By PACHARI MIDDLETON
ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. - Anniston Army Depot celebrated the completion of its new $44 million combat vehicle welding facility during a May 20, 2026, ribbon cutting ceremony attended by U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command leadership, community partners, stakeholders and the depot workforce.
Col. Charles A. Moore, ANAD commander, called the 34,000-square-foot, climate-controlled space a concrete example of Organic Industrial Base modernization in action.
“OIB modernization is just not a concept or a long-term plan, it’s happening right here, right now. It’s about upgrading infrastructure, adopting advanced technologies and ensuring our depots remain capable, competitive and ready to support the warfighter,” he said.
The new welding facility offers modernized vehicle position and power elevating floor equipment, hybrid ventilation systems with preliminary and secondary filtration, a centralized decontamination vacuum collection system and decontamination changing rooms.
Brig. Gen. Beth A. Behn, TACOM commanding general, said the facility is a clear message from senior Army leadership about the depot’s critical role.
“Anniston is crucial to supporting not just our legacy force, but to our future force,” she said. “This is an investment in the future of the Army that is happening right here in Anniston, Alabama.”
The initial planning discussion for a new combat vehicle welding facility for Anniston Army Depot began in 2009. Construction got underway in July 2024. According to Dewayne Kiker, a mechanical engineering technician, working with a limited footprint was a challenge.
“We didn’t have much area, so we had to make every square foot count,” he said.
Part of making tens of thousands of square feet count was ensuring the right kind of ventilation was in place. Russell Holliday, a weld supervisor who attended meetings as the facility was still in the design phase, said he was impressed by the upgrades with the positioners and retractable floors. But his top priority was the health of his welders.
“This (new ventilation system) will protect the welders far better than any of the ventilation systems that they’d had in place in the past. That’s the longevity of my welders,” he said.
Moore said welding is a key piece of depot’s operations.
“Welding is at the heart of so much of what we do at ANAD,” he said. “This building ensures we are prepared to meet current demands and future challenges with precision and excellence.”
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