, without question, a distinct honor and privilege for me to be afforded the ability to take command of the Anniston Munitions Center. I am well aware of their rich traditions, history and lineage,” said Smith.
He thanked his family for their ongoing support, both those present at the ceremony and those who, because of the current restrictions on audience size, could not attend.
Smith, a native of North Carolina, commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps upon graduating from the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School in 2001.
His career has spanned numerous deployments and a variety of roles, including battalion S4, battalion executive officer and assistant professor of Military Science.
Lt. Col. Roshun Steele, ANMC commander since June 18, 2018, relinquished command to Smith in a ceremony presided over, via video teleconference, by Blue Grass Army Depot Commander Col. Joseph R. Kurz.
Under the Army’s Joint Munitions Command, Kentucky’s BGAD has command and control of ANMC.
“It has been such an honor being the commander of ANMC for the past two years,” said Steele. “I could not have asked for a better group of dedicated, talented, professional people, who are committed to supporting the war fighter.”
Steele was awarded the Honorable Order of Samuel Sharpe during an award ceremony preceding the change of command.
The Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe recognizes individuals who have served the United States Army Ordnance Corps with demonstrated integrity, moral character and professional competence over a sustained period and whose selfless contributions to the Corps stand out in the eyes of their seniors, peers and subordinates alike.
Throughout Steele’s time in command of ANMC, the organization maintained a 100 percent performance to promise record, ensuring joint war fighters received the munitions needed to maintain readiness.
ANMC also completed a Sales and Operations Planning Process, balancing the workload to the workforce.
This process enables their higher headquarters to reliably view industrial plans in regards to budgetary constraints.
“Through this process, Anniston increased efficiencies and effectiveness by more than 20 percent,” said Kurz. “As a result, ANMC was awarded the Class A Milestone award by the Oliver Wight consulting firm.”
Of the 26 industrial organizations within Army Materiel Command, only two received the Oliver Wight Class A Milestone Award.
The munitions center also received numerous safety accolades, culminating in the 2019 Army Excellence in Explosives Safety Award, which the organization received in March 2020.
Steele proceeds to her next duty station with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
The ceremony, which would traditionally be held where all employees of ANMC could be present, was broadcast on the installation’s closed circuit television system, ensuring all employees who were on duty July 1 could view it live.
The passing of the colors was later uploaded to the ANMC Facebook page for viewing by those who could not be present.
Anniston Munitions Center, a tenant organization located on Anniston Army Depot, provides timely and accurate receipt, storage, issue and demilitarization of conventional ammunition and missiles in support of the joint war fighters.
With approximately 146 government civilians, ANMC has been in existence in its current state since 1998, when it stood up operations for the first time as a major tenant activity. Before then, the same operations were conducted under the installation commander in the depot’s Directorate of Ammunition.
To view content from the ceremony as well as the presentation of Steele’s Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe, visit ANMC’s Facebook page: facebook.com/AnnistonMunitionsCenter.
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