U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal's April 2015 newsletter: The Salvo

U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal April 2015

THE SALVO

“We Need Help”Community Responds

Story on Page 3

Salvo April 30, 2015

The Arsenal Salvo is an authorized monthly publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Salvo are not necessarily the official views of, or an endorse-ment by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or the Watervliet Arsenal. News may be submitted for publication by sending articles to Public Affairs Officer, 1 Buffington Street, Bldg. 10, Watervliet, NY 12189, or stop by office #102, Bldg. 10, Watervliet Arsenal. The editor may also be reached at (518) 266-5055 or by e-mail: [email protected]. The editor reserves the right to edit all information submitted for publication.

Commander, Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr.Public Affairs Officer, John B. SnyderEditor, John B. SnyderPhotographer: John B. Snyder Arsenal Facebook Page @http://on.fb.me/sq3LEm

ColonelLee H. Schiller Jr.

CommandingManufacturer 6

Commander’sCorner

For those of you who have been here awhile, you know by now that hosting senior Army leaders, program managers, and community leaders is a very valuable tool for us to tell our story and the Army story to a broader audience. This month was no different. Our visitors this month ranged from the Army’s Chief of Ordnance to the American Legion’s National Commander, a total of four visits that involved just the command group. When we are alerted that a senior Army or community leader wants to come here, we should look at that task as a rare opportunity to tell our story, to build relationships, and to let each visitor know what they can do to support our arsenal. I view hosting visitors is everyone’s mission because every visitor we support is in some way critical to the long-term viability of the Arsenal. The month of April is also a turning point for us as we reorient ourselves from cold-weather safety to summer safety. As snow blowers are being put into storage for the summer, many of you are now pulling out motorcycles, boats, lawn mowers, and barbecue grills. It has been a long winter and so, prior to restarting your summer activities please review the proper operating procedures and safety precautions for each activity. Believe it or not, those extra few minutes you take to think about safety may save lifelong pain and suffering.

Although we participate in community events throughout the year, the month of May is probably one of our busiest months of the year in regards to community relations. In the next few weeks, we will support the Cohoes Middle School Career Day, the NY State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame Ceremony, the NY State Department of Labor Memorial Day Ceremony, the Green Island Memorial Day Parade, and the City of Watervliet Memorial DayParade. Many of you put in countless hours of your own time building baseball fields for our youth, building homes for our Veterans, or marching in parades. All of this adds value to our organization, as well as enriches our tradition and history. I thank you for all that you do to build on the Arsenal’s great reputation.


By Arsenal Public Affairs

Story continues on page 4, see “HAZMAT”

The Watervliet Arsenal conducted its annual Hazardous Material Exercise on April 23 and as what has become a custom of recent years, it called on the community’s first responders. Emergency service equipment and personnel came from Saratoga, Rensselaer, Albany, and Schenectady counties, as well as from New York’s National Guard. Here are first responders from Saratoga and Schenectady counties.

Photo by Matthew Day

Arsenal calls for help, the community responds

An emergency dispatch on April 23 claiming that a man was seriously injured and sulfur dioxide was leaking at the Arsenal’s waste treatment plant was the trigger than eventually brought more than 60 first re-sponders from Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties to the Arsenal ̶ all were part of a three-hour hazardous material or HAZMAT exercise. John Whipple, the Arsenal’s Fire Chief, said the exercise trained the Arsenal and community first re-sponders to better react to four scenarios: sulfur diox-ide leak; chlorine spill; rail car leak; and a confined-space rescue. “We knew this was going to be a challenging sce-nario,” Whipple said. “But we truly wanted to exer-cise each fire department so that we will have a better understanding of the level of capability that would be

readily available in a crisis or an emergency.” Having watched on the world’s stage intentional or unintentional acts of nuclear, biological, radiologi-cal, or chemical emergencies, the Arsenal leadership understands that it cannot stand alone in its ability to respond to a real-world, large-scale incident, said John Snyder, the Arsenal’s public affairs officer. “Within New York’s Capital District, there is no one town, city, or community that has the inherent first responder capability to provide a timely and adequate response to a major emergency or crisis,” Snyder said. “Throughout the Capital District, however, when we work together and share our capability, every commu-nity then has a robust package of capability that is just a phone call away.”


HAZMAT Cont.

Top: Arsenal Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Bogart took charge of the first incident that triggered the response by community first respond-ers.Bottom: Rensselaer County Hazardous Material Coordinator, Ray Davis, being interviewed by NEWS10 ABC reporter Joshua Rulten-berg. NEWS10 arrived for the exercise at 4:30 a.m. and stayed until 12:15 p.m., going live five times during the exercise.

