This is the February issue of the Arsenal's monthly newsletter called the Salvo.

1. S ALVO
“Service to the Line, On the Line, On Time”
Vol. 12, No. 2 U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, NY Feb. 29, 2012
She served us well since 1916
By John B. Snyder
Although she was a
little overweight, having
tipped the scales at more
than 540,000 pounds, she
moved with grace and pre-
cision providing support
to our warfighters in every
conflict since World War I.
The 217-ton crane that
once aligned the ceiling
in the historic “Big Gun
Shop” was installed in
1916. Since then, she has
moved millions of pounds
of barrels ranging from
the 16-inch guns for U.S.
battleships to the artillery
weapon systems that were
widely used by U.S. forces
in Vietnam.
Her last run was in 1982
and since then, she has qui-
etly slept until this month.
Burt Crane & Rigging, a
local company from Green
Island, N.Y., lowered this
once powerful crane and
dismantled her on the floor
where she once saw Ar-
senal workers toil to near
exhaustion to provide our
Nation’s warfighters with
guns that made them suc-
cessful in every conflict.
The crane was removed
to reduce the weight on the
Photo by John B. Snyder building’s structure.
Commander’s Corner Tool Design Force Protection MLK Award
Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 8

2. Page 2 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Commander’s
Corner
You may have recently seen your fellow workers being
pulled from their jobs and into upper level strategy ses-
sions that we call Value Stream Analysis. To those who
got pulled, they may not have seen the immediate or direct
value of participating in these sessions. And so, I want to
take some time this month to try to explain the purpose of
these strategy sessions and how they are tied to our opera-
tions and to the long-term viability of the Arsenal.
Value Stream Analysis, which is part of the Lean Enter-
prise, had its origins with the Toyota car company in the Photo provided by Billy Martin
1980s. The Lean Enterprise’s purpose at the Arsenal is to The Arsenal Commander Col. Mark F. Migaleddi addressing the work-
identify and eliminate waste, while preserving and or im- force during the town hall meeting on February 16th.
proving our quality and value to our customers. The bottom
are doing everything in our control to position our defense
line is that we must use Lean initiatives to make us more
businesses for the declining budget headwind, including
competitive amongst the sea of defense contractors, fellow
continuous improvement initiatives, restructuring, divesting
government-owned manufactures, and civilian manufac-
non-core businesses, and headcount reductions.”
tures.
We must reposition ourselves, too.
You can’t pick up a newspaper today or watch a 6 p.m.
That is why conducting strategy sessions such as what
newscast without being reminded that there are significant
we recently did for Business Development, purchasing new
budget reductions coming to our military. Nearly $500 bil-
machines that can perform five machining functions versus
lion is the current budget reduction target and those cuts
one function of the older machines, and looking for and
will touch the entire fabric of our Army, from personnel to
eliminating waste all fits into ensuring the long-term viabil-
weapons systems.
ity of the Arsenal.
We cannot be blind to impending defense budget cuts by
So, what do I need from you?
thinking that our current business or future work will not
I need everyone to: look for and find better, more ef-
change. It will and so, what can we do about it?
ficient ways to do their jobs; to do things right the first time
I foresee on our horizon that we must go beyond simply
so that we don’t waste time and money correcting mistakes;
being “transformational.” We must look at every aspect of
and I need everyone to step up to the plate when called and
our operations as if our “survival” is at stake. We all have
become an active participant in future Value Stream Analy-
“skin in this game” ensuring the Arsenal has the ability to
sis sessions.
answer our Nation’s call by providing weapons for the de-
fense of our country.
A recent Bloomberg news story highlighted the plight of Mark F. Migaleddi
defense contractors as they work their way into a future of Commanding
declining U.S. defense dollars. In this article, a CEO from
Manufacturer 6
one of the largest defense contractors in the world said, “We
Commander, Col. Mark F. Migaleddi The Arsenal Salvo is an authorized monthly publication for members of the Department
Public Affairs Officer, John B. Snyder of Defense. Contents of the Salvo are not necessarily the official views of, or an endorse-
Editor, John B. Snyder ment by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or
Photographer: John B. Snyder
the Watervliet Arsenal.
Arsenal Facebook Page @ 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,
http://on.fb.me/sq3LEm 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 publication.

