The shipping and receiving facility marks the first breaking ground of AMC’s major modernization projects supporting the Army’s Organic Industrial Base. The event was commemorated by a golden shovel ceremony attended by Marion Whicker, executive deputy to the commanding general, AMC; Maj. Gen. Tom O’Connor, commanding general, AMCOM; Lt. Col. David Myers, deputy commander, Baltimore District, USACE; and hosted by Col. Donald Santillo, commander, LEAD. VIEW ORIGINAL
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — The Army has completed the first year of its 15-year Modernization Implementation Plan for the Organic Industrial Base, executing more than 150 projects across its’ depots, arsenals and ammunition plants that manufacture, reset and maintain Army equipment.
“With Congress’ support, we have embarked on a 15-year multi-billion-dollar investment to strengthen the nation’s industrial base, generating readiness and operational capabilities,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and acting commander, speaking to Congressional members and staffers on Capitol Hill, July 23, 2024.
The first groundbreaking of the OIB MIP was held at Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania, where a new consolidated 50,000 square-foot shipping and receiving facility will increase efficiencies and accommodate receipt of necessary guided missile systems and ground support equipment. At Corpus Christi Army Depot in Texas, another groundbreaking started the phased construction of new powertrain facilities to house repair of rotary wing components in support of Army signature modernization efforts.
“Right now, at our depots, arsenals and ammo plants, you will see a lot of emphasis on infrastructure, roads, electrics and water projects,” said Mohan. “Once we bring those up to standard, we will begin moving inward, including not only implementing cutting-edge technology like advanced manufacturing but also upgrading our communications infrastructure and cyber resiliency.”
Some modernization projects began ahead of the planned fiscal year 24 start due to additional funding the Army received connected to ammunition production, including efforts to accelerate 155-millimeter howitzer round production. However, the executed projects are not singularly focused on the ammunition facilities. Across the OIB, sites have received funding and began execution on upgrades, with the Army investing $2.6 billion in FY23 and $1.5 billion in FY24.
“Through the tools we have, we were able to explain our plan and process to Congress and the effects of that additional funding,” said Stephanie Hoaglin, AMC OIB Modernization Task Force director, referring to the data platform Vulcan, which provides the task force a clear picture of each of the more than 2,500 OIB modernization projects. “Sites used to set priorities separately but now we do it as an enterprise so we can see ourselves more clearly and can track what we are doing and what is next.”
Hoaglin said utilizing the Vulcan system has demonstrated an unprecedented ability to rapidly prioritize and execute funding, outpacing other Army activities. This has resulted in a 40 percent increase in Operations and Maintenance Army fund funding within the same fiscal year. She said the combined $430 million in OMA R&M and $530 million in Army Working Capital Fund capital investment represents the highest single-year expenditure the Army has ever dedicated to modernizing its OIB.
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.
Marion Whicker, executive deputy to the commanding general, Army Materiel Command, provides remarks at Letterkenny Army Depot's shipping and receiving groundbreaking ceremony April 9.
The shipping and receiving facility marks the first breaking ground of AMC’s major modernization projects supporting the Army’s Organic Industrial Base. The event was commemorated by a golden shovel ceremony attended by Marion Whicker, executive deputy to the commanding general, AMC; Maj. Gen. Tom O’Connor, commanding general, AMCOM; Lt. Col. David Myers, deputy commander, Baltimore District, USACE; and hosted by Col. Donald Santillo, commander, LEAD.
“The Army OIB strategy focuses on modernizing our facilities, our workforce, the infrastructure of IT, retooling processes and energy. The Army’s 15-year OIB modernization plan is an investment of nearly $18 billion, and Letterkenny is a huge part of it,” Whicker remarked. “Letterkenny has played a vital role in history, and we need to preserve and sustain its capabilities."
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“We are extremely supported by Congress and Army senior leaders,” said Marion Whicker, AMC’s executive deputy to the commanding general at an OIB modernization war game, May 15. “We have a lot of responsibility to do the right thing. We have to know what the Army needs, be able to justify what we are asking for it and show the effects we hope to achieve.”
An important part of doing what is right is to ensure the Army is hiring, training and developing the OIB workforce for the future, so AMC is also launching an OIB Human Capital Modernization Plan. Over the past year, the command conducted two OIB Human Capital War Games to identify human capital strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as skill gaps and the eight most challenging occupational series within the OIB.
“The artisans at our depots, arsenals and ammunition plants are the backbone of our OIB,” said Whicker. “This is about ensuring they have the training and tools they need to continue to be successful.”
The human capital plan is in the process of identifying and analyzing what the artisans need to modernize how they train, plan their careers and grow as professionals. AMC is using data-driven decision-making tool, which includes every detail of the OIB modernization master plan to ensure that human capital initiatives are in line with overarching efforts.
“We are doing analysis on the jobs within the OIB, going line by line to understand what our workforce needs,” said Torri Mcdermott, AMC’s lead for the OIB CIP. “This is about investing in our artisans and making sure they know how much we value them.”
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