Newsletter from the Army's Oldest Operating Arsenal

SALVO
U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal - Since 1813
April 2018
Sometimes, there are
unintended consequences that
arise from good intentions
Efforts to improve
this weapon system
created a lot of
lessons learned
Story on Page 3

Salvo April 30, 2018
The Arsenal Salvo is an authorized monthly publication for members
of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Salvo are not necessar-
ily the official views of, or an endorsement 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: john.b.snyder.civ@mail.mil.
The editor reserves the right to edit all information submitted for pub-
lication.
Commander, Col. Joseph R. Morrow
Public Affairs Officer, John B. Snyder
Editor, John B. Snyder
Photographer: John B. Snyder
Arsenal Facebook Page @
https://www.facebook.com/WatervlietArsenal?ref=hl
Cover Photo by Sgt. Matthew Hulett
Colonel Joseph R. Morrow
Commander’s Corner
Although I still have about 85 days left before I
change command on July 24, I thought now would
be a good time to introduce you to the incoming
commander, Col. Milton Kelly.
Col. Kelly currently serves as the Chief of Staff
for the Joint Munitions Command at Rock Island Ar-
senal, and has served in logistics since 2000.
-He is a former commander of the Defense
Logistics Agency Distribution Center at Red River
Army Depot.
-He has deployed to Desert Shield/Storm,
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and to Kosovo.
-Originally enlisted in the Army in 1987 and
completed four years of enlisted service.
-Graduated from the University of Central
Florida and was originally commissioned as an Ar-
mor Lieutenant.
Given Col. Kelly’s education and experience, I
have no doubt that he is the right person for the Ar-
senal at this critical time in our Army. But having
said all that … I am not gone yet.
In the last few months, we have been visited
by Secretary of the Army Mark Esper; Gen. Gus
Perna, the Army Materiel Commander, twice; Maj.
Gen. Clark LeMasters, the commander of the Tank-
automotive Armaments Command, and several other
Army leaders. And the telling of our story will not
die any time soon as we are now preparing for the
arrival of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Ac-
quisition, Logistics, and Technology, Dr. Bruce Jette.
There is a reason for this heightened visit activity
here. What we do has a direct and significant impact
on today’s Army’s readiness and on the moderniza-
tion efforts for tomorrow’s troops. For example, the
Arsenal is directly tied to three of the Army’s mod-
ernization efforts: long-range precision fires, next-
generation combat vehicle, and Soldier lethality.
But, just maybe, there is another reason for the
heightened attention here…every new order requires
our unique capability that cannot be quickly repli-
cated elsewhere. In essence, there is no other U.S.
manufacture that has the experience at producing
large caliber weapons parts in the quantities and in
the type of quality that we make today.
So, please be exceptionally safe during the sum-
mer months. Not only are there a lot of eyes watch-
ing what we do, there are also tens of thousands of
Soldiers who must be ready to fight tonight with the
products that we make. They, Soldiers, are counting
on you to deliver.

By John B. Snyder
Arsenal made it right,
then made it better
Painter Thomas Barnes is conducting a quality control check of an area with cerakote, a ceramic-based coating, that he applied to the bore
evacuator area of the 155mm barrel that will go on a Paladin self-propelled howitzer.
Photo by John B. Snyder
Story continues on page 4, "Cerakote”
When the Army’s fleet of 155mm self-propelled how-
itzers, called the Paladin, faced a significant readiness
challenge two years ago, the Army turned to its oldest
arsenal to quickly remedy the problem. But some-
times even well-experienced Army units, such as the
Watervliet Arsenal, create new challenges when they try
to correct old ones.
The gist of the readiness issue has been years in the
making, said Col. Joseph Morrow, the Watervliet Arse-
nal commander, as he described the extensive corrosion
issue that developed under what is called a bore evacua-
tor on a howitzer tube.
A bore evacuator is used on the gun barrels of the
Abrams tank and the M109A7 self-propelled howitzer to
help reduce propellant gases and pressure from venting
back into the vehicle’s firing compartment, Morrow said.
But due to age of the barrels, maintenance procedure
challenges, and changes in propellants over the years,
hundreds of barrels suffered extensive corrosion of the
bore evacuation holes, such that Soldiers’ safety and the
accuracy of the round may be effected.
After several studies were conducted as to how this
readiness issue may have happened, some came to the
belief that because the bore evacuator was very heavy,
that the time and effort to remove the evacuator after
every firing was untenable.

