Happy Birthday to the U.S. Army! On June 14th, America celebrates the birthday of one of the most distinguished military forces in the world, the U.S. Army. On this day in 1775, the Continental Congress established the Army to fight for our country’s independence from Britain. Today, the Joint Munitions Command honors and commemorates the Army’s history, the brave men and women who filled its ranks, and our own progression along this historic timeline.
The Army has played a crucial role in many defining moments of our nation’s history. JMC is proud of its place within that timeline, accomplishing the mission of production, storage, distribution, and demilitarization of conventional ammunition, as well as the management of the Army’s ammunition industrial base for the Nation and the Armed Forces. Throughout history, the Army has developed new tactics and technologies and introduced critical munitions advancements to enhance lethality, accuracy, range, and effectiveness on the battlefield. Alongside that progression was the need to increase capacity and modernize production methods to meet the demands of modern warfare. Partnered with commercial industry, the Army tackled this challenge as numerous advancements were made to meet the demands of evolving weaponry and battlefield tactics. Below are a few examples of ammunition progression seen across the major Wars.
During the Civil War, the Army introduced the minié ball, a conical bullet that expanded upon firing to fit the rifling in the barrel of a musket, to improve accuracy and range. The use of the minié ball changed the effectiveness of the infantry, impacted the outcome of the War, and created a demand for advanced firearms. The Army further developed hollow-point ammunition in the 1890s, which had a hollow cavity in the tip that caused it to expand, increasing the chances of incapacitating the enemy. The Army also played a significant role in development and improvement of smokeless powder which burned more cleanly than black powder and improved accuracy, range, and allowed for higher velocities and longer ranges. The Army developed new manufacturing and handling methods for the powder to ensure reliability and safety in the field.
In WWI, tank ammunition and armor piercing shells improved effectiveness of tanks on the battlefield. Tracer ammunition became especially helpful for machine gunners and for signaling. Sabot ammunition was designed with a smaller projectile surrounded by a larger, lightweight carrier that falls away after the round is fired. This allowed for a smaller, faster, projectile that could travel further, with greater accuracy. The Army uses sabot ammunition in tank rounds, medium caliber, and small arms production.
In recent decades, smart munitions with advanced sensors and guidance systems have precisely targeted and destroyed forces and equipment and can adjust trajectory mid-flight. Enhanced performance small-caliber rounds were designed to penetrate body armor and hard targets. These innovations would be impossible without a resilient industrial base, commercial partnership, and skilled workforce behind the production line.
The Army’s readiness is linked to the strength of the ammunition industrial base. The base includes government-owned and contractor-operated facilities that produce, store, and maintain ammunition for all DoD services. The facilities that make up the base continue to produce a wide range of ammunition types for various weapons systems. They are essential to the Army’s ability to maintain its readiness and respond to threats around the world.
In accordance with the Army’s future strategy and policy, JMC 2030 is the progressive, futuristic approach to set munitions readiness on a strategic path. This plan is nested with the National Defense Strategy, Army and AMC Priorities and Objectives, and the Army Campaign Plan. JMC 2030 integrates innovative workplace practices with modern technology to increase productivity and effectiveness, holistically operationalizing the Army Organic Industrial Base Modernization Plan, and leveraging data analytics and strategic partnerships to inform and influence the Army’s sustainable munitions strategy. JMC embeds data analytics into our operational culture to defend decisions with rigor with a modernized industrial base capacity empowered by data centric logistics to support Large Scale Combat Operations.
As we celebrate how far we have come to build strength in the Army, the Nations and Army’s leaders echo their respect, and sentiment for the bravery required to operate the best military in the world in the face of any challenge. They remind us of the courage of the men and women who step into the uniform every day. From the Soldiers who have given their lives in the defense of the country, to the Veterans who have served across the globe, to the Families who have supported them, the Army is made up of the bravest and most dedicated individuals. The Army birthday celebrates their sacrifice and honor, the history, and its march toward the future.
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