THE ENGINEERING EDGEEDGEWOOD CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL CENTER

Volume 5, Issue 10 October 2013

To access the electronic version of this newsletter, visit: http://www.ecbc.army.mil/news/ENG/

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At the end of March 2013, three proposed projects led by employees from the Engineering Directorate were awarded 219 Funding for further development of the concept or technology. Here is a status on the progress

that one of the winning projects has made since March, with insight into the team’s approach to ideation and how they resourced the project to promote ideal collaboration.

Backpack Stand for Field Operators

Project Description: Warfighters are tasked to collect and test samples in the field while suited in full MOPP gear. They carry their equipment in backpacks and use these backpacks as a workspace while collecting samples. This often leads to the Warfighters placing the bag in a hazardous area on the ground. Incorporating a stand into the backpack would provide a safer and more comfortable workstation for the Warfighter. This project will fabricate a prototype stand that will be lightweight, quickly and easily deployed and retracted, free standing and able to support a standard issue backpack when fully loaded.

Engineering Directorate 219 Funding Winner: Backpack Stand for Field Operators

CONTINUES ON PAGE 7The original concept that inspired the project. Credit: Griffith Asplundh.

ADM Staff Reflect on Serving with the RFAST Program page 4–5,8

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This newsletter was published through the Balanced Scorecard.

For article suggestions, questions or comments please contact Ed Bowen at edward.c.bowen8.civ@mail.mil

INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE:

Awareness: Columbus DayColumbus Day first became an official federal holiday in the United States in 1937, though people have celebrated Christopher Columbus’ voyage since the colonial period. In 1792, New York City and some other U.S. cities celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landing in the New World. President Benjamin Harrison called upon the people of the United States to celebrate Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary in 1892, and teachers, preachers, poets, and politicians used Columbus Day rituals to teach ideals of patriotism, such as support for war, citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and celebrating social progress. Many Italian-Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage, the first occasion being in New York City on 12 October 1866. Columbus Day was first designated as a legal holiday in the United States through the lobbying of Angelo Noce, a first generation Italian, in Denver. The first statewide Columbus Day holiday was proclaimed by Colorado governor Jesse F. McDonald in 1905, and it was made a statutory holiday in 1907. In April 1934, as a result of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt made 12 October the federal holiday called Columbus Day.Since 1970, the holiday has been fixed to the second Monday in October, coincidentally the same day as Thanksgiving in neighboring Canada, which was chosen in 1959 (note that 12 October 1970 was a Monday). It is generally observed today by banks, the bond market, the U.S. Postal Service, other federal agencies, most state government offices, many businesses, and most school districts. The traditional date of the holiday also adjoins the birthday of the United States Navy, founded 13 October 1775, and thus both occasions are customarily observed by the Navy (and usually the Marine Corps as well) with either a 72- or 96-hour liberty period.

pg.1,7|Engineering Directorate 219 Funding Winner: Backpack Stand for Field Operators

pg.3| Something Old, Something New: ADM’s Rapid Technologies Laboratory Creates Early Human Skull Models for Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

pg.4–5,8|ADM Staff Reflect on their Contributions, Challenges, and Lessons Learned from Serving with the RFAST Program

pg.6–7|Employee Achievement Spotlight: Jim Genovese

Ask a Tech Tip: Fall Lawn Care and ChemicalsMike Kauzlarich, of the Pyrotechnics and Explosives Branch, reveals how the techniques and lessons learned in labs can help you solve your household problems. Submit a question to him at usarmy.APG.ecbc.mbx.engineering-directorate@mail.mil.

Now is the time of year when lawn care experts say you should fertilize and treat your yard for next year. But as Marylanders living in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, you should be concerned about the use of fertilizers and pesticides on your yard that ultimately may end up in the Bay. To prepare your yard this fall, check the Ph of the soil. Kits can be purchased at hardware stores or through your local Agriculture Extension Agent. Once you know the Ph of your soil, you can adjust the Ph with lime so that the fertilizer you do apply is the correct amount that is actually used by the grass, and doesn’t end up as unused fertilizer that washes out into the Chesapeake Bay. This will save you money, as well as our beloved Chesapeake Bay.Please note that Maryland’s new lawn fertilizer law is now in effect. As of 1 October 2013, new rules and regulations apply for homeowners, as well as professional lawn care providers and fertilizer manufacturers. For more information on the new law, go to http://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/fertilizer.aspx.