3. Page 3 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Tool Design: Where history shapes the future
By John B. Snyder fixtures were required to assist in the manufacturing of Arse-
nal products during a distinctive time period. John liked the
I was recently wandering around the inside of the Arse- word “distinctive,” but maybe “historic” might be a better use
nal’s 1840s-era barracks building thinking about what life of words. Nevertheless, in these files, one could look up the
must have been like at the Arsenal 170 years ago when I sud- tooling that was required for such products as a mortar tube
denly realized that I had wandered into a place where few during the Korean
travel. Tucked away in a back room on the third floor of a War or an engineer’s
building, to which I still don’t know bridge during the
the number to, was a place called Vietnam War or an
the tool design office. Inside were Abrams Tank can-
John Zullo and Greg Tilley, the Ar- non during the war in
senal’s two remaining tool design- Iraq.
ers. And so, I asked
John told me that in the early John the obvious
1990s there were 15 tool designers question, “Why do
at the Arsenal. He tried to explain we need to keep all of these cards?
to me that the Arsenal lost 13 de- John offered a couple of exam-
signers due to the nine reductions ples of why the Arsenal maintains
in force that occurred in the 1990s. these cards.
But I knew better. I have no doubt A few years ago, the U.S. Air
that those tool designers couldn’t Force came to the Arsenal to manu-
find their way back to this remote facturer 105mm cannons for their
office and simply settled for some AC-130 gunships. Well, the Arsenal
other job. had not made these cannons since
For those of you who don’t know the 1960s but thanks to having the
John, he started working at the Ar- data cards, tool designers and plan-
senal as an apprentice in 1970 and ners had a foundation from which
has been a tool designer since 1975. to begin production. This saved
Wow, 37 years later and he still Photos by John B. Snyder thousands of dollars in production
hasn’t found his way out his office. Greg Tilley, left, and John Zullo comb through the vari- planning time, John said.
Greg was cut from a different ous tool card drawers to demonstrate the degree of He added that recently the Ar-
cloth. He joined the Arsenal work- detail that each historical record holds. In the top photo, senal prepared a quote on a new
force four years ago after graduating John is working on a 3-D sketch. bridge for the U.S. Army. Tucked
from the University of Buffalo with a degree in mechanical away in John’s files were the requirements for a bridge the
engineering. According to John, Greg is his succession plan. Arsenal manufactured during the Vietnam War — another
The stark difference between John and Greg was only foundation from which to assist the Arsenal’s planners.
overshadowed by the visual differences that I saw in this of- The contrast to all of this was that on John’s computer
fice. was a 3-D drawing of a fixture he was currently working on.
As I walked into the office, just off to the right were a se- I was fascinated as he moved this computer-aided design of a
ries of filing cabinets that one would find at the Arsenal about fixture to show how it would work once it was manufactured.
the time the Arsenal completed its first 16-inch gun. The year This 3-D designing was a far cry from the old days when
was 1902. John started at the Arsenal. Back then, he would painstak-
Those old cabinets had hundreds of files drawers that were ingly stand over a draftsman table for days to pencil in a tool
jammed with record of tooling cards that date back to World design. Now he can do the same design on his computer in
War II, if not longer, John said. significantly less time. Although he still has that old drafts-
When I looked at the rows upon rows of files, I immediate man table in his office, it now holds the printouts of the tool
thought of the A&E television series called Hoarders. But design that he does on his computer.
John and Greg assured me there was a method to their…mad- John explained that he and Greg design fixtures, gauges,
ness. This is my word usage, not theirs. and tools that will be required to support the production of
John said each card told a story. a specified product line. These items will either hold or lift
The stories they tell explain what special tools, gauges, or products during their manufacturing process.

