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n COVER CREDIT: Mike McMahon — The RecordNorm Christie uses a hydraulic press to straighten a cannon barrelat the Watervliet Arsenal.

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Cover StoryAdaptation allows Arsenal to reach 200

By Ian Benjaminibenjamin@troyrecord.comTwitter.com/ibenja2

WATERVLIET — TheWatervliet Arsenal celebrates itsbicentennial this week, anachievement made possible byadapting to the ever-changinglandscape of war — an ability theArsenal will need to maintain inorder for it to survive another cen-tury.

During the midst of the PersianGulf War, the Air Force turned tothe Arsenal when they needed abomb that could penetrate deepinto Saddam Hussein's fortifiedbunkers.

“We had some old eight-inchhowitzers made during theKorean War that were out in theyard,” explained DeputyCommander Edward McCarthy.Within 23 days, the Arsenal took

those cannon barrels and crafted abomb that could penetrate 22 feetof concrete. Soon thereafter, thefirst Bunker Buster was droppedon Hussein's fortified, under-ground position. He surrenderedthe next day.

“Why was it so important?Because Saddam Hussein believedthe only way to get at his bunkerwas through some sort of nuclearstrike,” said McCarthy. “There'sno contract negotiations. Theysay, 'We need something and weneed you to start working on it,'then we just start working on it.We can work on the fly, and wecan work to napkin designs.”

However, the capability of theArsenal to rapidly — as they hadto during the Persian Gulf Warand again when armor kits wereneeded in more recent conflicts —has been strained by drastic work-force reductions. In 1990, about2,900 people were employed atthe Arsenal; by 2001, that numberhad plummeted to 484.

When the Berlin Wall camedown, it signaled the end of theCold War and the beginning of anera of survival for the Arsenal. “Ittook the edge of the Cold War, sopreparedness was not as much an

issue,” said McCarthy. “Peoplestopped buying hardware, peoplestopped buying programs, peoplecanceled plans that were on thedesign table that they determinedwere no longer going to be neces-sary.”

During the 90s, as the work-force was being halved andhalved again, the cannon produc-tion capabilities at the Arsenalnearly fell into the hands of a pri-vate military contractor. Thetakeover was evaded, and thedecade of reductions ended in2002, as further reductions havebeen staved off by an increase inUS and foreign military orders,and benefits from private busi-nesses utilizing vacant Arsenalproperty.

In what would become a streamof private entities, the ArsenalPartnership brought a small cop-per foil manufacturer, Oak-Mitsui,to the campus in 2000. They werefollowed two years later by amuch larger tenant, HartchromAG of Switzerland, who took overchrome-plating operations forcannon tubes, while using thefacilities to produce chrome-plat-ed rollers for the textile and print-ing industry. As those companieshave moved onto the campus theArsenal has continued producingthe military's cannons and mor-tars.

Meanwhile, the Arsenal beganexperiencing an increase in work-load following the onset of theIraq War in 2003, with a revenue

increase of nearly $70 million.More recently, the facility hasseen contracts for production ofthe 777 Light Howitzer and the105mm M20 Howitzer. Beginningin early May, the Arsenal alsoreceived four new contracts total-ing $27 million.

The increased workloads havereturned the Arsenal workforce,now at 611 employees, to levelsnot seen since before the Iraq War.Yet, the lean years left a lastinglegacy. About 33 percent of theworkforce is over the age of 55,while many of the more recenthires are half that age.

“That's what the reductioncycle did to us,” said JosephTurcotte, director of installationmanagement for the Arsenal. “Welost our younger, inexperiencedworkforce, because they had lesstenure.”

In a move that could preventfurther cuts, or a future closure,this year the Arsenal was desig-nated a Center for Industrial andTechnical Excellence. The desig-nation makes the facility the pri-mary source for all large-calibermortars and cannons for all mili-tary branches — and might pre-vent the Arsenal from somedayfading into its own rich history.

“There is no other cannon andmortar manufacturer in theUnited States,” noted McCarthy.“We're the only one.”

Ian Benjamin can becontacted at 270-1287.

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This is the first part of a three-dayseries about the Watervliet Arsenalmarking its 200 anniversary.