SharePoint Tip: Using Links to DocumentsWhen communicating documents through email, adding a direct link to a file on the SharePoint site is more efficient than attaching the document to the email. It not only ensures that the latest version of the document

is being accessed, it also reduces network traffic and email storage. To use a direct link to a document on SharePoint, locate the document on the SharePoint site, right-click on it, and select “Copy Shortcut.” Then paste the shortcut link into the email. The link provides direct access to the document that is on the SharePoint site.

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Something Old, Something New ADM’s Rapid Technologies Laboratory Creates Early Human Skull Models for Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

With his experience at ADM, Bradley Ruprecht has offered OEC new insight into its operations, and he has also been able to directly support the Smithsonian’s mission. Credit: RDECOM.

Bradley Ruprecht spends his weekdays as an engineering technician and model maker at the Advanced Design Manufacturing (ADM) division’s Rapid Technologies

Laboratory (RTL). But he spends his weekends volunteering with his wife at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. That led Ruprecht to another volunteer position with the Smithsonian’s Office of Exhibits Central (OEC), the group responsible for designing, building, and installing many of the Smithsonian’s permanent and temporary exhibitions (approximately 200 projects every year) that keep the museum’s 30 million annual visitors excited and engaged. Volunteering at the Smithsonian and at OEC is a rewarding experience for Ruprecht, both personally and professionally. “I am always looking to improve my skill set,” he explains. “The model makers at OEC have years and decades of experience over me, and know techniques and materials I have not used in my job at the Army.” In exchange, with his experience at ADM Ruprecht has offered OEC new insight into its operations, and he has also been able to directly support the Smithsonian’s mission.

An Unusual ProjectIn July, Ruprecht’s relationship with OEC led to an interesting and unusual project. The OEC model makers were preparing for an activity involving early human skull models for the new Q?rius Education Center at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. However, there were technical problems with their own Zcorp additive manufacturing (or more commonly known as 3D printing) machines. The OEC model makers had previously toured ADM’s labs in June and saw the Fuse Deposition Modeling (FDM) machine, “which is like a hot glue gun that spits out polycarbonate or ABS plastic,” explains Ruprecht. They also saw the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) machine, which makes

parts by layering powered nylon and sintering it together with a laser, actually melting the nylon particles together. Knowing ADM’s advanced capabilities and reputation for rapid, quality work, OEC requested ADM’s help to produce the skulls in time to complete the exhibition. A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with TriMech allows ADM to recoup the cost of labor and material for assisting others outside of Army customers, and a partnership was born.Producing the SkullsFive replicas of early human skulls were needed for a hands-on activity on human origins: three of Homo neanderthalensis and two of Homo heidelbergensis. The Smithsonian scanned the original objects using a 3D scanner in order to produce a digital map of each skull. The OEC model makers had planned to use their own Zcorp machines that build models with a plaster-like powder and a binder; then the models would be infused with epoxy to make them strong enough to be handled by children and other museum visitors. Ruprecht made the recommendation to use ADM’s SLS machine, which produces models of engineering-grade nylon, a tougher material than the Zcorp material, and without the necessary epoxy infusion. “The nylon material produced by the SLS has a very white, bone-like texture,” explains Ruprecht. “Also, nylon is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs water well and would work perfectly with the water-based washes the Smithsonian would need to use to make the skulls look aged like the original Neanderthal skull artifacts.”The five models were produced quickly the week of 8 July, and that Friday Ruprecht was able to take them directly to OEC when he reported for his regular volunteer shift.“Kind of funny riding the Marc train wearing a backpack full of early human skulls,” Ruprecht said. “But the water-based washes were applied there, and the skulls were available for display just in time for the opening of the exhibition.”

Future CollaborationsThe unique problem-solving partnership on this project has inspired a potential long-term relationship between ADM and the Smithsonian for future collaborations.“The people at OEC are top notch, world class, and fun,” says Ruprecht, pleased to have helped make this partnership possible. “I am a firm believer in the Smithsonian’s mission, and see any opportunity to help this great national institution as meaningful.”

ADM’s Rapid Technologies Laboratory produced five early human skull models of engineering-grade nylon using the lab’s Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) machine. A water-based wash was then applied to make the skulls look aged, just like the authentic skulls. Credit: Smithsonian Office of Exhibits Central. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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ADM Staff Reflect on their Contributions, Challenges, and Lessons Learned from Serving with the RFAST Program

