A gathering of key stories and photos that capture some of the action at the Army's manufacturing center at Watervliet, New York for the month of June 2016. This is a low resolution edition and so, if you wish a higher resolution copy please send a note to: usarmy.watervliet.tacom.list.wvapublicaffairs@mail.mil

1. SALVO
Story on Page 3
Marines have landed at
Watervliet ... with money
U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal
June 2016

2. Page 2 Salvo June 30, 2016
The Arsenal Salvo is an authorized monthly publication for members of
the Department of Defense. Contents of the Salvo are not necessarily the
official views of, or an endorsement by the U.S. Government, the Depart-
ment 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 publication.
Commander, Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr.
Public Affairs Officer, John B. Snyder
Editor, John B. Snyder
Photographer: John B. Snyder
Arsenal Facebook Page @
https://www.facebook.com/WatervlietArsenal?ref=hl
Modified Cover photos: By John B. Snyder & Lance
Cpl. Timothy J. Lutz
Colonel
Lee H. Schiller Jr.
Commanding
Manufacturer 6
Commander’s Corner
“All good things must come to an end.”
It is a simple phrase that has rung true
since its origin more than a century ago.
Things we enjoy, things we have known
for years and embraced, eventually come
to an end. This is my final Commander’s
Column and I will take time to reflect on
the last three years.
Our mission is to provide the readiness to
our joint warfighter and as I stated in my
first column, the dedication and commit-
ment of our workforce to this mission is
unparalleled. You have always delivered high quality prod-
ucts at cost and on time.
It takes a team to accomplish our mission and you have dis-
played tremendous teamwork in every action. Your repu-
tation stands out, and in all my travels not once did I hear
anything but praise for your efforts to support our men and
women in uniform. You never lowered your standards and
most importantly, you always accomplished the mission,
keeping safety in the forefront.
The arsenal is a better organization because of our multiple
partnerships that have directly contributed to our success.
Our partnership with ARDEC’s Benét Laboratories makes
us the premier manufacturer of large cali-
ber cannons. Nowhere else in DOD can
you find a research and design activity col-
located with a supporting manufacturing
facility. The Watervliet Arsenal is one of
a kind!
Outside our gates, our community and
business partnerships continue to provide
the synergy that makes us more than just a
factory. Included in these partnerships, is
the critical backing from local, state, and
national Veteran Service Organizations
that have helped us tell the arsenal and
Army story.
During my 28 years of service, there is one thing that has
remained a constant: the Army is about relationships.
Some of those relationships can change as years go by,
while others may last a lifetime. During my command, I
have had the pleasure to start many relationships with the
arsenal family that will last for decades.
I am truly humbled to have served as the 58th
commander
of the Watervliet Arsenal. From the entire Schiller family,
thank you for making us a part of a great tradition of Dedi-
cation, Pride, and Excellence that has endured here since
1813.

3. Page 3 Salvo June 30, 2016
Story continues on page 4, “Marines”
By John B. Snyder
The arsenal has received $8.2 million in new contracts
to manufacture nearly 400, 81 mm mortar barrels and
associated parts for the United States Marine Corps.
“These are the largest orders awarded to the arsenal
this month and certainly the largest contracts from the
Marine Corps in several years, said Laura Pisculli, the
arsenal’s supervisor for production control. “In fact,
June has been a great month for the arsenal as we have
received other contracts from the U.S. Army and from
foreign allied militaries that have totaled more than
$2.8 million in new, un-forecasted work.”
These mortar orders will add to the arsenal’s current
workload nearly 15,000 hours of direct labor, as well as
several hundred hours of indirect labor, Pisculli said.
Unlike the long lead time required to procure raw stock
steel for large cannon systems, the arsenal will start
manufacturing the barrels later this year and the first
shipment of barrels is scheduled to leave the arsenal in
May 2017. The order should be complete by September
2018.
“This is great news to have nearly $11 million in new
orders come in this month,” said Tom Pond, the arsenal’s
director of operations. “Given this era of declining de-
fense budgets, each order is essential to sustaining the
critical skills of the arsenal workforce.”
Since sequestration hit the Department of Defense in
2013, the arsenal has worked hard to position its manu-
facturing capability with other military services, such
as the Marine Corps, and with foreign militaries, Pond
said. Foreign militaries, from such countries as the Phil-
ippines, Latvia, and Afghanistan, have in recent years
turned to the arsenal for various mortar systems.
Marines return to quality,
place $8.2M mortar order
Machinist Steve Luther checking the
paperwork on 81 mm mortar tubes