Today we will look at where theArsenal has been and where it’sgoing, its role as a military facilityand how the facility has evolvedover the years. We will also explorethe impact sequestration has had onthe facility and its employees.

On Thursday, we will focus on theeconomic impact the Arsenal hashad on both the City of Watervlietand the Capital District as a whole.

On Friday, we will cover thechange of command ceremony.

Visit www.troyrecord.com for ahost of photos and videos.

WATERVLIET – Whena large caliber gun mis-fires, the U.S. Army callsthe Benet Laboratoriesfirst.

That's because the engi-neers at Benet have beencrafting and improvingcannons and mortars sincethe 19th century, whenthe laboratory was knownas the Arsenal's engineer-ing and design division.

The Benet Labs aretasked with improving thedesign of all high-calibercannons for the Army. Inthe most recent version ofthe cannon mounted onthe M1 Abrams tank,Benet engineers used car-bon fiber which not onlyreduced the cannon’sweight by more than aton, but also increased itsresilience.

As the Abrams enginecan only propel a maxi-mum weight, the savingsin the cannon weight canbe translated into addi-tional cargo for troops,heavier armor, or air con-

ditioning. The latter cansave a soldier's life in theblistering heat of theMiddle East’s deserts.

“With the fire controland the new ammunition,this cannon can reach outtwo miles in pitch blackand have a 99.9 percentassurance of a direct hit ona 36 inch square,” saidJohn Askew, deputy direc-tor of Benet Labs. “Whenthey get you in theirsights, you're pretty muchtoast.”

Although Benet is nolonger a part of theArsenal, having spun offto become a satellite of themilitary's research branchmore than 50 years ago,the laboratories still main-tain a close working rela-tionship with the facility.

As each new cannon orother device is developed,Benet Labs enlists the helpof the Arsenal. “We'retheir $1.5 billion toy facto-ry,” said Arsenal DeputyCommander Ed McCarthy.

“If they want us to make aprototype, we make a pro-totype.”

With each new design,the engineers at BenetLabs will make improve-ments until they have theideal product. During thatprocess, Arsenal employ-ees are not simply produc-ing the cannon; they arealso taking part in itsdesign.

For example, McCarthysaid that Benet engineersmight request a groundfinish for a certain can-non, and such a finishmight be theoreticallyideal, but the Labs mightalso be seeking cost sav-ings. Arsenal employees,familiar with the capaci-ties of each machine,might recommend a millfinish that would cost less,but be just as effective. AsMcCarthy noted, it is theease of such collaborationthat makes the two mili-tary installations co-loca-tion ideal.

— By Ian Benjamin

WATERVLIET –Although the WatervlietArsenal has weathered theGreat Depression andevery war in which theUnited States has beeninvolved with since 1812,it is now being battered bya new threat — sequestra-tion.

For most WatervlietArsenal employees, thesequester resulted in an11-day furlough, whichbegan last Friday, in addi-tion to a three year wagefreeze.

The furlough is part ofan effort to reduce federalspending, but the blind,across the board cuts maybe doing just the oppositeat the Arsenal. While thefurlough will save theArsenal about $2 million

in wages, it also representsabout $4 million in lostrevenue.

Most of the federal gov-ernment operates basedon a budget passed byCongress each year. TheArsenal, however, doesnot receive annual appro-priations from Congress.

Instead, it is classified asan Army Working CapitalFund, a revolving fundwherein revenue andexpense are balancedbased on orders.

“We don't do anythinguntil we have a customer'smoney in hand,”explained DeputyCommander Ed McCarthy.“All the money to establishand take care of this year'sworkload is here, we'vegot it. They're just not let-ting us execute it.”

Almost every employeeat the Arsenal — exclud-ing some firemen andwaste treatment plantoperators — was fur-loughed on Friday. Theextent of the furloughs,originally set for 22 days,has since been reduced to

11. It comes alongside ahiring freeze, limited over-time, and an expensereduction.

The facility has alreadycut about $10 million outof its budget this year byforegoing maintenanceand repair on buildingsalong with reducing over-time, but the Army isseeking more. “There'sreally no way you canoperate this business bytaking a 30 percent reduc-tion without cutting peo-ple,” said Joseph Turcotte,installation manager forthe Arsenal.