Left: With a lightweight bore evacuator to the left nearly complete, Arsenal metal processors are preparing specialized tooling to composite
wrap another order of evacuators.
Right: A rack of 155mm howitzer barrels are waiting this month for painting. Each one of these barrels will have cerakote, a ceramic-based
film, applied to the bore evacuator area to extend the life of the tube.
Photos by John B. Snyder
Cerakote Cont.
The Arsenal, working hand in hand with the Army’s
Benét Laboratories, quickly came up with a fix.
“By using a manufacturing composite winding pro-
cess that was being used on the 120mm tank cannon,
we were able to quickly modify that process for the
self-propelled artillery system,” said Gregory Marck-
linger, the Arsenal’s division chief for Manufactur-
ing Support. “As a result, we were able to lower the
weight of the bore evacuator from approximately 203
pounds to 110 pounds.”
“We believe that by producing a lighter bore evacu-
ator a rather difficult maintenance job should become
much easier for artillery crew members,” Marcklinger
said. “In fact, we had our first million-dollar contract
for light-weight bore evacuators not long ago.”
But, sometimes, there are unintended consequences
that arise from good intentions.
“We believed that we could do more to support the
Soldiers in the field than just lightening the evacuator,”
Marcklinger said. “So, working with Benét Labora-
tories, we decided to use a cerakote coating under the
evacuator to further reduce the opportunity for corro-
sion.”
Cerakote is a ceramic-based coating that provides an
improved hardness and longer-lasting abrasion resis-
tance to the treated surface, Marcklinger said. Not that
the Arsenal didn’t treat the area under the evacuator be-
fore, but it did so with a dry film coating that does not
have the same tough characteristics as cerakote.
“Before I came to the Arsenal three years ago, I
painted ships for the Navy for 15 years,” said Thomas
Barnes, an Arsenal production painter. “But I have
never painted with a coating as difficult to apply as
cerakote.”
With cerakote, the Arsenal had to work with toler-
ances that were tighter than what was required of dry
film, and the painters had to develop a new quality test
procedure, Barnes said.
“If you try to apply cerakote too much at one time,
it immediately starts running,” Barnes said. “We had
to purchase new tooling and then apply cerakote in four
layers and in very thin coats.”
Barnes said that he was very frustrated until the pro-
cess and techniques were finally achieved.
“I take a lot of pride in my work,” Barnes said. “My
work has got to be perfect, because it is going out to the
troops. And when it (my work) is not right, I get angry,
which makes me work harder to find a solution.”
When tolerances are one to two-thousandths of an
inch, there is not much room for human error, said
Kenneth Prescott, the Arsenal paint supervisor. The
Arsenal now has a good handle on this process and the
goal going forward is to train more painters to meet this
high standard.
After several months of trial and error, new cera-
koted-barrels, with light-weight bore evacuators are
now going out to the troops in significant numbers,
Prescott said.

Army researchers
discover that
giving back to
the community
has its rewards
awards
Page 5 Salvo April 30, 2018
Story continues on page 6, “Award”
Army scientists and mechanical engineers at a
large caliber research and design center located on the
Watervliet Arsenal are accustomed to discoveries. After
all, they have been supporting the Army’s manufacturing
center here since the 1800s. But a recent discovery has
some scratching their heads, because there is no process
in place to replicate the positive findings.
During a statewide science and technology confer-
ence in March, Schenectady High School senior Mat-
thew Muschett took first place for his research in solar
cells. Considering that there were about 450 middle- and
high-school students from throughout New York compet-
ing, his accomplishment is truly noteworthy.
Nevertheless, the fact that Matthew won his division
is not the discovery this article is talking about.
The true discovery came about from the process the
team of Ph.D.s at the Army’s Armament Research, De-
velopment and Engineering Center’s (ARDEC) Benét
Laboratories experienced en route to Matthew’s academ-
ic excellence.
"When we (ARDEC-Benét Labs) were approached
last summer by the Albany Medical College’s Science
and Technology Entry Program (STEP) coordinator
about working with a high school student to better moti-
vate him toward future opportunities in science and tech-
nology, we wanted to help but we did not have a formal
internship program to offer,” said Dr. Jeffrey Warrender,
a physicist with ARDEC-Benét Labs. “So, I got with
two post-doctoral research fellows who were working
with me on other projects and we came up with a po-
tential project for Matthew, which the Benét leadership
quickly approved.”
ARDEC-Benét Labs has a long history of supporting
internships for college students, as well as inviting high
school science students to tour its research facility, but
it did not have an established internship for high school
students, such as what the Albany Medical Center had
asked for, Warrender said.
By John B. Snyder
Matthew Muschett

