AMCOM's Award Winning Cradle-To-Grave Sustainment Approach Reduces Pollution

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- A logistics environmental team with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., won the FY 2009 Secretary of the Army award for environmental excellence in weapon system acquisition.

The AMCOM G-4 Environmental Team provided support to more than 30 weapon system product managers and was critically involved in more than 20 Army System Acquisition Review Council reviews.

For the last two years, the G-4 E-Team was a single focal point for the AMCOM to address environment, safety and occupational health issues in aviation and missile programs, providing acquisition and engineering sustainment guidance and expertise to multiple stakeholders. Part of the team's mission is to serve as AMCOM's point of contact and subject matter expert for weapon system environmental support throughout the entire acquisition life cycle, from early development and fielding until ultimate disposal. The G-4 E-Team functions as an element of the program executive office's or project manager's staff and provides technical assistance and system documentation reviews to identify the environmental requirements and issues for aspects of weapon system acquisition in the U.S. and abroad.

Pollution factors such as effluents, emissions, discharges and noise were incorporated within life cycle, programmatic or site-specific environmental assessments performed by the G-4 E-Team. They applied a "cradle-to-grave" approach in their assessments, considering not only sustainment but also, ultimately, demilitarization and disposal. This sustainment approach led to significant pollution prevention and hazardous material reduction throughout the Army, including:

• Requiring standard statement of work language in more than 150 Army contracts to ensure hazardous materials and suitable replacement materials, either in end-items or utilized in the manufacturing process, would be identified
• Facilitating successful testing, evaluation and approval for transition to a non-hexavalent chromium coating system for Army aviation systems and equipment
• Identifying opportunities including the use of laser and FlashJet™ paint stripping, new media blast technologies, high-pressure water jet power washers, new rivet removal tools, vacuum assisted shrouded tooling and centralized, work cell-mounted vacuum systems
• Initiating a test program to evaluate hexavalent chromium-free coating systems for missile system primers and pretreatments
• Coordinating a field demonstration of cadmium plating alternatives on high-strength steel fasteners

Members of the award-winning G-4 E-Team include team chief Dr. David Branham; Mr. Ronald Hagler, Environmental Division chief; Ms. Sandy Olinger, Acquisition and Compliance Team lead; Mr. Kerry Blankenship, Acquisition and Compliance Team engineer; Mr. Glenn Williams, Technology Integration Team lead, Ms. Kim Granger, Technology Integration Team lead and Mr. Frank Showalter, contract lead.

"The team's single focus has been to ensure AMCOM systems and equipment are manufactured, maintained and repaired in the safest and most environmentally sound manner. This approach increased system affordability and maintainability and improves Warfighter readiness," said Dr. Branham.

An independent panel of judges made up of professionals from federal, state and Army organizations recommended AMCOM for the award. The Secretary of the Army Environmental Awards represent the highest honor in the field of environmental science and sustainability conferred by the Army.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for the Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Tad Davis recognized AMCOM and the winners of the other eight categories as the best examples of how environmental stewardship and sustainability play a crucial role in the Army's mission readiness.

"The Army recognizes successes that demonstrate mission-driven solutions that protect the environment at installations here and overseas. Whatever we do needs to revolve around supporting the mission, taking care of our Soldiers, civilians, and Families," said Davis. "In simplistic terms the Army, our Army, your Army - is building green, buying green and going green. These winning environmental programs make the Army sustainable thereby impacting generations to come."

For details about the Secretary of the Army Environmental Award recipients, visit the U.S. Army Environmental Command's Web site at http://aec.army.mil/usaec/newsroom/awards00.html.

"Sustaining the Environment for a Secure Future"

For more information on the U.S. Army Environmental Command, visit http://aec.army.mil    

SOURCE U.S. Army Environmental Command