PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. -- When Chris J. Grassano opened his first town hall as the leader of Picatinny Arsenal’s largest organization, he noted that while employees undertake a wide range of daily activities, they all have an underlying unity of purpose.
Examples of such duties include signing a travel order, sitting in front of a computer designing a next generation armament system, driving a forklift, mixing chemicals in the lab, or performing some other task.
“We all do it for one purpose, right, and that’s to make sure that our Soldiers and joint warfighters have what they need to accomplish the mission and come home safely,” said Grassano, the director of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center.
“My purpose, quite honestly, and my task the way I see it, is to help you to achieve that, to give you everything that you need to accomplish your part of that mission,” continued Grassano, who first addressed the workforce during an assumption of responsibility ceremony on Feb. 21.
As the new director, Grassano assumed charge of an organization that has long had a vital role in developing U.S. armaments and ammunition. The organization has significant responsibilities to develop the critical armaments technologies needed for the Army Future Force, such as Long-Range Precision Fires and more specifically the Extended Range Cannon Artillery. The Armaments Center is an element of the Army Futures Command.
Grassano, who began his career at the Armaments Center 37 years ago, was previously Deputy Joint Program Executive Officer for the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition, which is also headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal.
In his segment of the April 13 town hall, the new director focused on what employees can expect of him and what he expects from employees. The general framework consists of five principles: Live The Army Values, Deliver Results, Be Responsible, Communicate Effectively, Find A Way and Demonstrate Teamwork.
Grassano went into further detail regarding each principle, one of which was to be mindful of limited financial resources when developing potential solutions. He urged employees to find ways to get things done by devising creative solutions that don’t automatically require more spending. “If we generate and design systems that are too expensive or unaffordable, that weakens the country’s economic power,” he added.
“We should be spending every dollar is if it was yours because it is yours,” Grassano said, noting the ongoing tax filing season. “Every dollar you spend is a tax dollar you are paying.”
He also underscored the need to develop forward momentum. “I look forward to making timely decisions. I don’t like to let things hang out there. As quick as we can make a decision and have the information we need and move out, that’s what I look forward to doing.
“I want to allow you, and trust you, to execute within your areas of responsibility. You are all the experts in your areas and I expect you to execute along those lines.“
Grassano also emphasized the need to meet commitments to outside organizations or have a plan to do so if not already done. “I expect folks to honor or meet commitments made, or if not, explain why, and what are the next steps going forward.”
The new director also emphasized the need to think critically, to anticipate the consequences of decisions, and thus minimize unforeseen surprises. Such thinking, he added, can result in alternate or better solutions.
“I try to be a lifelong learner and hopefully others try to do the same,” Grassano said. “I know we have some really smart minds here, but you can never know it all. So there’s always something to learn or discover.”
The Armaments Center director also emphasized the need for effective communications that are clear, concise, open and transparent, along with informing the right people on a timely basis. “Bad news doesn’t get better with age,” he added.
Grassano described himself as having a safety and security mindset. “That means making sure that everything we do is done in a safe and secure way--doing what is necessary to protect our people, the environment and our information.”
The director also said he is keenly interested in the well-being of every employee. “I know a lot of you are doing lots of different things, but if there are things that I can do to help I am here for that reason.”
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