After two years of operations at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, RFAST-C has closed the Prototype Integration Facility (PIF) at BAF and retrograded the equipment back to the CONUS (Continental United States) PIFs. The program has evolved to include a smaller team of engineers and technicians at BAF that will interface with deployed units in Afghanistan and provide reach back to stateside PIFs to perform the required engineering and manufacturing at home, and then ship the finished products back to the soldiers.The Engineering Directorate’s Advanced Design and Manufacturing Division (ADM) played an instrumental role in standing up and efficiently operating the PIF in Afghanistan. A group of engineers and technicians from ADM, who all deployed as part of the RFAST program, recently sat down for the first time together to share their experiences. The group of Colin Graham (electrical engineer), Dan Ward (engineering technician), Glenn Wetherell (engineering technician), and Nick Merrill (mechanical engineer) was joined by Daniel Lumpkins, Manufacturing Branch Chief, who provides back office support for the RFAST program, as they reflected on the projects they worked on for the Warfighters, as well as their lessons learned.What were your experiences with the RFAST program? What were some of the specific projects you worked on?

Colin Graham arrived at Bagram Airfield in November 2011 to help officially open PIF for business. “When I got there, the equipment was not up and running,” said Graham. “So our first tasks were a little installation work and trying to get materials on hand, and then building awareness of the facility with the Warfighters, which was actually easy. The shop was located in an industrial area on BAF and much of the work came directly from walk-ins. A lot of it was getting vehicles back to being mission-capable.”

Managing the PIF, bringing in more materials and tooling, and setting the shop up for the future were the main priorities during the time Graham was there, although almost every day brought a new project. “We worked on Golight brackets to reach Golights above the nets. I saw the drag claw that is being worked on here right now; we had some early requests for it. As I was leaving we were working on the water digger for the Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV), working with the Asymmetrical Warfare Group (AWG), who was really cool to work with.”Dan Ward was an emergency replacement for someone at the PIF who had broken their ankle. “I did a three month deployment as a fill-in,” explained Ward. “It was something I never thought about doing, but I was qualified for what they needed. It was a tough decision to go. My first child was only two months old but I thought it was something I should do, and had my wife’s support as well.”When Ward arrived, he had to hit the ground running. “At the time when I got there, I was the only machinist they had. On the first day there was snow, sleet, rain. It was disorienting. Colin was there to show me around. It was tough the first couple days. It took some getting used to.” Ward also worked

The RDECOM Field Assistant Science and Technology (RFAST) program deploys civilian engineers and technicians to support the Warfighters with equipment needs ranging from technical design, to fabrication and construction, to repair. The program’s mission is to streamline communication between the Warfighter and the technical professionals in order

to identify, troubleshoot, and provide rapidly-fielded solutions for issues with equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure directly to the end users – the Warfighters.

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ADM Staff Reflect on their Contributions, Challenges, and Lessons Learned from Serving with the RFAST Programon various projects, including the water digger interrogation device attached to the end of Buffalo MPCV that is used to detect IEDs.Glenn Wetherell served on the RFAST program at BAF from May to November 2012. “I went there to replace Dan. The shop was already set up and things were going well. There were a couple of machinists, a couple sheet metal guys, three or four engineers. We had a number of projects,” said Wetherell. One of the larger jobs was to build a number of rolling security gates that required a quick turnaround to secure some specific areas of BAF. Between walk-ins and business brought in by the engineers, the PIF never ran out of work during the time Wetherell was there. “One of our bigger jobs was making some of the jail cell doors for the jail on base,” he said. “The Duke Jammer box was a project we supported that went all over Afghanistan. We made 30 units, which is a large job to manufacture in the theater.”Nick Merrill was the one of the last engineers to go to BAF to support the program. “Everyone there did a bit of everything,” said Merrill. “I did a lot of stuff on the shop floor, where I learned how to do all kinds of things that I don’t do here at Edgewood, some things that our techs normally do. We did redesigns on jail doors, holding cells that would hold prisoners. We actually got to watch some of the trials due to our involvement in redesigning the jail doors.”Many of the PIF’s walk-in requests were on vehicles. “We would go out to the vehicle and talk to the Warfighter about the problem and possible fixes,” explained Merrill. “Then we would take some measurements and tell them to come back tomorrow and we will have something for you. The next day we would have a part ready and we would mount it and see if they liked it or if it needed further work. More times than not, they would say, ‘I love it, thank you…Can we have ten of them?’ We’d work on that batch to have ready by the end of the week. Then we would get a call from another unit saying, ‘We heard you made this…Can we have ten of them, too?’”

Merrill said he was very fortunate to work directly with the RDECOM Science and Technology Acquisition Corps Advisors, who travel through Afghanistan to solve technical issues in the field that save soldiers’ lives. “I traveled with them to five or six different Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). The advisors would meet with other units and ask them what their technical or mechanical problems were, what do they wish was made differently, and listen to all of their issues and comments, no matter how big or small.”A couple of you mentioned walk-in requests to the PIF. How did you solicit “business” and make the Warfighters aware of the facilities services and your expertise?

