PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – A longtime employee here and current civilian senior executive, Chris J. Grassano took the helm of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center during an assumption of responsibility ceremony on Feb. 21.
As the new director, Grassano takes charge of an organization that has long had a vital role in developing U.S. armaments and ammunition. Moving forward under his leadership, the organization will have significant responsibilities to develop technologies for the Army Future Force, such as Long-Range Precision Fires.
The Armaments Center is the largest organization here and is part of the larger DEVCOM organization that reports to Army Futures Command.
“We’re very proud to welcome you to the DEVCOM team,” said DEVCOM Commanding General Maj. Gen. Edmond “Miles” Brown, who hosted the event. “I personally look forward to learning from you and working alongside of you. I can’t think of anybody better armed for the job.”
Grassano was promoted from Senior Executive Service Tier One to Tier II when he assumed his new responsibilities.
In his remarks, Brown noted the broad array of vital traits for members of the senior executive service. They include decades of hard work and leadership, driving tangible results, achieving mission success, having a strong business acumen and building an extensive network of peers for collaboration across organizational lines.
Grassano’s various career assignments at Picatinny Arsenal provide him with a broad strategic overview of the U.S. Army’s drive to provide overmatch in the vital areas of armaments and ammunition. Before assuming his new role, Grassano was Deputy Joint Program Executive Officer for the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition, which is also headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal.
Grassano thanked Brown for hosting the ceremony and for having confidence in him. He noted that the organization now known as the Armaments Center was his first workplace, almost 37 years ago to this day. He reflected on how the world and organization had changed over the years except for its core mission.
“One thing remains constant. Our fundamental mission to lead research, development and engineering of systems solutions to arm those who defend the nation against all current and future threats, both at home and abroad. This mission is more important than ever, and I am proud to be a part of it.”
In his role as director, Grassano was preceded by John F. Hedderich III, who retired in May 2022. Anthony J. Sebasto, who served as acting director during the interim between the two directors, is executive director of the Armaments Center’s Enterprise and Systems Integration Center. Brown and Grassano thanked Hedderich and Sebasto for their strong contributions in advancing the Armaments Center mission.
“I would also like to thank all those who have supported me and helped me along the way,” Grassano said. “Without the guidance, mentorship, and encouragement of my colleagues, friends, family, I would not be standing here today.”
Before becoming director of the Armaments Center, Grassano had numerous roles at the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition. They include Director for talent management and the Director for the Senior Service College Fellowship at Picatinny (SSCF-P); Chief of Staff, acting Deputy Program Executive Officer Ammunition and Project Manager for Maneuver Ammunition Systems.
Grassano was also acting Product Manager and the Deputy Product Manager for the joint international Excalibur program. Earlier career assignments include staff assistant to the Deputy Director, Land Warfare, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Department of the Army systems coordinator, Office of the Secretary of the Army.
He started his Department of the Army civilian career in 1986 and was the lead project engineer at the U.S. Army Armament, Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), where he designed, produced and tested high-g telemetry systems for smart munition systems. Then, after spending time as a project management engineer in the Program Manager’s Office, Sense and Destroy Armor (SADARM), he served as the PM field office representative at the prime contractor’s facility in Azusa, California.
Grassano received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology; a master’s degree in business administration from the Florida Institute of Technology; a Master of Science in management from Florida Institute of Technology; and a master’s degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University.
Grassano’s awards and decorations include the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence, the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, (2) Superior Civilian Service Awards, and a Value Engineering Award. He has also received the David Packard Award for Excellence in Acquisition, Army Acquisition Excellence Team Award for Equipping and Sustaining Soldiers, the National Defense Industrial Association Firepower Management Award and is a recipient of the Honorable Order of St. Barbara given by the United States Field Artillery Association.
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