Prior to the first vehicle arriving, the Arsenal had to establish an incident command center that was manned by Kenneth Haviland, assistant fire chief for the Watervliet Arsenal. From that command post, Haviland quickly assessed the large volume of information flowing in from inside the Arsenal fence line, as well as from outside the fence line. Although Haviland works for the arsenal’s fire chief, he was not part of the planning process and so, every situation was as new to him as it was to the first responders who came from outside of the Arsenal fence line. In addition to community fire and EMS respond-ers, New York’s National Guard supported the ex-ercise in significant numbers and capability. The Stratton Air National Guard Fire Depart-ment provided a complete package of support as it handled a simulated chlorine leak and Soldiers from the 2nd Civil Support Team, Weapon of Mass Destruction, had the confined-space rescue mission. Whipple, who was the exercise lead planner, said the Arsenal began integrating community first responders, such as hazardous material and EMS teams, about five years ago into the Arsenal’s train-ing plan for anti-terrorism exercises. “You never quite know the true level of capabil-ity that first response teams from outside of the Ar-senal have until you see them in action, and that is a huge benefit from conducting these multi-echelon exercises,” Whipple said. “We certainly don’t want to learn about what each community has in regards to HAZMAT response capability in the middle of an emergency because by then, it will be too late.” This annual exercise was directed by the Ar-senal’s higher headquarters, TACOM Life Cycle Management Command. It is just one of many the Arsenal fire department conducts each year with lo-cal first responder agencies.

More photos on Page 12

Photos by John B. Snyder


National Commander kicks off NY tour, here

By John B. Snyder

Story continues on page 6, “Legion”

The American Legion's National Commander, Mi-chael Helm, launched his three-day tour of New York state this month by first visiting the historic Watervliet Arsenal, an Army-owned and operated manufacturing center. Helm, who was elected the leader of the 2.4 mil-lion-member American Legion last August, follows a visit last January to the Arsenal by Frank Peters, the New York State American Legion Department Com-mander. Truly understanding how rare, as well as how important this visit is to the Arsenal, Watervliet Arse-

nal Commander Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr. led a strong demonstration of workforce pride that he believes will go a long way toward building a great first impression for one who leads more than 2.4 million Veterans. "For nearly 100 years, we have participated in com-munity events alongside members of the American Legion," Schiller said. "But it wasn't until this year that we have worked very hard to get not one, but two of the Legion's senior leadership to visit us." Schiller believes that engaging Veteran Service Or-ganizations, such as the American Legion, is a natural and common sense approach to remaining engaged

Standing in front of the Big Gun Shop is American Legion National Commander Michael Helm, center, New York State Department Command-er Frank Peters, left, and New York State Department Adjutant James Casey.

Photo by John B. Snyder

such as a 155mm howitzer tube being forged and then heat treated. He witnessed howitzer tubes being bent several inches as they were pressed by hundreds of tons of pressure in an effort to straighten them. Helm also saw the Ar-senal's mortar production line, which he said brought back fond memories of when he served in the 82nd Airborne Division. He closed out his visit

with a trip to Benét Laboratories' product display area where new weapons technol-ogy was showcased. "Given all the changes that you have had to work through your 200 years of opera-tion, and where you are today leveraging new technology, you have got to be pretty excited about what you do," Helm said. "Because I am." Peters, who visited the Arsenal last January, said that he thought so highly of his last visit that when he heard the American Legion National Com-mander was coming to New York, he had to share the great work that Watervliet is doing for our nation. Helm is a U.S. Army veteran from the Vietnam War era, having served with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C., and earned his Ranger Tab in 1972.


Legion Cont.


with the community or in Helm's case, the nation. The Arsenal often hosts senior Army leaders, such as it did this month with Brig. Gen. John "Jack" Haley, the Army's Chief of Ordnance, but today's visit by Helm opens up a different set of opportunities for the Arsenal to tell its story, as well as the Army story, to a national or worldwide audience. "We have a great history and lineage that we owe in large part to the support that we get from those outside of our gate," Schiller said. "And so, we view every community en-gagement, such as with Commander Helm, as critical to ensuring the Arsenal's long-term vi-ability." Schiller and Lee Ben-nett, the Director of the Army's Benét Laborato-ries that is collocated at the Arsenal, started the tour with a command briefing where 200 years of technology, research, and manufacturing was showcased. From there, Helm toured several production bays where he saw criti-cal manufacturing opera-tions being performed,

Top: Business Development Officer Jake Peart leading American Legion National Commander Michael Helm on the tour.Center: Quality Assurance Inspector Michael Merrill explaining to Com-mander Helm how the 60mm mortar barrel has been reduced in weight.Bottom: Lee Bennett, the Director of the Army’s Benét Laboratories, left, talking to Commander Helm, red cap, about the various weapon systems that his team has worked on over the years.