4. Page 4 Salvo June 30, 2016
Marines Cont.
Photos by: John B. Snyder; Fort DeSoto Park Service;
and Sgt. William Howard.
Left: Manufacturing mortars is not a new prod-
uct line for the Watervliet Arsenal, as seen in
the Fort DeSoto Park, Fla., photo. These 12-inch
mortars were manufactured here in the 1890s.
Center: Pfc. Branden Maurin, indirect fire infan-
tryman, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th
Infantry Division, carries about 100 pounds of
gear up the draw of two hills during the first of
a three-day Mortar Training and Evaluation Pro-
gram, Aug. 19, 2014.
Bottom: Machinist Norman Christie working on
81 mm mortars for the U.S. Army.
The primary
reasons for this
resurgence of
foreign military
sales is due to
the arsenal’s skill
to produce high-
quality weapon
systems, while meeting tight delivery schedules.
What makes this order so important to retaining a criti-
cal skill base is that it will require a wide variety of ma-
chining skills, from tube production to the production of
small components such as base caps and breech plugs,
Pisculli said. These orders includes all aspects of manu-
facturing, from purchasing raw material to machining to
the assembly of several close-tolerance machined parts.
The 81 mm mortar system is used primarily by Army
and Marine mortar teams as an indirect fire weapon
when a high angle trajectory is required to hit enemy
troops, materiel, and positions. It has a maximum range
of about 5,600 meters.
The arsenal currently has in production all three U.S.
defense mortar
systems, the 60
mm, 81 mm, and
the 120 mm mor-
tar system.
The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-operated
manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously ac-
tive arsenal in the United States having begun operations
during the War of 1812.
Today’s arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign mili-
taries to produce the most advanced, high-tech, high-
powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar
systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark
has an annual economic benefit to the local community
in excess of $100 million and generated more than $138
million in revenue in fiscal year 2015.

5. Page 5 Salvo June 30, 2016
Leadership at this small, 203-year-old Army manufac-
turing center in upstate New York has found that even
small tweaks to a production line can produce huge
savings, savings they hope will go toward Army readi-
ness.
In an era of declining defense budgets and fiscal un-
certainty, the Army leadership has directed all com-
mands to strive for cost-cutting initiatives to preserve
precious resources for the readiness of the force.
By seeking efficiencies that will either avoid future
manufacturing costs or will return funding back to the
Army as a result of production costs coming in below
a contracted rate, arsenal leadership has found that
— referring to a baseball metaphor — by looking for
a “base hit” instead of always looking for the “home
run” will still produce tangible results for the broader
Army, while motivating the workforce by honoring
their successes, no matter the size.
During a recent walk, through one of the production
buildings, arsenal Commander Col. Lee H. Schiller
Jr. stopped by a small work team who were manufac-
turing bore evacuators for the Abrams tank system.
Although not a high-dollar cost item for the tank, the
evacuator is a critical piece of equipment that fits on a
By John B. Snyder
Story continues on page 6, “Evacuator”
Bore Evacuator
Even small talk leads to
Army readiness
A Paladin M109A6 self-propelled howitzer, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th In-
fantry Division fires an 155 mm artillery shell during a live fire at the Udairi Range Complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, March 19, 2014. The unit
trained on various indirect and direct fire missions during the live fire. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Marcus Fichtl, 2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)

