Although the community is very supportive of Redstone Arsenal, many, if not most, north Alabama residents are unaware of the work taking place there every day. On May 15, that will change.
"Behind the Gates of Redstone Arsenal" will feature about a dozen federal entities - including the Army, FBI, NASA, and the Defense Intelligence Agency's Missile and Space Intelligence Center - at Bridge Street Town Centre showcasing what they do each day. The event will be open, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the exhibits and activities will be spread throughout the center.
"Many other events focus on the armed services - the personnel - where this event is more focused on the technology and work going on at the arsenal," said Ken Barnett, president of Analytical Services, Inc., and a member of Leadership's Federal Group, the organization coordinating the event. "We wanted this to be focused more on the actual work being done on the arsenal, not just on the people."
"Behind the Gates of Redstone Arsenal" is the brainchild of the Federal Group of the Huntsville-Madison County's Leadership Class 23. Following a tour of Redstone Arsenal on Federal Government Day, several group members expressed surprise at the diversity of work done on the arsenal, said Pam McCue, director, Missile and Space Intelligence Center, and a member of Leadership's Federal Group.
"When our leadership group visited Redstone Arsenal, only those who worked with federal government projects had any idea what was going on at the military base. Those of us who work on the federal side thought our work was more widely known than it was," McCue said. "So, our leadership class thought it would benefit the community to bring some of the projects out and make them accessible to the public."
Some of the items being brought are: a rock climbing wall, military vehicles, missile systems, games and simulators, and displays and exhibits. In addition, the FBI will offer fingerprinting for children, and the Defense Acquisition University is organizing a scavenger hunt. The Army Corps of Engineers will bring a robot, and its mascot, Sgt. Woof, will hand out stickers.
Bridge Street Town Centre was selected, Barnett said, because it had a built-in audience.
"We really want to try and reach the biggest audience," Barnett said. "We thought being outdoors - the way Bridge Street Town Centre is - lends itself to the exhibits we are going to have scattered around the complex."
"Behind the Gates of Redstone Arsenal" should be a fun, educational and entertaining event for the whole family.
"The name says it all - to let folks of Tennessee Valley know what is going on behind the gates of Redstone Arsenal," McCue said.
Carrie.Ford@smdc.army.mil
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