4. Page 4 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Arsenal turns
to dogs to sniff
out threats
By John B. Snyder
Doesn’t everyone like a story about dogs? After all,
those fun-loving, floppy-eared animals are like a family
member to many households. That is, unless you are a ter-
rorist or a person carrying drugs at the Watervliet Arsenal.
The City of Albany Police Department’s K-9 unit con-
verged on the Arsenal earlier this month in support of an
antiterrorism exercise initiated by the Arsenal’s Director of
Emergency Services, Joe Claus.
This exercise was not done to
counter any current threat, but to
test and evaluate the Arsenal’s
antiterrorism program, as well
as threats to the health and wel-
fare of the Arsenal by those who Photos by John B. Snyder
would bring drugs onto this Army
Top: Albany K-9 unit checked outgo-
installation, Claus said. ing vehicles, as well incoming cars,
“In the past year, we have for drugs.
ramped up our force protection Left: Albany police officer with his dog
preparedness and we have done observes Arsenal Security Officers
inspecting incoming cars.
so by involving more support
from emergency responders from outside of our fence line,” an antiterrorism exercise.
Claus said. “For example, just last month we conducted “Having this canine unit added an entirely new dimen-
antiterrorism exercise at the Arsenal with a SWAT team sion to our level of preparedness, as well as improving the
from the FBI and this month we had a canine unit from the image of our law enforcement capability to the Arsenal
Albany Police Department.” workforce,” Claus said.
The Albany Police Department sent four team members As much as the Arsenal would like to train with this dog
and three dogs to support more than 16 Arsenal Law En- unit again, trying to work into the K-9 unit’s schedule may
forcement Officers in the search of incoming and outgoing be a challenge. After all, this team did more than 750 “uti-
vehicles during the two-hour exercise on February 7. lizations” or missions last year, Cotter said.
Despite it being more than 10 years since 9/11, there Claus said the key take away was a continuing commit-
were several firsts associated with this exercise. ment from the Arsenal to improve communications and
“Prior to 9/11, we rarely trained with communities or relationships with emergency responders from outside the
government installations outside of the city,” said Sgt. Eric arsenal fence line.
Cotter, who supervises the Albany Police Department’s K-9 “Having the Albany Police Department support us will
and mounted units. “But since then, we have been very pay huge dividends not only in future training opportuni-
aggressive in working with local communities and govern- ties, but also in protecting the health and welfare of the Ar-
ment agencies that do not have a canine unit.” senal’s workforce,” Claus said.
But despite Cotter’s expanded mission to venture out- Although the U.S. Army requires all installations to
side of the city, this was the first time his unit had trained train, exercise, and test their antiterrorism program at least
on an Army installation, Cotter said. once each year, the Arsenal has exceeded that requirement
Claus also said that this was the first time that a dog unit by conducting force protection exercises about once a
had trained with the Arsenal’s law enforcement officers in quarter, Claus added.

5. Page 5 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
A time when the President
met the Arsenal’s
Greatest Generation
By Mark Koziol
Arsenal Museum
Left: President Franklin D. Roosevelt
shakes the hand of Arsenal Work Manager
Frank Miller, as Brig. Gen. A.G. Gillespie
does the introductions. FDR was greeted at
the Arsenal gates with the traditional 21-gun
salute because of his status as the Commander
in Chief of the Armed Forces. Even before
the president’s visit, the Arsenal had already Photos provided by the Watervliet Arsenal Museum
begun increasing production capacity and adding new
workers to the payroll. In late 1940, there were more Hyde Park home. Then, early afternoon on Monday,
than 3,000 people working at the Arsenal. October 7, President Roosevelt left at 12:30 p.m. for a
America was in a state of partial emergency as of drive north to visit the Albany region. According to his
Sept. 8, 1939 due to Nazi Germany invading Poland schedule, FDR and party were to be at the Watervliet
on September 1, igniting the Second World War. Arsenal at 2:30 p.m.
Twelve days after FDR’s Watervliet visit, on Oct. 16, Bottom Right: Army Maj. Stephen L. Conner
1940, the federal government held the first peace time discusses with Roosevelt the different weapons being
draft. manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal. To the far right of
Top Right: FDR mixed business with pleasure the photo, a Secret Service Agent watches the crowd
during the beginning of October, 1940. During the attentively as he stands on the right front running board
weekend, he relaxed from campaigning by visiting his of the president’s car.

6. Page 6 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Two-fer...
On February 16th, the Arsenal
commander conducted a town
hall meeting, as well as a Diver-
sity Day Luncheon. During the
town hall, two special things hap-
Ken Governor
Rensselaer County pened...
American Legion
Mike Dumas, supervisor of pro-
duction planning control, re-
ceived the Annual Martin Luther
King Award from Col. Mark F.
Migaleddi (more on page 8).
And for the first time, leadership
from the American Legion ad-
dressed the workforce. After the
remarks, the Legion members
Tom Pond
Director of Operations
were taken on a tour of the Arse-
nal.
Kin Ting Rose Sopok Lt. Col. Pablo Rivera
LMP Master Cell Former Disability Chaplain for TACOM LCMC
Speaking Chinese Program Manager Speaking Spanish

