Chambersburg, PA – LTC Timothy J Ballas assumed command of the Letterkenny Munitions Center (LEMC) on 10 June, from LTC Dennis K Williams II during a change of command ceremony at the U.S. Army Reserve Center hosted by COL Stephen Dondero, Commander, Crane Army Ammunition Activity.
The change of command ceremony symbolizes a peaceful military transition of power that recognizes the outgoing commander’s accomplishments while welcoming the incoming commander to the organization.
LTC Williams, the 4th Commander of the installation, has served at LEMC for two years.
“It has been an honor to serve with each and every one of you here at LEMC. The work done here ensures that our Warfighters have the resources they need to win. Regardless of the obstacle, we found a means to accomplish the mission every time. I attribute that success directly to the fantastic workforce here at LEMC that always seem to find a way to adapt and overcome.”
During his tenure, LEMC successfully demilitarized their 500th rocket motor in the Ammonium Perchlorate Rocket Motor Destruction (ARMD) facility, expanded LEMC’s non-destructive testing capabilities, further developed LEMC’s relationships with industry partners, and delivered on LEMC’s primary mission of distributing critical munitions while also navigating the logistical challenges created by the global pandemic.
LTC Williams will be moving on to his next assignment later this month.
Incoming Commander LTC Timothy J Ballas, a Pennsylvania native, enlisted in the Army in 1998. He went on to pursue his Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice from Edinboro University and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps Branch in 2004. LTC Ballas has held leadership positions at the tactical team level and every level from platoon up through company command in a variety of tactical, operational, and strategic assignments most recently serving as the Executive Officer to the Director of Operations for U.S. Transportation Command, at Scott AFB, IL.
LTC Ballas’ awards and decorations includes three Bronze Star Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor, other personal, unit, and service awards, and has earned the Air Assault and Combat Action Badges.
“LEMC’s nearly 80 years of excellence and tradition is well known by our Soldiers and customers around the world. You would be hard-pressed to find an organization with a better reputation and I’m proud to have been given the opportunity to lead LEMC into the next evolution of their continued success.”
Since 1941, the Letterkenny Munitions Center (LEMC) has supplied our Soldiers with rapid power protection to anywhere in the world. As the one stop shop for missile maintenance, modification, repair, guidance testing, and de-militarization, LEMC has become the premier maintenance location for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the Army and Marine Corps. LEMC is also currently producing the Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket (LCRRPR), as well as assembling the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) for the Army, Navy and foreign military sales customers. LEMC also performs maintenance on missiles for the Air Force and Navy, to include the High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), Sidewinder and Sidewinder 9X, the Joint Air to Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM), and the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
Maintaining our national defense, protecting democracy, and supplying our men and women in uniform with the lethality they need to carry out their mission is paramount, LEMC has the demonstrated the capability necessary to meet that need.
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