“We've been throughthick and thin, and it's athin time now,” saidMcCarthy.

— By Ian Benjamin

4 - Wednesday, July 17, 2013 The Record www.troyrecord.comlocal news

As furlough begins, Arsenal heads into the red

Mike McMahon — The RecordA lathe machines a 120mm cannon barrel at the WatervlietArsenal.

Readers were asked toshare their connection tothe Watervliet Arsenal:

My Dad retired fromthere after 35 years serv-ice. He worked in shop#35. I remember as ayoungster going therewhen they used to haveopen house. It was a funday.

— Virginia

My dad worked thereas a draftsman and metmy mom when she start-ed working there as amachinist. She was 1 ofthe first 5 women hiredthere "to do the work ofmen" as they told her.

— Heidi

My grandmother wasa draftsmen duringWW1 and 2, my hus-band worked there inthe 1970's and 1980'sand my brother workedthere and was Unionpresident in the 1990's.

— Cynthia

As a MilitaryPoliceman in Koreayears ago, I was detailedto an Artillery Unit for afew weeks doingperimeter security. I hadthe good fortune ofbeing invited into aM109 Self PropelledHowitzer to pull thecord and let one godown range. Very excit-ing! Then I looked at theBreech and Gun Tubeand stamped right on itWATERVLIET NY!!! Feltpretty good to tell thoseguys that their weapon-ry is manufactured inmy backyard! Proudcountrymen and proudtraditions.

— Mike

My father Bill Powersworked there for 36years as a tool maker.My grandfather Bill

Powers Sr. was amachinist and my great-grandfather Antoine(Bud) Morris was amachine oiler.

— William

My grandfather andgrandmother bothretired from there.

— Kristen

I worked there from1963-1967; was also Ms.Watervliet Arsenal in the1964 May Day parade.

— Mary

I operated this pressfrom 76-82. Brings backmemories!

— Kevin

My grandfatherworked there and nowmy husband and brotherdo.

— Jen

An anonymous memo-ry of the Arsenal 75years ago:

It was not locked upthen. My folks and otherrelatives used to walkfrom north of the arsenaldown past McCarthy’sBeer Garden (running 2– 8 year old cousins tobe the first to the bigrock and stand on ituntil our parents gotthere).

My younger brotherwas in a little stroller (2or 3 years old) and weall walked thru the backentrance to get Ford’s icecream in Port Schuylerevery week. They hadthe biggest cone you’veever seen.

Also, there was a com-mander that had a littledaughter and we wouldgo past the 4th Ave.entrance to play withher.

It was a great memoryand FUN!

— A WatervlietCitizen

Connection to Arsenal:

Benet Laboratories: more than just cannons

EDWARD MCCARTHY

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‘Primary conversation’ in Albany

About more than cannonsArsenal is an integral part of the community Pages 4 and 5

Mayoral debate

This is the second part of a three-day series about the WatervlietArsenal marking its 200 anniversary.

Today, we focus on the economicimpact the Arsenal has had on boththe City of Watervliet and theCapital District as a whole, not onlythe private businesses that have setup shop in the government facilitybut also the generations of familieswho have earned a good livingworking there.

Friday, we will cover the changeof command ceremony that will fea-ture Col. Lee H. Schiller taking thehelm from outgoing commander Col.Mark Migaleddi.

For additional photos and videos,visit www.troyrecord.com

By Andrew Beamabeam@troyrecord.comTwitter.com/beam_record

WATERVLIET — While theArsenal has faced some ups anddowns during its 200 years ofexistence, it has always been acommunity force in the CapitalDistrict.

The Arsenal has remained amajor employer in the area, buthow just how major, of course, isdictated by the situation at anygiven time. Different productswere manufactured for the vari-ous landscapes U.S. soldierswere fighting in.

According to arsenal DeputyCommander Edward McCarthy,the facility employed approxi-mately 2,800 people, made up ofdirect and indirect labor, in1989. But after the Cold Warended and the need to be pre-pared for an attack seeped away,McCarthy said the numberdropped down to 484 in 2001.

