McAlester, Okla. - "Complete, professional, competent - your organization (Defense Ammunition Center) is a reference to us, an ammunition reference to the world," said Admiral Paez, Joint Staff Logistics Director for the Joint Combatant Command of Ecuador.
Admiral Paez, along with eight other members of the Ecuadorian military (from the branches of Navy, Air Force and Army) visited the Defense Ammunition Center (DAC) facilities and toured the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP), March 29-20. Three US military members from the Navy and Army escorted the group, along with DAC/MCAAP personnel.
"Munitions education for foreign military allies is critical. They deal with some of the same issues we are dealing with including; munitions storage, physical security, explosives safety, and demilitarization of obsolete items," said Theresa Smith, Foreign Assistance Officer with DAC.
The delegation received briefings on munitions training courses offered online through DAC, in addition to discussions on demil and explosives safety issues. The group also toured the Applied Instruction Facility, classroom location for Packaging and Preservation training.
"The packaging course not only deals with the proper packaging and preservation of ammunition, it deals with all aspects and sizes of mission critical equipment, from small circuit cards to large helicopter propellers. As the sole joint military provider of Packaging and Preservation training, we have an array of students, from all services, and government contractors," said Dr. Doug White, Packaging and Preservation Lead Instructor.
Part of their time at McAlester was spent touring several areas of MCAAP. The group observed how 2,000-pound penetrator bombs were prepared prior to being filled with explosives; visited the missile maintenance facility where Maverick missiles were refurbished; toured the open detonation-open burn range and stopped by the X-ray facility where they were briefed on the latest digital x-ray equipment.
"The interaction and dialogue between allies is crucial to the logistics and demilitarization of munitions, and DAC is leading the way to provide expert munitions knowledge to foreign ally countries," explained Dr. Upton Shimp, Associate Director of Operations and Training for DAC.
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