Benét Labs leads DOD Challenge to improve

Defense Industrial BaseBy John B. Snyder

The Army’s Benét Laboratories announced this month that it was selected by the Department of De-fense to spearhead a science and engi-neering challenge that will pit higher education students from throughout the United States in a competition to de-velop software ap-plications that may improve the ef-ficiency of defense manufacturing. John P. Snyder, who is a senior me-chanical engineer with Benét Laboratories and who is the lead program manager for the DOD challenge, said that the goal of the MTConnect® Student Chal-lenge is to make defense manu-facturing, such as at the Watervliet Arsenal, more efficient and com-petitive by leveraging great ad-vance manufacturing ideas from collegiate-level science, technol-ogy, engineering, and mathematics students (STEM). “The bottom line is that we want

to leverage fresh thoughts as to how to bring defense manufactur-ing into a new era of digital manu-facturing,” Snyder said. “Digital manufacturing will provide real-time information throughout the organization, which will improve production efficiency.” Additionally, in an era of declin-ing interest by STEM students to consider employment in defense manufacturing, it is important that we develop ways to stimulate stu-

dent interest in our industry that will in the end improve the long-term viability of the defense indus-trial base, Sny-der said. Digital man-ufacturing, ac-cording to Sny-der, will help close the gap to a serious short-fall of real-time information being shared in manufacturing centers. Access to real-time data ranges from the

on-time delivery of raw material to the efficient utilization of machin-ery. There are two phases to the MT-Connect® challenge. Phase one, the Ideation Phase, will require students to develop a research paper describing the tech-nology innovative software that will collect manufacturing data via

Valerie Pezzullo, a former Clemson University student who received her master’s degree in mechanical engineering in May 2014, won last year’s MTConnect Challenge for her applica-tion that detects vibrations in metal-cutting machines.

Photo by Clemson University

Story continues on page 8, “Challenge”


Challenge Cont.

the MTConnect® standard. As part of the student’s information gathering they will conduct interviews with manufacturing entities, government or private manufac-turing sites, to develop the prob-lem statement, solution, and their proposition to fix the problem. Phase One runs from June 8, 2015 through Sept. 11, 2015. These reports will be reviewed by a panel of DOD representa-tives who will select five winning submissions; first place will be awarded $5,000, second place will be awarded $2,500, and three runner-up submissions will each be awarded $1,000. The top finalists will present their findings at the National Tooling and Machining Association convention in October 2015. In the second phase, the Challenge Phase, the stu-dents will develop software applications that will har-ness innovation and manufacturing intelligence break-throughs that could benefit DOD manufacturers and their supply chain. Phase Two runs from June 8, 2015 through March 1, 2016. A DOD panel will review these presentations and select five finalists who will present their findings at the 2016 MTConnect® conference in April 2016. The first place award recipient will receive $10,000, $7,500 for second place, and the third place finisher will receive $5,000. Valerie Pezzullo, a former Clemson University stu-dent who received her master’s degree in mechanical engineering in May 2014, won last year’s MTConnect® Challenge for her application that detects vibrations in metal-cutting machines. According to a Clemson University article, Pez-zullo developed an application that detects vibrations in metal-cutting machines so that corrections can be made before parts are damaged. This application is expected to help manufacturers that rely on computer-controlled machines to make highly precise parts for a variety of industries, ranging from automotive to aerospace. It could have an especially large impact on manufacturers

that use high-value materials. Pezzullo’s application gathers data from sensors and gives machine operators the information they need to reduce or suppress vibrations while the machine is oper-ating. The data can also be analyzed and communicated in the machining network to help prevent vibrations in future operations. According to Pezzullo, regenerative vibration, or “chatter,” can ruin parts that cost as much as $20,000 each in raw materials alone. By the time the vibrations are audible, it’s too late because the part already may be damaged. MTConnect® is a newly developed, open communi-cation standard that provides the capability to pass data from equipment and devices to higher level systems for further processing. The MTConnect® Challenge focuses on promoting the development of manufactur-ing platform solutions using a standard protocol. The Association for Manufacturing Technology adopted the MTConnect® standard to standardize communication protocols that manufacturing equipment can follow to share data. The Defense-wide Manufacturing Science and Tech-nology center is DOD’s sponsoring organization, and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, as well as the Association for Manufacturing Technology are partners with Benét Labs to administer the challenge.