Currently, there are around 611employees with 167 of them hav-ing 25 years of service or more.Former U.S. Rep. MichaelMcNulty, a well-known propo-nent of the arsenal, said manyveterans who were returninghome from either World War IIor the the Korean Conflict andlooking for work ended up at thearsenal.

“You don’t have to go far in theCapital District to run into aretiree or family member of aretiree who worked at the arse-nal,” McNulty said. “It has been

a source of income for numerousfamilies buying houses andcars.”

But the workforce has declinedover the years as the demand forproducts dropped substantiallyresulting in the reduction of theworkforce. There have been sev-eral funding cuts made to theArsenal, leaving it almost in dan-ger of being shuttered as the fed-eral government placed it on theclosure list in 1995. Much of thework was being outsourced atthat time, and overseas produc-tion of the large caliber cannonswas being considered.

McNulty said he would not letit happen.

“I led an effort in cooperationwith a Republican counterpart(Queensbury Rep. GeraldSolomon) to push back and getthe army to retreat on that,”McNulty said. “There hasn’tbeen a serious threat to theArsenal since then.”

While funding cuts havethreatened the Arsenal, nonehave been as dire as those made18 years ago.

McNulty said if there were tobe another serious threat of clo-sure he said the arsenal wouldbe more prepared as it would beable to point to the ArsenalBusiness & TechnologyPartnership which was madepossible in 2001 after a federalArsenal Support ProgramInitiative (ASPI), created byCongress, allowed the Arsenal toenter into a site managementproject with private entities,according to Joseph Turcotte, theArsenal’s director of installationmanagement.

The partnership rents vacantbuildings on the Arsenal’s cam-pus to private tenants.

Turcotte, referencing a recentstudy conducted by ThothSolutions, According to Turcotte,says that the program hasbrought in $95,435,962 throughfiscal year 2010, revenue whichis separate from the Arsenal’sfederal government tenants.

That figure is down from a pre-vious study, which said the pro-gram had brought in over

$100,000,000 according toTurcotte.

He said there has even been a$40 million investment into theASPI program through aCongressional earmark, addingthat the federal government hadcomplained it hadn’t necessarilygotten a great return on itsinvestment. This was mainly dueto the fact any benefits whichcame from the partnership, suchas M + W Group moving itsheadquarters from Texas to theArsenal, only benefited theregion.

“It wasn’t paying back specifi-cally the way the army hadanticipated in reducing costs,”Turcotte said. “It was buildingjobs in the local district.”

At many of the Albany Countyand Rensselaer County Honor aVeteran Ceremonies, whichMcNulty said he attends, thereare many veterans there whoactually worked at the Arsenal.McNulty said Arsenal Col. MarkMigaleddi, who will be leavingthe arsenal at the end of theweek, was one of the first arse-nal colonels to make a regularappearance at the events.

“He got out in the communitymore,” McNulty said. “Thingshave taken a turn for the betterin recent years as far as commu-nity outreach is concerned.”

The effects have been farreaching as partnershipPresident Peter Gannon said any-one you talk to in the communi-ty has been impacted by theArsenal, claiming “the reach ofthe facility is significant.”Gannon said he hopes after cele-brating the first 200 years theywill be able to look ahead toanother 200 years. And with theamount of economic activitybeing generated by the partner-ship today, he said the Arsenal isjust as relevant as it ever was.

“It’s a source of pride for theentire region,” Gannon said.“The fact we can play a part incontinuing that means a lot tome personally.”

Andrew Beam may also bereached at 270-1294.

4 - Thursday, July 18, 2013 The Record www.troyrecord.comlocal news

Arsenal continues to contribute to Capital District’s economyPartnership breathes new life, revenue into Arsenal

WATERVLIET – Therehas been a sense over theyears the WatervlietArsenal had shut down withall but its South Entranceclosed to the public. Butsince 1999, the ArsenalBusiness & TechnologyPartnership has been ableto breathe new life intowhat would have otherwisebeen a flagging warship.

The partnership, headedby President Peter Gannon,who was selected to theposition by the board ofdirectors in 2010, hasworked hard at ensuringthe economic viability ofthe Arsenal campus by leas-ing out space to privatebusiness tenants. Many ofthe businesses use some ofthe Arsenal’s own workers,allowing them to exercisetheir learned skills whileother military contract workwas lacking.