Award Cont.
“All of us here have a passion for critical research, es-
pecially when it applies to Army weapon systems, but we
thought that it would be kind of cool if we could inspire
just one student to become a
future scientist,” Warrender
said. “Through a process of
discovery, we learned how
to become a coach, teacher,
and a mentor to Matthew as
we led him through three
months of project design and
research.”
Dr. Philippe Chow, a re-
search fellow with ARDEC-
Benét Labs, said that in
addition to his learning to
become a coach and mentor,
he also became a better com-
municator.
“Although Matthew
came highly motivated and
with a basic understanding
of scientific research, at the
end of the day he is still a
high school student, albeit
a very bright one,” Chow
said. “And so, the takeaway
for me in regards to Mat-
thew’s internship is that as
doctorate-level researchers
we must learn to translate
our highly technical work
and jargon into terms that
any audience we engage will
better understand.”
Matthew said that he has
been interested in science
since the second grade and has been part of the STEP
program since the eighth grade.
“What I was hoping to get out of this internship was
to get an experience in multiple different science fields,”
Matthew said. “Nevertheless, the experience I got from
Benét is very different and more positive from what I had
imagined.”
“Prior to my internship, I had a negative view of gov-
ernment research and that was a bad mindset to have,”
Matthew said. “Working with Army researchers was not
what I expected.”
Warrender said he can understand where Matthew is
coming from.
“Working with Matthew showed us that there is a dis-
connect, because we encourage students to pursue careers
in science, but they may not
have an understanding about
what working in a lab looks
like,” Warrender said. “It
was gratifying to provide
that experience to Matthew,
to enable him to see how the
concepts he has learned in
class apply in the lab.”
ARDEC-Benét provided
the hypothesis for how alter-
ing a silicon surface through
laser-induced topography
could be applied to pho-
tovoltaics. This required
Matthew to demonstrate a
process to increase the ef-
ficiency of solar cells, which
could eventually lead to
lower-cost solar panels.
In preparation for the
competition, Matthew said
he was coached by the AR-
DEC-Benét Lab mentor team
to help him shape the content
of his presentation to fit into
the allotted time and to the
audience he would present
to.
Matthew added that an
additional goal he had was to
spread the interest he has in
science to other high school
students with the hope of get-
ting more students to follow in his footsteps.
Although Matthew took first place in the competition,
suffice it to say that ARDEC-Benét Labs, through a pro-
cess of discovery, found that being a coach, teacher, and a
mentor may also impact the future of Army research and
science.
Just maybe, Matthew’s goal of inspiring other students
to consider a future in research will also inspire Army
leadership to continue with the discovery and the road
that Matthew has blazed.
Top: Matthew Muschett, center, with two of his mentors: Dr. Jeffrey
Warrender, right, and Dr. Thierry Tsafack.
Bottom: Matthew Muschett, center, getting hands-on training from
mentors Dr. Quentin Hudspeth, left, and Dr. Philippe Chow.
Photos provided by ARDEC-Benet Labs.

Firefighters from the City of Troy Fire Department are attempting to close a simulated chemical leak. The Troy Fire Department, to include As-
sistant Troy Fire Chief Eric McMahon, have in recent years supported every major first-responder exercise here.
Photo by John B. Snyder
Arsenal becomes emergency
response training base for
NY's Capital District
By John B. Snyder
Story continues on page 8, “HAZMAT”
The Watervliet Arsenal, with the support of
community first responders from four local coun-
ties, conducted a hazardous material training exer-
cise here, April 19.
This exercise was extremely important to the
Arsenal because the Arsenal answers hundreds of
mutual aid calls every year, said John Whipple,
the Arsenal Fire Chief. And, in each community
exercise new skills are learned, while new rela-
tionships are developed.
“The walls and barriers to effective commu-
nication and response are lowered each year that
we do these community-wide exercises,” Whipple
said. “We know that if we ever come to a situ-
ation where we need support, we would call on
these first responders who have trained with us
today.”
The Arsenal, up until nine years ago, conducted

HAZMAT Cont.
emergency response exercises with only internal assets.
But through the years, the Arsenal has expanded its reach
into community response assets to better protect the Arse-
nal and the community.
“We know that we cannot stand alone in reacting to a
real-world, large-scale incident involving intentional or
unintentional acts of nuclear, biological, radiological, or
chemical agents,” Whipple said. “Therefore, it is critical
that we collectively train with our community first response
teams and develop relationships prior to an emergency.”
Nearly 100 first responders from Saratoga, Rensselaer,
Schenectady, and Albany counties, as well as experts from
New York State Department of Homeland Security and Fire
Prevention and Control, supported the exercise.
Exercise participants trained to better react to various
simulated hazardous material leaks, from sulfur dioxide to
chlorine. The various incidents required the use of WMD
detection and decontamination equipment and techniques.
Whipple said that in the future he would
like to expand training to respond to large-
scale propane fires.

