ABERDEEN, Md. – After almost exactly 3 years, Col. Timothy E. Matthews relinquished command of the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center to Col. James A. Polak on June 21st, 2024.
Maj. Gen. James J. Gallivan, Commander of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, was the reviewing official of the ceremony, held at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
“Thank you everyone, for being here, as we celebrate the Aberdeen Test Center, and the women and men that make it special,” said Gallivan.
Prior to becoming the commander of ATC in 2021, Col. Matthews served as the commander to another ATEC subordinate test center – the Yuma Proving Ground, in Yuma, Arizona – and leaves ATEC with a strong appreciation for testing.
Col. Matthews said his experience with ATEC testing was eye opening – at first unaware that testing was so thorough but quickly learned it’s an essential part of acquisition. “Testing is greatly needed and the most crucial part of fielding a system - it must be done,” Matthews said.
Matthews is proud of ATC’s accomplishments during his tenure, especially during a time of intense change and appreciated the ‘can-do’ attitude of the workforce. “They always got to ‘yes’”, said Matthews, “I enjoyed every day at work. It was very rewarding to know something was fielded and tested correctly. This was the right workforce to make it happen.”
After welcoming Col. Polak and his family to the ATEC family, Maj. Gen. Gallivan shared his enthusiasm for Col. Polak’s future as the ATC Commander. “Col. Polak brings all the right skills and experiences to the team,” said Gallivan. “He’s had time as a Junior Soldier of Infantry, time as an Armor Officer, time leading heavy and Stryker formations at home and in combat, time as a capability developer, time as a materiel developer, time in the S&T [science and technology] space – that’s a whole suite of skills.. you’ve got the right skills. Every facet makes you a perfect leader for tomorrow.”
Col. Polak was honored and humbled to accept command of the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center and respected the prestige and historical significance of the organization. “The momentous things you have done in the past, present, and are going to do in the future is so impressive, I’m honored to be a part of it, I look forward to it, and I do not take this responsibility lightly,” said Polak.
Polak recognized the significance of ATC’s mission, and his immediate priority to listen and learn from the workforce to help drive the vision of the future. “Together, we will build upon the foundation that’s been laid down for this organization, we will embrace innovation, foster a culture of continuous transformation and push the boundaries of what is possible. That is what we are challenged to do. And most importantly not lose sight of the warfighters,” said Polak.
Although the Army endured significant changes that were felt at ATC, the command is better postured to test the systems our Warfighters will use in the Army of 2040 and beyond.
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As a subordinate of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center is committed to supporting the warfighter through developmental testing of leading-edge instrumentation and test methodologies to enable a decisive advantage, when it counts.
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