Top: Machinist Harold Mosher preparing a 60mm baseplate for machining while Yap Film director of photography, Aaron Szimanski, readies the camera during a photo shoot Yap Films did at the Arsenal in August 2014.Left: Watervliet Arsenal Machinist Peter Nor-thup working on a 81mm mortar tube using a CNC machine. Photos by John B. Snyder


Through the more than 200 years the Arsenal has been in existence, countless transformations have taken place that have radically changed the Arsenal’s product lines, processes, and more importantly, its people. Today’s Arsenal is no longer the 12-acre plot of land that once packed ammunition cartridges for the War of 1812, nor is it the manufacturing center where more than 9,000 workers once toiled to provide critical weapons to our nation’s troops during World War II. But what the Arsenal remains to be today is a place where men and women can learn or nurture a skill, provide a good middle-class living to their family, and if they make it a career, leave here one day a better person than when they ar-rived. After more than 30 years of dedicated service here, Charles “Chuck” Nobles is such a man. During Chuck’s tenure here, he pro-fesses that he went from an angry boxer to a preacher. But more importantly, Chuck says that he has truly grown to love the Arsenal and his team in pub-lic works. “I served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 1970s as a tool and die maker,” Chuck said. “Although the Marine Corps toughened me, I took my toughness to another level as I be-gan boxing at Camp Lejeune and then in Okinawa.” Chuck said that boxing provided a release from stress, as well as helped him to focus his life toward better outcomes. Considering that he boxed against some very tough Ma-rines, such as Leon Spinks, the former heavy weight cham-pion of the world, it may amaze Chuck’s fellow Marines to see him today as a soft-spoken, kind and gentle person. After his discharge from the Marines, Chuck leveraged his experience as a tool and die maker to land a job as a machine tool operator at the Arsenal. After a few years, Chuck once again leveraged his machining skills to better himself by being accepted into the Arsenal’s apprenticeship program. But once again his love for boxing called and he left the

Arsenal to restart his boxing career in California. After a few years, Chuck said that it became clear to him that his love for boxing did not at the end of the day put food on the table. And so, as a much more humble person, Chuck reap-plied for work at the Arsenal. “I thought the Arsenal would hold it against me for leav-

ing,” Chuck said. “But what I found was a very forgiv-ing Arsenal in that I was allowed to come back even though there weren’t any machining jobs available.” In 1989, Chuck was rehired as an air conditioning and refrigeration mechanic for public works and for

the last 27 years, Chuck has made a reputation as one of the most helpful and positive influences

on the Arsenal. Despite his devotion to the Arsenal, Chuck found his true calling in 2000 when he attained a degree in Theology from the Mid-Hudson Bible Institute in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. “Through the years, I have become a much more compassionate person who simply wants to help people more,” Chuck said. “As an example, I have leveraged my education and passion in theology to support prison

ministries throughout the state.” In that role, Chuck said that he min-

isters on behalf of the Wilborn Temple Church in Albany to prisoners who do not

get visits very often. He also helps prison-ers write letters to family and friends. During

holidays, he said that he often brings gifts to prisoners, an expense that is not reimbursed by his church. Given Chuck’s calling in ministry, it helps explain to all who know him as to why this giant of a man is such a kind and generous person who would do anything for anyone here. According to Karen Heiser, the Arsenal’s Chief of Qual-ity Systems and who has known Chuck for nearly 30 years, Chuck’s strength of character makes him one of the stron-gest, as well as the most gentle men on post. Although Chuck has no plans to leave anytime soon, suffice it say that many here would agree that Chuck is truly worthy of being the Arsenal’s Face of Strength for this month.

Angry boxer to preacher to...an Arsenal Face of Strength

“Charles Nobles”

Designing, creating, and building things are in the Watervliet Arsenal's DNA, but it was the work outside of the Arsenal fence line this month that something magical hap-pened ̶ for a brief moment, the building of cannons became secondary to the building of lives. On a small plot of dirt near where cotton and knitting mills once flourished in the 1800s is a baseball field that had fallen into near disrepair. For more than 60 years, kids from the small City of Cohoes, N.Y., spent their summers greasing their gloves, putting on the uniform of their hometown team, and then picking teams to play ball on this field. Through the years, however, the City of Cohoes had fallen on tough times, as many other cities did throughout the nation, as it lost its manufacturing base. The city's population peaked in 1910 at nearly 25,000 residents. Today, a little more than 16,000 call Cohoes home. But what was not lost through the generations of the ebb and flow of prosperity was the com-munity's love for its kids. That was evident this month at the Intermediate Baseball Field on Adams Avenue. It would be at this ballpark where many Arsenal em-ployees joined with the Cohoes community in an effort to bring back a sense of pride to this field that has hosted three generations of kids. Given who the club's president and vice president are, it is no wonder that a spirit of volunteerism was on such great display. Donnie Gibbs, who is the president for the National Fed-eration of Federal Employees Union at the Arsenal, is now the president of the Cohoes Intermediate Baseball League. His vice president is Al Frament, a man who spent more than 33 years at the Arsenal and who retired from machining in 2010. They took charge of the league in 2013. Given Gibbs's and Frament's connections at the Arsenal,

