PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. — The U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC) has awarded the 2024 Maj. Gen. Harold J. “Harry” Greene Award for Innovation to the 6.8 mm Next Generation Squad Weapon Ammunition Team on April 8 during a virtual ceremony.
The event was broadcasted from the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center in Massachusetts, where Greene served as the senior commander from August 2009 to May 2011. Greene was killed in 2014 while deployed in Afghanistan as deputy commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command.
The annual award, named in Greene’s honor, recognizes Army teams whose groundbreaking technologies, methods, and procedures significantly improve Army readiness and directly enhance Soldier performance.
This year’s recipients were recognized for designing and fielding the XM1186 General Purpose and the XM1188 Reduced Range ammunition. Developed specifically for use with the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons, the 6.8 mm rounds offer increased range, accuracy, and lethality. The XM1186 General Purpose round is intended for combat applications while the XM1188 enables maximum use of training facilities using a reduced surface danger zone.
Both rounds will be produced at a new modern production facility at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri.
“Nobody but the government can do what you guys do,” said Col. Steven Power, Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems, as he addressed the award recipients who watched the ceremony virtually in the Lindner Conference Center at Picatinny Arsenal.
“There isn’t a commercial sector that is trying to do the things we are trying to do in terms of barriers and overcoming protection and innovating small arms ammunition. I don’t know where we would be as a country and our warfighters if it wasn’t for the expertise and the willingness that you all have, to give it 100 percent,” the colonel said.
After the virtual event, Chris Grassano, Director of the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, presented certificates of appreciation to each team member. As recipients of the Maj. Gen. Harold J. Green Award for Innovation, they will also receive a four-star note and a collaborative plaque in recognition of their accomplishment.
“I am incredibly proud of the work you have done and the opportunity to be part of this incredible achievement,” said Grassano. “This isn’t just another award. It is a testament to the dedication and ingenuity and sheer grit of everyone involved on the team.”
Lt. Col. Jamie Michel, Product Manager for Small Caliber Ammunition, also praised the team’s efforts.
“I am super proud of the team’s efforts to collaborate across the acquisition enterprise and with industry partners to rapidly prototype and field lethal capability to the warfighter,” he said. “The new 6.8 mm ammunition combined with the Next Generation Squad Weapon systems is an overwhelming success story.”
The award-winning effort brought together expertise from across the Army enterprise, including the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A), the DEVCOM Armaments Center and the Army Research Laboratory. The award ceremony was hosted by Gen. James E. Rainey, AFC Commanding General.
Awardees include Mark Andrews, Nicolas Berardi, Matthew Carpentieri, Michael Cataldi, Ray Chaplin, Phillip Cho, John Conway, Sherise Cosby, Vincent D'Anton, Nicholas DelVecchio, Christopher Drake, Marco Duca, John Dutkowski, Brandon Eng, Grant Fehon, Tyler Fulper, Joshua Gallagher, Daniel Gubernat, Anthony Hawthorne, Kenneth Hohnecker, Jacob Homeijer, Justin Indelicato, Christina Jauregui, Christel Kelly, Brian Lagoe, Michael Lennon, Noel Los, Dominic LoVasco, Essad Malik, Michael Maxim, Mark Minisi, Greg Oberlin, Nelson Pineda, Christopher Prais, Jose Reyes, David Scalsky, Kyle Schaarschmidt, Sukhjinder Singh, Todd Townsend, Erik Velthaus, Karl Weiss
JPEO A&A and the Armaments Center are headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. Together, they play a critical role in developing, procuring and fielding cutting-edge armaments and ammunition, ensuring the readiness and modernization of the U.S. Army and its international partners.
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