6. Page 6 Salvo June 30, 2016
gun tube that helps reduce hazardous propellant gasses
and pressure from venting back into the tank’s firing
department.
What Schiller knew when he stopped at that produc-
tion line that day was that the arsenal had just received
an order from the Army to provide a new lightweight-
bore evacuator for the self-propelled howitzer system
called Paladin.
“I knew that when we received the Army order that we
had an experienced team,” Schiller said. “Neverthe-
less, as good as my team was, I was a little concerned
that the current low-rate production process for the
Abrams tank would not support a high-rate production
line, and one with a tight delivery schedule. And so, I
challenged the team to look at the current tank process
using Lean principles.”
Gregory Stone, who supervises the arsenal’s metal
processors, said, “Last October when we received a
large order to produce a lightweight-bore evacuator
for the 155 mn howitzer, we knew immediately that
we had to change our processes. What the commander
did was to challenge us to use the unique capability of
the arsenal’s continuous improvement office’s Lean
principle experts to see if we could better prepare for
full-rate production.”
While prototype development for the howitzer evacu-
ator was ongoing, Stone and his team closely worked
with the continuous improvement office, as well as with
Benét Laboratories, the Army’s large caliber research
and design facility that is collocated on the arsenal.
For more than 30 years, the arsenal has been manu-
facturing bore evacuators for the Abrams tank system,
and to the common observer there may not appear to
be significant differences between the two product
lines. But there are.
“We discovered during prototype development for the
howitzer evacuator that the process is more complex
than what we were currently using for the tank evacu-
ator,” said Marvin Hunter, an arsenal metal processor
work leader. “The howitzer evacuator is slightly larg-
Evacuator Cont.
er than the tank system, requires a special machined
liner, and the composite wrapping and cure process is
different.”
But one of the things that was learned through the
Lean process was not to assume that just because a
new product line is more complex that it will also be
more expensive, because it wasn’t in this case, Hunter
said. Just as important as the cost savings are for the
Army, which will exceed $130,000 over the life of the
contract, is the reduction of more than 40 percent of
the manufacturing time, a time savings that will posi-
tion the arsenal well to meet tight delivery schedules.
Processing time was reduced by moving critical pieces
of manufacturing equipment from other parts of the
arsenal to a centralized production area, by having tool
makers design specialized tooling, and by combining
two gelcoat operations into one, Hunter said.
This month, the arsenal moved from a prototype-de-
velopment phase into full-rate production, delivering
20 bore evacuators this month.
Given the arsenal did about $138 million in revenue
last year, saving $130,000 may be qualified as a good
base hit. But to that small team of metal processors
here, it’s a home run.
Photo by John B. Snyder
Maj. Gen. Gwen Bingham, former TACOM LCMC commander,
getting an update about the 155 mm bore evacuator product
line by Metal Processor Work Leader Marvin Hunter, left, dur-
ing her final visit to Watervliet in April 2016.

