ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Anniston Army Depot's Component Repair Branch touches every vehicle overhauled or repaired here.
From the components that operate the turret of a M1 Abrams tank to seats, hatches, road arms, air filters and many more parts for M1s, Paladins, M88s and M113s, if it's found in the interior of a vehicle, odds are the employees of component repair worked on it.
"The employees pretty much overhaul the entire inside of each vehicle," said supervisor Douglas Turner.
Turner said his shop keeps parts separated based on the vehicle they go into -- a line of Paladin components are in one area, while M1 parts are disassembled, inspected and rebuilt on another line.
At the other end of the building, Barry Alverson supervises the overhaul of turret components.
Until recently, the building was organized with all disassembly processes, whether turret or component, occurring at one end of the building and all assembly processes at the other.
As the employees became familiar with the Army's Logistics Modernization Program, they realized the setup made material tracking difficult.
Adjustments in the workflow have recently been made based on lessons learned during the depot's first year of LMP.
"Earlier this year, employees presented to the supervisors a better way to manage material. The supervisors then presented the idea to me," said Steve Arndt, chief of the Component Subassembly Division. "We were receptive to the idea after listening to their reasons and have implemented the change on a trial basis."
Arndt, Alverson and Turner don't know yet if the changes will solve the shop's material management issues, but hope it is a step in the right direction.
Arndt said it's important to keep parts moving through the repair branch, particularly since it supports customers other than the depot.
"The component repair branch not only supports our assembly lines, it also supplies Lima Tank Plant with overhauled parts for M1 tanks and overhauls components used to replenish the Army's supply system," said Arndt.
The organization is also actively involved in supplying parts for M1 tank simulators, known as HOTTS trainers.
For the simulators, ANAD provides components and the contractor building the trainer modifies it to their needs. This enables them to introduce a variety of scenarios into training for Soldiers while saving tax dollars.
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