Gannon said thePartnership is on its thirdsite manager agreementthrough the federal ArsenalSupport Initiative to bring inthose businesses; a pub-lic/private partnership hesaid has helped the Arsenalavoid closure and reducethe amount of overhead.

“What was initiallythought of as an alternativeto the Army presence herehas developed into a com-plimentary relationshipwhere they enhance whatwe do and we enhancewhat they do,” Gannonsaid.

There are several compa-nies which covered a widespectrum of sectors in thebusiness world. Companiessuch as Cleveland PolymerTechnologies, CollinsEngineers, Innosoul andSolid Sealing Technology,which employees 50 peo-ple in the campus, havebeen brought on board

through the partnership.Some of the success sto-

ries for the partnershipcome from companies suchas Hartchrom Inc., a sub-sidiary of Hartchrom AG ofSteinach Switzerland. Itpicked up the chrome plat-ing manufacturing for guntubes from the Army due toa lack of production andbrought in more privatebusiness to the campus.

There are also small com-panies such as ExtremeMolding, which performscustom molding in the med-ical, biotech, pharmaceuti-cal and consumer fields.Gannon said the company,which was started by twowomen, currently employs40 people, but the partner-ship has been working onconstructing an expansionfor it.

“They sell a top 10Amazon product,” Gannonsaid. “And they manufac-ture it right here inWatervliet.”

Over the life of the part-nership, it has had an eco-nomic impact of approxi-mately $95 million through-out the Capital District.Gannon said while peoplemay at one point havethought the arsenal shutdown, it has been alive andkicking thanks to the effortsof the partnership.

“We’ve repurposed aportion of the facility to runparallel to what’s happen-ing in the regional economyin terms of the develop-ments in advanced technol-ogy, semi-conductor nan-otechnology,” Gannonsaid. “I think it creates acertain relevance for thisfacility hat is important tothe preservation of thefuture both on the govern-ment side and for us to doprivate stuff.”

— By Andrew Beam

Thursday, July 18, 2013 - 5www.troyrecord.com The Record local news

By Danielle Sanzonedsanzone@troyrecord.comtwitter.com/DanielleSanzone

WATERVLIET — You can’tget much more American thanmultiple generations of theSmith family working at theWatervliet Arsenal and, throughvarious capacities, serving theircountry.

Jennifer Smith can trace herfamily’s time at the Arsenal forat least two generations with hergrandfather, William Childs,working there as an electricianfrom 1953 to 1958, his sister,Virginia Collins, working thereas a traffic manager from 1953to 1983, and Virginia’s husband,Donald Collins, working thereas a production manager from1953 to 1983. Now, Smiths’ hus-band, Jeff, is a production plan-ner and her brother, EmersonChilds, is a materials engineer-ing technician for Benet Labs.

“The Arsenal has providedvery well for our family,” Smithsaid. “As the cost of a four-yeareducation sky rockets, it’simportant to remember there arejobs that are just as rewardingand as successful with anapprenticeship or a two-yeardegree. Couple this with anaging blue collar workforce andthere are many opportunities fortoday’s youth to enter sectorslike manufacturing and have aprosperous career. My husbandis proof of this. I would bethrilled if our children chose tofollow in their father’s footstepsand worked at the WatervlietArsenal.”

Jeff Smith was hired in 2003in the Arsenal’s first machinistapprentice class in years.

“The reintroduction of theapprenticeship program is proofthat the Arsenal is still thrivingafter 200 years,” he said. “Iknow that everyday I am work-ing to provide the best large cal-iber cannon and mortar systemsin the world to our soldiers.They depend on these weaponsto do their job effectively and to

bring them home safely. TheWatervliet Arsenal has been ableto provide weapons to war fight-ers for the last 200 years becauseof the pride that this workforcehas in what we do.”

Along with cannons and mor-tars, many memories — goodand bad — have been forged atthe Arsenal as well.