7. Page 7 Salvo June 30, 2016
Photos by By Paul Stevenson, Installation Management Command
VICENZA, Italy -- People who use social media are constantly reminded to be careful when posting and sharing information because
it's almost impossible to know who might be monitoring their activity.
For people who want to get or maintain a security clearance, there is now one more reason to exercise online discipline. The Office of
the Director of National Intelligence recently enacted a new policy under which federal agencies may consider publicly available so-
cial media information in connection with an application for a security clearance. Security Executive Agent Directive Five was signed
May 12, codifying federal background investigative authority to incorporate publicly available social media information in the security
clearance process.
According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the new policy allows investigators to scan an applicant's history on
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other similar sites.
The guidelines make clear that agencies can target publicly available social media posts, if they deem it necessary, but cannot force
individuals to hand over their passwords for private accounts, or provide pseudonyms for any profiles.
"Social media has become an integral--and very public--part of the fabric of most American's daily lives," said Bill Evanina, Director
of ODNI's National Counterintelligence and Security Center. "We cannot afford to ignore this important open source in our effort to
safeguard our secrets--and our nation's security."
Additionally, the policy states that social media information gathered as part of a background check will not be retained unless it is
considered "relevant" to the security status of the person in question.
The policy does not require security investigations consider social media information. Instead, it permits the collection of publicly
available social media information if an agency head determines it is an appropriate investigative tool.
Social media can be a place where people show their true character, says U.S. Army Garrison Italy Command Security Office Alfred
Bullard. So now those who need to have a background check give investigators the green light to check into their online activity.
"All personnel who have a security clearance or complete a Personnel Security Background Investigation for a security clearance are
giving authorization to be subject to scrutiny of their social media to look for character, trustworthiness, reliability issues and foreign
contacts," said Bullard.
While the policy does focus on looking at online activity, it places important restrictions that limit the federal government's reach into
the private lives of clearance applicants and holders. Absent a national security concern, or criminal reporting requirement, informa-
tion pertaining to individuals other than the individual being investigated -- even information collected inadvertently -- will not be
pursued. In addition, investigators may not request or require individuals to provide social media passwords, log into a private account
or take any action that would disclose non-publicly available social media information.
Security clearance holders undergo intense scrutiny before obtaining--and while maintaining--a clearance. This includes reporting
interactions with foreign nationals, obtaining permission to travel abroad, and undergoing extensive background investigations and
re-investigations.
This is as it should be, Evanina said. These requirements, along with considering an applicant's public social media presence, "are a
small price to pay to protect our nation's secrets and ensure the trust the American people have placed in us."
Bullard said that being mindful when using social media is the best way to avoid any additional scrutiny during the investigative
process. "Disparaging pictures or comments could raise character or behavior issues," he said. "Character or behavior issues could be a
deciding factor in the suspension or revocation of a security clearance."
Security clearance investigations
to include social media activity

8. Page 8 Salvo June 30, 2016
Scott Huber is a manufacturing foreman who is sup-
posed to be supervising the shaping of raw-steel stock
into finished goods, but lately, he has been seen taking
perfectly-finished metal and subjecting it to conditions
that might lead to its total destruction.
For those who don’t know Scott, they may think that
the arsenal has a heretic among the ranks. After all, sub-
jecting a product to potential destruction every week is
counter to the essence of the arsenal’s mission, which is
to produce items and not destroy products.
Some may say that they have seen Scott recently
moving hurriedly about, spinning his wheels to no avail,
and at the end of the day, he is no further along than
when he started. Others may have thought he was run-
ning a horse farm on his time off because they overheard
him saying that he had 800 horses.
So, why is no one trying to stop him from self-de-
struction or worse yet, keep him from giving up his day
job for the ranch? Well, trying to catch Scott is a story
all to itself.
Scott races cars, modified cars to be exact, at the Fon-
da Speedway every week between April and September.
What started off as “being cool” when he went to his
first car race at age 7, has become an almost seven day-a-
week obsession for about five months every year. Thank
goodness that he met his future wife at a race some years
ago, because his racing investment has gone from a car
that cost $3,500 in 2006 to today’s modified-car valued
at nearly $40,000.
Most people here are aware of Scott’s machining abil-
ity on the arsenal production floors. But in addition to
his machining ability, Scott has become just as skillful
at building, maintaining, and especially in Scott’s case,
repairing cars.
Scott said that when he was growing up, he spent a
lot of time on a family farm where his grandfather and
father taught him how to repair the various types of farm
machines.
“It didn’t matter what the machine was, if it broke the
only way to get it running is to fix it ourselves,” Scott
said. “I learned at an early age how to tear apart and re-
build tractors, snowmobiles, and trucks.”
While attending Hudson Valley Community College,
majoring Manufacturing Technology Studies, he be-
friended someone who had a race car. This buddy taught
Scott the intricacies of racing, except for one thing, how
to drive.
While Scott was in the arsenal apprentice program, he
bought his first car, a modified-sportsman class model.
What Scott realized in his first race, was that he didn’t
know how to drive the car on a dirt track. He crashed
at the Fonda Speedway by accidentally backing into the
wall on the backstretch of the racetrack. A $500 lesson
learned.
For those who may be interested in following in
Scott’s footsteps and take up racing. Keep in mind that
buying the car is only a small part of car ownership.
Fuel costs for every race exceed $110, and that is only
for about 17 miles of racing. Then there are tires that
cost about $200 each and pit pass fees … it goes on and
on. Fortunately for Scott, he has sponsors.
Every week, Scott is either preparing for a race, par-
ticipating in a race, or recovering from a race. At the
time of the writing of this article, Scott was ranked num-
ber 17 out of 39 drivers for this year’s season.
And so, if you ever have a Saturday free, take a drive
to the Fonda Speedway to cheer on one of our own who
will be spinning his wheels, and being no further along
than when he started. It is an oval track.
Arsenal foreman
spins his wheels,
damages equipment
By John B. Snyder
Photo by Peter Neff

