Photo By Willliam D. Ritter | Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Deputy Commanding General and Acting Commander of the U.S. Army...... read more read more
RICHMOND, Ky.— The Blue Grass Army Depot recently hosted Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Deputy Commanding General and Acting Commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command at the depot. While Mohan toured depot operations, he said he "learned some new things" about BGAD and, surprisingly, reunited with two fellow Soldiers, now BGAD workers, who trod some of the same turf while in uniform as Mohan, 25-plus years ago.
Mohan's visit to BGAD was designed to show the new depot initiatives and highlight BGAD's world-class consolidated shipping center.
Initially, BGAD briefed the general on its security software exercise and the depot's Joint Munitions Command, Department of the Army Security Guard Training Academy.
BGAD has been testing a new active-shooter security software for over a year. It is an artificial intelligence-powered surveillance software to detect real-time threats such as intruders, weapons and abnormal behavior. Mohan wanted to see the technology personally.
"You are managing not only the challenges you have with the sun-setting [closing] of the chemical mission [on the post] but are working to get the best out of everything that you can moving forward for our country," said Mohan.
BGAD's electronic security systems manager, Chris Willoughby, briefed Mohan on the software's capabilities while utilizing the current depot video camera infrastructure. Willoughby also showed the general recorded footage of September's training exercise.
During a working lunch, BGAD directorate heads briefed Mohan on what was happening in their section. The general, however, keyed into the Director of Emergency Services, who briefed Mohan on the Army Security Guard Training Academy developed and directed by BGAD security officers.
The depot's Joint Munitions Command, Department of the Army Security Guard Training Academy launched last year and offers a full schedule of required tasks and standardized curriculum for any security guard that attends the BGAD training facility.
"Every time I come out to one of these sites [BGAD], I learn something – and I like that," said Mohan. "You have a security guard training academy here that could help us across the platform."
Command Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Sellers, AMC command sergeant major, agreed with the general.
"It was critical for us to get out here and see things firsthand," said Sellers. "When we get the opportunity to see the capabilities and capacity of what BGAD does and provides to the Army, we must visit so we can articulate that [information] to Army senior leaders.
Mohan proceeded to tour several key areas of the depot, including the Consolidated Shipping Center, the Small Arms Ammunition Warehouse, BGAD's 'confidence clip' training grenade production facility, and depot facilities being considered for use by civilian defense contractors.
During the depot tour, Mohan discovered another new BGAD item – Navy Sea Sparrows rockets. BGAD handles munitions storage, shipping, receiving, inspection and demilitarization for all branches of America's Armed Forces. Not only did the Sea Sparrows rockets surprise the general, but they also were a first for BGAD worker Gene Walker.
"In all the years I've been working here [BGAD], I've never seen this type of munition come into my shipping yard," said Walker, Chief of BGAD's Munitions Division.
Walker showed the general BGAD's state-of-the-art transportation hub used to ship, receive and stage munition deliveries via truck or train. While walking around the shipping center, Mohan and Walker discussed their military careers. The two Soldiers learned they trained at the same 55-Bravo Ammunition Specialist Course School House at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, over 30 years ago. Mohan and Walker were also assigned to the 664th Ordnance Company at Fort Cavazos (formerly known as Fort Hood), Texas, though at different times.
The tour continued to the depot's 'confidence clip' training grenade production facility, where ironically, Mohan ran into another former battle buddy, Rick Rappley. Rappley, an explosive operator supervisor at BGAD, showed the general the robotics used at the depot to manufacture the training grenade. A BGAD worker loads the grenade handle into the system, and the robotic arm retrieves it and precisely attaches the handle to the training grenade's body.
After the tour, Mohan and Rappley started discussing their military careers and discovered each trained in the same Ranger Class (92-06) in 1992.
Col. Sam Morgan, commander of Blue Grass Army Depot, accompanied the general throughout the tour.
"No matter if it is an AMC leadership visit or a visit from our JMC team, having leaders from these levels visit us at BGAD is always helpful and welcomed," said Morgan. "It benefits BGAD moving forward because these leaders personally see what our team is doing well, what some of the challenges are, and what type of support the depot could use to help the joint warfighters in other avenues," he added.
Mohan's visit concluded at BGAD's command headquarters building to hand out awards to depot employees.
"I appreciate everything you guys do, day in and day for our country. Thank you so much."
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2024 16:04 |
| Story ID: | 487631 |
| Location: | RICHMOND, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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