PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – Lt. Col. Brent Odom relinquished command of the Large Caliber Product Office to Mr. Matthew Nestor during a change of charter ceremony held Wednesday at Picatinny Arsenal. Following the ceremony, a retirement ceremony was then held to honor Odom’s 22 years of service in the U.S. Army.
Product Manager Large Caliber Ammunition is responsible for life cycle management, including research, development, production, and fielding, testing, and environmental impacts for large caliber direct fire ammunition (50mm, 105mm and 120mm). Platforms supported include the Abrams Tank, Stryker Mobile Gun System, the M10 Booker, and the X30 Combat Vehicle.
Col. Steven Power, Project Manager for Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS), commended Odom's accomplishments during his three-year tenure, highlighting his leadership and the team's achievements.
"In his three years, Brent and his team were responsible for the planning and execution of $1.3B worth of research and production including producing over 200,000 rounds of 120mm main gun training ammunition for Abrams tanks," said Col. Power. "Tank crews across the Army are more effective and ready for combat because of the live fire training they conducted with those rounds."
Power continued, emphasizing the importance of tactical ammunition in modern warfare and Odom’s role in ensuring the U.S. Army’s overmatch on the battlefield.
"Readiness and training only go so far when it comes to defeating near-peer adversaries on the battlefield’, he said. “Brent was instrumental in setting conditions to bring the M829A4 Depleted Uranium Kinetic Energy round back into production, that round enables Abrams tanks to defeat enemy tanks at distances that virtually guarantee U.S. dominance in tank warfare."
Furthermore, Power praised Odom and the Large Caliber Ammunition Team for navigating technical challenges and enhancing production capacity for the M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose tank round.
"Brent and the Large Caliber Ammunition Team also navigated the technical challenges that come with bringing the brand new M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose tank cartridge into production and increasing our production capacity to meet the overwhelming demand for that round which performs the missions of all of our legacy tank rounds and enables tank crews to perform all their missions with just two combat rounds."
Nestor, who succeeded Odom, expressed his gratitude, and thanked Col. Power and senior leadership for the opportunity, acknowledging the significant role of his team and the legacy left by Odom.
"While the merits of the team speak for themselves, I also recognize that great teams don’t just fall from the sky," Nestor said. "Brent, thank you for leaving me with not only an outstanding team but also some really solid programs which are directly impacting our soldiers and international partners every day."
During the retirement ceremony Odom was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Noble Patron of Armor Award, an award which recognizes outstanding supporters of the Armor Force.
Speaking to those in attendance Odom thanked his wife, Sarah, and his family for supporting him throughout his Army career.
Sarah, an Army nurse at the time played a pivotal role in his life, having met him when he was injured in combat during a deployment in Iraq. Since then, the two married and have five children together.
Odom then thanked Power and Nestor for allowing him to have a seamless transition and retirement and thanked all those who came to attend.
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