9. Page 9 Salvo June 30,, 2016
Oh no...has it been three years?
Change of Command: July 28, 2016
Photos by John B. Snyder

10. Page 10 Salvo June 30, 2016
LEAN Corner...By Quality Systems & Continuous Improvement
Process Mapping – a Multipurpose Tool
Products and services, performance of work….any desired outcome….can be improved in many ways. Al-
though products, services and the results of work are tangible, how we get there is not usually visible on our
radar. This “behind the scenes” action is the PROCESS we use to achieve a result or produce a product. The
PROCESS is what’s happening on the way to the result.
A team can guess at what’s happening, what’s “wrong” or what should be different but a better result is gained
with fact based decision making. A team can’t improve what it doesn’t understand. Any improvement method-
ology requires first an understanding of the process. What’s happening to create the end result? Process Map-
ping – also referred to as charting process flow - provides a visual representation of the steps in a process.
Working together, constructing a process map also provides the following benefits:
• Gives everyone a clear understanding of the process
• Helps to identify non-value-added operations
• Facilitates teamwork and communication
• Keeps everyone on the same page
There are only a few steps to develop a process map. A complicated process might require more than one map
but the logic is the same. To make it visually easy to follow, standard symbols are used to construct a flow
chart; the more common ones are shown below:
1st – Decide on the beginning and end of the process you will be
mapping. Now is a good time to identify the desired outcome of
the process.
2nd - Identify the process steps and connect them with direction
arrows to show the flow. Steps are the major inputs, decisions and
outputs in the process. Using Post-It ® notes is helpful since you
might rearrange or add steps several times until you’re satisfied.
3rd – Add data to the process steps to show the current state of
what’s happening. You can use run time, wait time, defect repair
or replacement, set-up time, transportation….whatever data’s available. You can add metrics to help evalu-
ate how much value is added (or subtracted!) at each step - time, cost, defects - and make this a Value-Added
Process Map.
4th – Analyze the Process Map. You should now have a concrete tool to answer important questions.
Is the process running as it should be?
How is the current process different from the ideal one?
What non value added steps or complexities can be eliminated or simplified?
The Process Map flow chart can greatly benefit any improvement project by increasing understanding of the
flow of information, people and resources. A detailed and accurate map is critical for generating more ideas
and better solutions. The more data the map incorporates into the design the more beneficial the map will be to
your efforts.

11. Page 11 Salvo June 30, 2016
Arsenal Appreciation Night with the ValleyCats
Saturday, 27 August
at 7 p.m.
• The arsenal has coordinated with the Tri-City ValleyCats baseball organization for the
8th Annual Arsenal Appreciation Night.
• Game is on Saturday, 27 August, at 7 p.m.
• Department of the Army Civilians and arsenal family members may purchase a "Reserved
Box" ticket for only $5.50 (42% discount). These are great seats in Section 250.
• All Military Veterans will still receive a free ticket.
• You may also purchase a reduced meal voucher for only $3.50 This voucher is good for one
hot dog, small soda, and a bag of chips.
Tickets available
July 12 to Aug. 17
Contact
John Snyder
in Room 102
Building 10
(266-5055)
or
Melissa Ryder
at the Body Forge
(266-4829)
for
Tickets!!!

12. Page 12 Salvo June 30, 2016
Around the community
Memorial Day Parades
Photos by John B. Snyder