Mary Brin, who worked as asecretary in the ProcurementDivision during the 1960s andthe Vietnam War era, remem-bered first learning aboutPresident John F. Kennedy’sassassination while at work onNov. 22, 1963. “I recall it being aday of shock, disbelief and uttersadness,” she said.

But Brin, now a resident ofLoudonville with three grand-children and one great-grand-child, also remembered beingchosen to participate in theannual May Day Parade in 1965.

“Back then, the space pro-gram was in its infancy andastronauts were greatlyrevered,” she recalled. “TheArsenal decided to honor thesemen with a float in the parade.So, three other women and Iwere chosen to represent eachone of the astronauts. I repre-

sented Gus Grissom and we rodeon a U.S. Army LARC Vamphibious vehicle.”

And, for Gerald “Jerry” Yarter,the two words that came to hismind following retirement fromthe Arsenal after 32 years were“thank you.” He worked at thesite from 1962 to 1994.

Yarter managed projects likethe Bunker Buster for OperationDesert Storm. With that project,they were able to produce theweapon in 23 days. One of theGBU-28 Hard Target Penetratorswas eventually dropped on thecommand bunker in Iraq, andsurrender soon followed.

“It was remarkable how fastwe made the bunker buster. Itwas the most exciting time inmy 32 years,” he continued. “Ihad the opportunity to watchpeople respond to critical cir-cumstances quickly and skillful-ly. I am proud to have had theopportunity to be in a situationto use their knowledge and skillat times when it was urgentlyneeded. It has been an honorand privilege to have worked atsuch a historic installation.”

Danielle Sanzone may bereached at 270-1292.

Arsenal employment runs in families

Photo contributedMary Brin, far right, was chosen to represent Astronaut Gus Grissom inthe 1965 May Day Parade.

Readers were asked to sharetheir connections to theWatervliet Arsenal:

My Grandfather worked atWatervliet Arsenal.

I retired from WatervlietArsenal and BenetLaboratories.

I remember a time capsulebeing buried at the Arsenalmany years ago.

Employees were allowed toput messages in it. Although Idon't know when it will bedug up.

Also I have visited FortDeSoto in Florida where I'mproud to say there a fewWatervliet Arsenal Cannonsprominently on display.

— Joan

John Murphy, born inIreland in 1863, he came toBoston in 1883 and immedi-ately joined the U.S. Army.

From 1883 to 1898 he wasthe stereotypical Irish ArmyCavalryman who fought outWest in the Indian Wars. Hewas assigned to many differ-ent forts mostly in Colorado.

From 1898 to 1900 he wasin the Spanish American Warin the Ordinance Corp, and in1900 because of his ordinanceand artillery experience inCuba, he was assigned to theWatervliet Arsenal.

This began the influence ofthe Watervliet Arsenal on hislife and the lives of his soonto be family.

He lived and served on theArsenal from 1900 to 1920where he was First Sergeantof the Post and retired in1920.

John go married to MaryShanahan in the Arsenal andwas billeted on the Arsenal

grounds for 20 years. Myfather and his four brotherand sisters were born in theArsenal hospital and grew upon the Arsenal grounds.

Upon his retirement,“Sarge” Murphy moved 100feet outside the Arsenal wallon 12th Street in Watervliet.He never ended his relation-ship with the Arsenal or itstraditions.

Thousands of people in theCapital Region can trace animpact of the WatervlietArsenal on their family goingback generations eitherthrough the military as in mycase, or through the opportu-nity for jobs and employmentthat the Arsenal once provid-ed to tens of thousands.

The Watervliet Arsenal200th Anniversary is not onlyrecognized and celebrated bythe military, the Arsenal staffand the Arsenal craftsmanwho manufacture the specialordinance for our county, butby the Capital Region genera-tions that have been touchedin some way by the Arsenal.

We should all wish atHappy Birthday to a uniqueplace in our community.

— Paul

My grandfather, William H.Childs, worked at TheArsenal and now my husbandand brother do.

My husband, Jeffrey Smith,was in the first “new”machinist apprentice classhired in 2003. My brotherwas former Air Force andworks for Benet Labs.

— Jen

More photographs, videos,and stories are available at

www.troyrecord.com.