as well as their art of persuasion, they were able to convince several well-skilled Arsenal employees, as well as the community, to as-sist them at the ballpark. Whether it was Arsenal Fire Chief John Whipple, who transported sod from a local store to the ballpark on his personal trailer, or the Arsenal's Public Works team of Joe Lavigne, Mike Denim and Jesus Guerra, who rewired outfield lights among other things, everyone came together for the kids regardless of whether or not they called

Cohoes home. "Just about everything that goes into a ball field was upgrad-ed," Gibbs said. "The infield has new grass, lighting was installed for night games, and the bleachers and concession stand have new paint." In addition to the Arsenal workers, Gibbs was able to get great support from his neighbors, league families, and from local businesses. "Several of my neighbors are out here helping out and they don't even have kids," Gibbs said. "But who really came through were the local businesses who do-

nated thousands of dollars worth of such things as sod, paint, lighting material, and heavy equipment." At no cost to the league, Saratoga Sod provided new infield grass, Wolberg Lighting Design and Electrical Supply provided outdoor lighting, Abele Builders and Jack Troy's Auto Body Works provided dozers, and the Tri-City Valley-Cats Baseball organization rebuilt the pitcher's mound and home plate area, Gibbs said. Frament said that it was great to see the community, as well as his former coworkers, come out to support the kids. "I can't wait for the opening day in May when the kids first come to play, because it will give them a tremendous sense of pride in their ballpark and in their community," Fra-ment said. "Heck, it will make us (adults) feel pretty good, too."

For a brief moment, building cannons became secondary to building lives

By John B. Snyder


Top: Al Frament, former Arsenal Apprentice Program Su-pervisor and retiree, helping out.Bottom : Donnie Gibbs, NFFE Union #2109 and league president, spearheaded the effort.



City of WatervlietMemorial Day Parade

Monday, May 25thSave The Date:

The Arsenal is participating in the City of Watervliet Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25, at 10 a.m.

We need volunteers to march with our floats in the parade.

We also have been invited to participate in the Village of Green Island’s Memorial Day Parade that will take place on Thursday, May 21st, 6 p.m. We try to support that parade with one float and a couple of emergency service vehicles.

Arsenal History April 23, 1861

Arsenal Commander Maj. Alfred Morde-cai sends letter to the Chief of Ordnance requesting that he be relieved of command. Mordecai, a native of North Carolina, experienced significant criticism and dif-ficulty from various military sources due to him being a Southerner. Gen. John Wool, Commander for the Department of the East, had queried Mordecai’s junior officers as to whether or not Mordecai was support-ing the South. By May, Mordecai had given up his command and moved to Mexico.


Industrial Health Tip Line There is something new for your protection at the Watervliet Arsenal. Just four numbers, 4447. This is the Industrial Health Tip Line. If you have a concern about the safe environment of your work area from such things as the chemicals that you work with or the ventilation in your shop, give the IH Tip Line a try. The IH Tip Line is designed to get you in contact with an Industrial Health representative in a minimal amount of time. They can help you decipher Material Safety Data Sheets, Safety Data Sheets, or look at your job process to see if there is a hazard present that has not been addressed. If you have a con-cern that you have been exposed to some new or unfamiliar chemical, yes, IH can look at that as well. The best part about this is you can report something anonymously. Of course, IH would like to have your name so they can have you show them just what the issue is, but if you are not comfortable giving that information out, that’s fine too. Your name will not be put in play unless you want it to be. And if it’s during off-shift, there is an answering machine for your use. Just call IH with your concern at 266-4447, and they will work to get the answer to your concerns or questions. Please give as much information as you can about your concern. It’s just that easy.

By Wayne P. RudolphArsenal Industrial Hygienist


Photos by John B. Snyder &

Matthew Day

HAZMATExercise

April 23, 2015

U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal's April 2015 newsletter: The Salvo

News & Politics

Transcript of U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal's April 2015 newsletter: The Salvo