Project Lead Joint Services hosts change of management ceremony

Picatinny Arsenal, NJ – The Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A) hosted a Change of Management Ceremony for Project Lead (PL) Joint Services on July 1 at the Lindner Conference Center.

PL Joint Services said farewell to Col. Joshua Headley as he transferred authority to Col. Isaac Cuthbertson in the time-honored change of management ceremony. The ceremony was officiated by Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition and Commanding General, Picatinny Arsenal, who oversees PL Joint Services.

During his tenure, Headley led the PL Joint Services team in expanding ammunition production capacity at the five government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) Army Ammunition Plants. Joint Services is currently managing $4.7B in modernization projects across the munitions and energetics industrial base enabling the Army to continue to deliver future-forward munitions to America’s Warfighters and allies. Headley will attend Army War College next before returning to Picatinny Arsenal as the Project Manager for Soldier Lethality.

In his remarks, Headley expressed his gratitude to the PL Joint Services team, as well as many others who played an integral role during his tenure at Picatinny Arsenal.

“To the outstanding men and women of PL Joint Services, thank you for your professionalism, your willingness to persevere despite the myriad of challenges, and your support and dedication to our warfighters,” he said. “The team has done a tremendous job increasing our munitions and energetics manufacturing capacity without interrupting ongoing production. That’s a testament to the professionalism and caliber of people within Joint Services. It was an honor to be a part of this team.”

Offering a mix of praise and personal anecdotes in his remarks, Maj. Gen. Reim said, “Joint Services has achieved unprecedented success in growing and modernizing the army's ammunition enterprise. Col. Headley led his team of engineers and contract and acquisition specialists in revitalizing the defense industrial base by rapidly expanding 155mm production capacity across all five GOCOs, standing up new manufacturing facilities to further drive our overall munitions and energetics production capacity, and awarding the contract to bring TNT production back to U.S. soil for the first time in decades.”

Reim closed by expressing the utmost confidence in Cuthbertson’s ability to continue to drive modernization projects in support of Army readiness and lethality.

Cuthbertson thanked the leadership for placing him within this critical role and for having confidence in him to execute the mission. He also acknowledged the challenges he expects to face continuing the Joint Services modernization mission.

“Ensuring the reliability and security of the munitions supply chain is our number one priority,” he said. “I look forward to serving our team and leading it through whatever challenges may come.”

Cuthbertson most recently served as the Acquisition Advisor to the Under Secretary of the Army having previously worked as Product Manager for Terrain Shaping Obstacles at Picatinny Arsenal from 2020-2023. He is a graduate of West Point and the Army War College and has served in the Army for 23 years in various capacities including two tours in Afghanistan.