AMC to RRAD force protection: 'Best Ever'

By Jon JarmanFebruary 16, 2012

RRAD inspections
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The Army Materiel Command's Force Protection Assessment Team chief, Bob Schuster, cited Red River's assessment results as "the best ever" during a recent visit to the depot. Shortly after the team's final report and debrief, AMC selected Red River as the winner of AMC's Best Anti-Terrorism Program Award for 2011.

Anti-Terrorism / Force Protection Officer Scott Van Zile credits, "Anti-terrorism is not a one-man program, but rather a collective, coordinated effort to integrate RRAD & it's tenants with the Army's principles of AT/FP, physical & personnel security, law enforcement, emergency operators, CBRNE, IA, and OPSEC into a seamless defensive plan, and without everyone's support, we couldn't be so successful."

Highlights were the depot's excellence in physical access control, anti-terrorism risk management process, threat analysis & information sharing, OPSEC Program and Information Assurance Program.

Some depot members ask why our processes are so thorough.

Wally Embrey, director for Emergency Services, explains, "We ask for hands-on verification of credentials because 'they' [potential terrorists] are out there looking for easy targets, and it is our job to protect our men and women from harm so that, in turn, they can continue to support the war-fighter. Red River Army Depot is a 'hard target' that discourages terrorism preemptively at our access control points. For that, I am deeply grateful for our police officers who have spearheaded the protection effort."

The depot excelled throughout the inspection, even earning "Best Practices" in many areas including an unprecedented perfect score for the Information Assurance Program spearheaded by Tim O'Neill in the Directorate for Information Management.

In fact, RRAD set a new record of only two "Reply by Endorsement" (RBE is a written correction plan for a specific requirement) out of more than a thousand requirements spread across 53 Army regulations.

Deputy Director for DES Bill Pass commends Red River in saying that, "This is the highest score that has been given since the performance-based FP assessment methodology was adopted five years ago."

Police Chief Stanley Pauley reiterated, "Our officers said loud and clear through their actions that we can perform at the highest standard, and we didn't get there overnight. This is the result of an incredible amount of hard work, and I am very proud of my officers."

Police Union President Justin Alexander said he was "relieved to see things wrapping up. It's always stressful to be under the microscope from higher command, but even so, our guys still look forward to it," Alexander adds, "because we know Red River is going to shine." AMC clearly agrees.