Readers’ connections tothe Watervliet Arsenal

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A new big gunChange of command at arsenal

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n COVER CREDIT: J.S. Carras — The RecordMajor General Michael J. Terry (back to camera) hands the colors ofauthority to the new Watervliet Arsenal Commander, Lee H. SchillerJr., middle, as outgoing commander Col. Mark F. Migaleddi, right,looks on during the Arsenal’s 58th Change of Command CeremonyThursday morning.

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Cover StoryThis is the third part of a three-

day series about the WatervlietArsenal marking its 200th anniver-sary.

We were at the change of com-mand ceremony that featured Col.Lee H. Schiller taking the helm fromoutgoing commander Col. MarkMigaleddi.

On Thursday, we focused on theeconomic impact the Arsenal hashad on both the City of Watervlietand the Capital District as a whole

And on Wednesday, we lookedat where the Arsenal has been andwhere it’s going, its role as a mili-tary facility and how the facility hasevolved over the years.

Visit www.troyrecord.com for ahost of photos and videos.

By Danielle Sanzonedsanzone@troyrecord.comTwitter.com/DanielleSanzone

WATERVLIET — The Arsenal’s200th anniversary celebrationsculminated Thursday morningwith a change of command cere-mony.

Army Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr.took command of the facilitywhich includes cannon and mor-tar-making operations, along withhigh-tech businesses. In total,about 1,400 people work at thesite.

Schiller worked as the deputydirector for maintenance policiesand programs in the Office of theDeputy Chief of Staff for Logisticsat the headquarters for theDepartment of the Army. He par-

ticipated in a ceremony Thursdaymorning with outgoing com-mander Col. Mark F. Migaleddi,who will now be stationed inAfghanistan.

Schiller is the 58th commanderat the site, which has been mak-ing weapons to support troopssince the War of 1812.

“A lot has changed at the arse-nal since 1813 – equipment,machinery, and buildings; but theone thing that has not changed isthe overwhelming sense of pridethe workforce puts into every

product made at the arsenal,” saidSchiller. “The arsenal workforcehas been resolute for 200 yearsmeeting the urgent demands ofour nation’s warfighters despitethe ebbs and flows of the defensebudgets. We must be as deter-mined today to meet the signifi-cant fiscal challenges we now faceand to do so with a strong sense ofdignity and pride.”

Born in Baltimore, he holds abachelor of arts degree in biologyfrom Western Maryland College, amaster’s in healthcare administra-tion from Baylor University, and amaster’s of science in nationalresource strategy from theIndustrial College of the ArmedForces. He was a platoon leaderduring Operation DesertShield/Desert Storm, and a battal-ion executive officer withOperation Iraqi Freedom. Hisawards and decorations includethe bronze star medal, the globalwar on terrorism service medal,and combat medical badge. Hehas been married for 20 years tohis wife, Christine, and they have

four children.Migaleddi stated: “Today’s

change of command, a simple cer-emony that is rich in tradition,has now been executed 58 timesin 200 years. It is not a ceremonymarking an end of 200 years ofcontinuous service to our nationand our allies, but a ceremony tomark the new beginning in time,a time where the Arsenal looks toseize on new opportunities tomaintain and improve our criticalmanufacturing skills.”

A few hundred people attendedthe ceremony, held under a groveof trees. Symbolizing the com-mand change, a stamp with thenew commander’s initials wasplaced inside a cannon tube.

The arsenal campus is made upof 72 buildings on 143-acres.

Officials at the event includedMaj. Gen. Michael Terry,Watervliet Mayor Mike Manning,County Executive Dan McCoy,Arsenal Business and TechnologyPartnership President PeterGannon, and former U.S. Rep.Mike McNulty.

Danielle Sanzone may bereached at 270-1292.

J.S. Carras — The RecordArmy Col. Lee H. Schiller, Jr., theWatervliet Arsenal’s new command-er, addresses those attending the58th Change of Command ceremo-ny at the facility on Thursday morn-ing.

”The one thing that has notchanged is the overwhelmingpride the workforce putsinto every product made atthe arsenal.”

Army Col. Lee H. Schiller, Jr.58th Commander, Watervliet Arsenal

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Friday, July 19, 2013 - 3

Ceremony marks a ‘new beginning’