ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala.-In an atypical event, a civilian took the reigns at Anniston Defense Munitions Center during a change of management ceremony here Thursday.
Because the outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Garry McClendon, is scheduled to leave several months prior to the next commander's arrival, ADMC Deputy to the Commander Anthony Burdell assumed management of the organization.
McClendon's next assignment will be in Kuwait at the U.S. Army Central Coalition Forces Land Component Command as the C4 ammunition officer.
ADMC, a tenant on the depot, provides receipt, storage, shipment, maintenance, inspection, demilitarization and recycling of conventional ammunition and missiles in support of the joint warfighter.
With approximately 125 government civilians, the organization has been in existence in its current state since 1998 when it stood up its operations for the first time as a major tenant activity under the name Anniston Munitions Center. Before then, the same operations were being conducted under the installation commander in the depot's Directorate of Ammunition.
And in 1999, Kentucky's Blue Grass Army Depot assumed command and control of Anniston Munitions Center. The name was changed to Anniston Defense Munitions Center in 2004 when it received its first military commander.
Since 2004, the ADMC commander has had the dual role of leading the Anniston munitions center as well as commanding the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Kingsport, Tenn., where defense contractor BAE Systems manufactures explosives for the U.S. military.
Until the next military commander arrives in Anniston, Burdell will manage ADMC while Robert Ragan will continue his management of the Holston plant. The two authority orders took place in Anniston during the same ceremony.
Burdell, a federal civilian since 1985, was selected as the ADMC deputy to the commander in May 2007 after leaving Anniston Chemical Activity, another depot tenant. At ANCA, he was the chemical surety officer and was responsible for the continued safe and secure storage of the chemical stockpile and the reliability of personnel working in and around the chemical weapons.
"There are no better people to work with in the Army than those who make up the Anniston Defense Munitions Center," said Burdell, "so I feel privileged to be a part of such a successful organization, one that Lt. Col. McClendon is leaving in first-rate shape."
Ragan was selected in 2007 as McClendon's representative at the Holston plant after working in a number of capacities within the defense industry. He most recently worked with the Communications-Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, N.J., as chief of the FIREFINDER requirements branch.
Col. Richard Mason, commander of Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond, Ky., presided over the change of management ceremony. BGAD is ADMC's immediate command headquarters.
"The attitude and professionalism displayed at both sites made it possible for me to pursue my vision," said McClendon.
On June 1, Blue Grass Army Depot will transfer command and control of Holston Army Ammunition Plant to Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas. ADMC will stay with Blue Grass.
Anniston Army Depot has three major tenant organizations-Anniston Defense Munitions Center, Anniston Chemical Activity and Defense Distribution Depot-Anniston-each with specific Army missions, some separate from and others in partnership with the depot's combat vehicle and small arms maintenance operations.
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