American Legion National Commander
Why Engage the American Legion?
- On April 12, Denise Rohan, the American Le-
gion's National Commander visited the Arsenal.
- For those who don't know, Commander Rohan
is the first woman to become the Legion's Na-
tional Commander.
- For nearly a century, we have built a strong re-
lationship with the American Legion in New York
and nationally. These engagements help us to
sustain those relationships.
- We have engaged the Legion many times in the
last nine years, but our first recorded engage-
ment was in 1921.
- We have hosted the NY state Department Com-
mander here four times and this was our fourth
time hosting the Legion's National/Vice Com-
mander.
- The Legion, as well as other Veteran Service
Organizations, have a high propensity to engage
us and therefore, to support us.
- By engaging the American Legion we will have
sustained a great relationship with the organi-
zation whose senior leaders have the ability to
speak to more than 2.2 million Veterans and their
families.
- The Legion has the ability to engage elected of-
ficials, business, and community leaders with our
story. After all, the Legion has a long history of
helping us tell our story to these key audiences,
as well as to their members.
Top: American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan,
right, with New York American Legion Department Com-
mander Rena Nessler standing by the rotary forge. Both
Rohan and Nessler are the first women to lead their organi-
zations as the top commander. By the way, Brian Badger is
walking in the back, having photobombed this photo.
Center: Arsenal Commander Col. Joseph Morrow, left, and
Machinist Supervisor Terry Van Vranken, right, leading the
tour through a production facility.
Bottom: Arsenal Machinist Supervisor Terry Van Vranken,
left, briefing Legion Commander Denise Rohan, standing
behind tube.

Other Arsenal Happenings
Health Clinic Ribbon Cutting
Top: On 17 April, Col. Brandon Bowline, center right, the commander of Ft.
Drum Medical and Dental Facilities, and Arsenal Commander Col. Joseph
Morrow, center left, conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the
new flooring, painting, and bathroom that Fort Drum funded here. The next
step is the replacement of the clinic's heating, ventilation, and air condi-
tioning system.
Top Right: New flooring and newly painted hallways.
Right: Matthew Lawrence, project manager with J&J Worldwide Services,
right, saying a few words of thanks, as well as explaining the road ahead
for future improvements.
Diversity Day Luncheon
This year's Martin Luther King Award went
to Isaac Gibbs. In right photo, Arsenal Com-
mander Col. Joseph Morrow is presenting
Gibbs his award.

LEAN Corner
Objective Metrics
By Kyle Buono
A baseball franchise must use objective metrics to choose its players so that it may begin
the season on a solid foundation. These metrics must
accurately gauge the player’s true performance and
potential. Likewise, a Six Sigma team must objectively
assess the project’s current performance before it can
effectively analyze the processes, diagnose its problems
and offer appropriate solutions.
Six Sigma imposes objectivity by requiring a data col-
lection plan that ensures objective measurement. This
ensures that any resulting assumptions are based on objective criteria rather than a few
subjective opinions.
Both the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, which the Astros beat in the sev-
enth game of the 2017 World Series, are big believers in data-driven analytics. In 2011, Jim
Crane purchased the Astros. That year marked the first time in the franchise’s history that it
lost 100 games in a single season. Crane’s first move was to completely overhaul the team’s
structure with a focus on hiring experts to make data-driven decisions
based on predictive analytics. The team began using data analytics
for both player assessment and in-game decisions and that made
the difference and pushed them to the World Series. Every team
in the league is now using analytics to some degree, but the As-
tros, along with the Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox, the New York
Yankees, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, are diving
deeper than others on data. And it’s working.
As in baseball, it is not important how the process looks on a white
board or how it makes the team feel when they see it in motion.
What matters is how the process performs as measured and
quantified by objective data.

Just to produce
one 155mm cannon
for the Paladin
Self-Propelled
howitzer, hundreds
of manufacturing
operations must
be performed
to tolerances
that measure in
thousandths of an
inch. Just a few of
those operations for
the Paladin howitzer
are depicted in these
photos.
Snapshot of readiness efforts

Newsletter from the Army's Oldest Operating Arsenal

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to Newsletter from the Army's Oldest Operating Arsenal (20)

More from U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal (8)

Recently uploaded (20)

Newsletter from the Army's Oldest Operating Arsenal