7. Page 7 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Two cents and more for your thoughts
By John B. Snyder suggestion does not directly save the Arsenal money.
“Unlike Value Engineering, a suggestion to the
Okay, so you believe that you have the “idea of
Army Suggestion Program does not have to produce
a century” that will make the Arsenal safer, more
a tangible benefit, such as a cost savings or cost
efficient, or that will improve a process. But where do
avoidance,” said Marhafer. “A suggestion may
you turn to get that idea moved from concept to action
provide an intangible benefit that may affect the
or better yet, how can you make a buck by offering up
Arsenal’s functions, mission, or personnel.”
your suggestion?
Improving workforce safety is a prime example
The path may not be as clear to take as one might
of an intangible benefit. A suggestion to improve
think because the Arsenal uses two types of programs
workforce safety may be difficult to determine what
to sift through recommendations by the workforce that
the tangible cost or labor savings might be to the
may award cash for good ideas.
Arsenal, but an evaluator can estimate a value for
Two of the newer Arsenal employees, by the
these types of suggestions based on the perceived
names of Jim Rossini and Josh Gypson, tried to make
value and reach of the suggestion, which then might
sense of one of one of the programs called Value
qualify an individual for a cash payment.
Engineering to me. Both Jim and Josh work in the
Individuals may receive up to 10 percent of the cost
Operations Directorate, and Josh oversaw the VE
savings or avoidance up to $10,000, and another
program last year. He has since passed his VE duties
three percent for anything over $10,000.
to Jim.
By the way, for those of you who have submitted
Anyone who knows these two will truly understand
recommendations that would do away with the
when I say that the interview with them was quite
public affairs officer position as a cost savings, those
entertaining. A 30-minute interview turned into 90
suggestions have been forwarded to my office for
minutes as they passionately tried to explain VE, as
consideration. I’m a little behind right now and it may
well as the meaning of life at the Arsenal.
be some time, in fact a very long time before I will
VE, according to Jim and Josh, is mainly about
get to them. But keep them coming because I enjoy a
process improvements. And by the way, VE is a
good laugh.
TACOM regulatory requirement that has been placed
on the Arsenal in which we must attain a savings of
1.5 percent of our total financial obligations every Army Suggestion Program Success
year. Although a process improvement may make the So far in FY 2012...
Arsenal more efficient, it may also mean a financial
award for those who make the suggestion. -13 Suggestions have been adopted
For example in 2011, a VE project suggested using -$1,000 was the top award
seamless tubing instead of a forging to make 120mm
mortar tubes. The total cost avoidance was more than
-$2,049 is the total amount awarded
$800,000 totaled over FY11, 12, and 13. An amount
of $5,000 was given as an award, distributed among
Value Engineering Program
the people involved with the project at Benét Labs. Success in FY 2011
If VE isn’t your flavor, then you might take your
great idea to Stacey Marhafer, who is the Arsenal’s -1 Project
Army Suggestion Program Manager. Stacey said -$800,000 in cost avoidance
her program rivals the VE program in that it too may -$5,000 cash award
award a cash incentive for a suggestion, even if the

8. Page 8 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
2012
MLK Award Recipient
Mike Dumas received the 2012 Martin Luther King
Award during the town hall meeting on February 16 due to
his dedication and support to the Watervliet Arsenal’s Equal
Employment Opportunity Program.
As Supervisor of Production Planning Control in the Indus-
trial Operations Directorate, Mike worked to increase the
diversity of the workforce through: recruiting and hiring
initiatives; encouraging and maintaining an environment
where all groups of employees realize equality and potential
for advancement; and he exhibits the spirit and intent of
Mike Dumas receiving his Martin Luther King Award
Equal Opportunity as seen through his actions and works by from Col. Mark F. Migaleddi, Arsenal commander,
developing the same in each of his subordinates. on Feb. 16, 2012. Photo provided by Billy Martin.
City of Watervliet
Memorial Day Parade
Monday, May 28
Save The Date:
The Arsenal is participating in the City of Watervliet Memorial Day Parade on
May 28, at 10 a.m.
We will be looking for volunteers to help us build the floats and to march in
the parade.
We have also been asked by two other communities to support their
Memorial Day Parades, which we are considering to support.

9. Page 9 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Stories from the Sandbox
National Guard Veterans speak about ‘their’war in Iraq
National speak about their war in Iraq
Where: NYS Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, 61 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs
When: 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012
NY Army National Guard veterans who served during different periods in Operation Iraqi
Freedom from 2003 to 2009 will share stories about what happened inside the combat zone.
The stories you have never heard…
COMBAT OPERATIONS: NATION BUILDING: HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT:
The rise of the insurgency Training Iraqi security forces Delivering aid to the poor
The introduction of IEDS Facilitating national elections Providing medical services
The dangers of patrolling Reconstruction efforts Supporting schools, orphanages
The Baghdad Airport Road Working with local leaders And much more…
First Sergeant Joseph Martel, Albany, 105th Military Police Company, OIF 2003-4
nd th
Major Vincent Heintz, White Plains, Company A, 2 Battalion 108 Infantry, OIF 2003-4
st th
Sergeant First Class Luke Chiarenza, Clifton Park, HQ Company, 1 Battalion 69 Infantry, OIF 2005
st th
Staff Sergeant Don Leinfelder, Troy, Company A, 1 Battalion 69 Infantry, OIF 2005, Purple Heart Medal
st st
Sergeant First Class James Montesano, Watervliet, Company D, 1 Battalion 101 Cavalry, OIF 2005,
Lt. Col. Jamie Green, Saratoga Springs, 466th Medical Company, OIF 2006
nd
Col. Mark Heffner, Troy, Headquarters 42 Infantry Division, OIF 2005
Sponsored by the Friends of the NYS Military Museum and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs

10. Page 10 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Arsenal employee, family
race to danger
By John B. Snyder
What would you do?
You have probably seen this scene played out many
times on the local 6 o’clock news of a story involving a
home fire in your community. At first, the fire is the size
of a car’s hubcap, but within seconds the fire shoots up
the back of the home.
On your TV, you see neighbors rush to the fire only
to then see them stay back, out of danger, to capture
the burning home on their cell phones. Once the home John “Jack” Maloney
had been destroyed, those same neighbors would often post the
videos onto their social media sites, such as Facebook, or might relay those videos to the
local news organizations for their 15-seconds of fame.
After all, this may be the new era when people are more concerned about capturing
such scenes on their personal video acquisition systems than they are to inject
themselves into the danger…or is it?
John “Jack” Maloney, who is one of the production planners in the Operations
Directorate, had his opportunity for his 15-seconds of fame on the evening of February
13 when he and his family noticed a small fire, about the size of hubcap, at a neighbor’s
house.
But he didn’t seek his 15-seconds of fame.
Instead, Jack grabbed the house phone and dialed 911 to report the fire. As he was on
the phone, his wife, Johanna, and daughter, Maggie, went into the burning house to alert
the two families who were home. Jack soon joined them.
What would compel the Maloney family to put themselves at great risk, Jack said he
can’t explain.
“When I saw the fire, I immediately thought about the young child who lived on the
second floor of the house, as well as others who lived in the house,” Jack said. “There
was no hesitation by my family to enter the burning building.”
Jack and his family were able to alert the two families and thus, saved three lives, as
well as two dogs.
Although Jack is not seeking any notoriety, what Jack and his family did on that
Monday evening certainly deserves some recognition.
Jack’s photo by John B. Snyder - Background photo is not of the Cohoes fire
This story should not end by just the personal courage displayed by Jack and his
family earlier this month. We should take this as a learning to point to be more
sensitive to our environment and when something seems out of place, albeit as
small as a hubcap, that we take immediate and deliberate action.
It may be hard to measure the value that Jack and his family added to his com-
munity that night, but suffice it to say that it must be significant. We can be
significant, too.

11. Page 11 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012
Arsenal’s WWI Veteran quietly retired
If only this old workhorse could talk of the
strains of lifting tens of thousands of barrels and
guns since arriving for work in 1916. After many
years of no activity, the Arsenal leadership de-
cided to remove the crane to lighten the weight
on the historic Big Gun Shop.
A local company from Green Island, Burt Crane
& Rigging, won the contract to remove the crane.
Starting in the bottom left photo and going
clockwise is the progression of the final days of
the 217-ton crane. In the bottom right photo, we
discovered the signatures of the 1942-1943-1944
Victory Gang “Men of the Watervliet Arsenal.”
Those WWII employees signed in lumber crayon
on the end of the beam.
Photos provided by John Snyder, Billy Martin, and Bryan Myers

12. Page 12 Salvo Feb. 29, 2012