“The Director and XO were out talking to program managers telling them about the facility,” said Graham, who was there at the start of RFAST. “Once people were aware, word spread pretty quickly and we were getting more and more projects every day.”Ward added, “We did a lot of tours to show the capabilities. Once people found out what we did, every couple of days they would stop by with a new project.”As military units, as well technicians, rotated off BAF, “it was a constant struggle to keep awareness out there,” explained Wetherell. “Basically, we had to reinvent and re-promote ourselves and our capabilities every month. We had open houses to invite people in to show them what the PIF could do.” Projects were done for contractors, as well.Between deployments and turnarounds (RFAST deployments were three to six months, while typical military deployments are 12 to 18 months), there needed to be a remarketing effort for the program each year. Dan Lumpkins noted, “There were many times they were loaded with work, constantly sending for new materials, and other times they needed to knock on doors in looking for work.”Word of mouth promotion among Warfighter units provided the steadiest stream of projects to the PIF. “We do work for one unit to implement something on a vehicle or make a new part, and another unit would see that and say, ‘That’s really cool, we want that, where did you get those?’’ said Merrill. “So the following week, someone from that unit would show up and say, ‘I heard you made these, can you make them for us?’” Wetherell added, “It was rewarding to make something that worked well for the soldiers, and then everyone wanted them.”

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Innovation runs deep in Jim Genovese’s family. “My father and grandfather were both inventors,”

says Genovese, with a combined 60 patents awarded between them. “I guess you could say I inherited it.”Genovese serves as ECBC Engineering Support Division’s IDEA Team Branch Chief. With his first patent awarded in 1985, Genovese now

holds approximately 40 patents for his inventions, and he is well known across the Center and CBRN community as

an innovator who is passionate about encouraging and incentivizing innovation for others. He fosters invention and problem-solving on a daily basis in his job as the Directorate’s IDEA Team Branch Chief. With 32 years of employment at the Center, Genovese is also the Engineering Directorate’s advocate for technology transfer, working directly with business development and patent offices at RDECOM, and has been actively involved on the RDECOM Invention Evaluation Committee for 26 years.“Invention and innovation are something the Center needs,” Genovese explains. “Because we are a customer-funded organization, coming up with new ideas and new concepts

Employee Achievement Spotlight:

Jim Genovese

Vented Suppressive Shield (VSS)

PATENT NO.: US 8,413,564 B1 (Portable Vented Suppressive Shield for Protective Tactical Emplacement Over Suspected Explosive Devices)

DATE EARNED: 9 April 2013

DESCRIPTION: A man-portable vented suppressive shielding device composed of adjustable tubular components that can be emplaced over a suspect explosive ordnance or Improvised Explosive Device (IED). This system will be employed to protect persons or equipment from the effects of an explosive detonation of IEDs, such as shock wave, heat, flames, and high velocity fragments.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Can be moved to a site where a potential IED may be initiated and be an effective tool to mitigate explosive hazards.

CURRENT STATUS: Unfunded

Improved Chemical Agent Detection in Water

PATENT NO.: US 8,454,892 B1 (Chemical Agent Detection System for Fluid Media)

DATE EARNED: 4 June 2013

DESCRIPTION: This system uses Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) techniques integrated with currently fielded M256A2 chemical agent detector to significantly improve minimum detection levels using customized reverse phase extraction methods.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Provides high-sensitivity detection of contaminated water samples that can be accomplished tactically using a handheld concentration/detection system.

CURRENT STATUS: Unfunded and a candidate for JPM-CA JC-BRAWMS improvement program.

Rapid Agent ID of Nerve (RAIDON)

PATENT NO.: US 8,404,490 B1 (Detecting Nerve Agents and Determining the Types Thereof)

DATE EARNED: 26 March 2013

DESCRIPTION: A need exists at the tactical level after nerve agent detection to be able to discriminate between classes of nerve agents, e.g., G from V from thiopesticides and carbamates. RAIDON uses simple colorimetric reagent chemistries in a manual M256-like discriminator to determine the class of cholinesterase present.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: RAIDON can be used to determine the nature of nerve agent poisoning on the battlefield, thereby providing information on the type of medical treatment regimen necessary to combat varying nerve exposures.

CURRENT STATUS: Currently in Phase IV program development sponsored by the Joint Program Manager for Contamination Avoidance (JPM-CA).

A few of Genovese’s patents include:

Engineering Support Division’s IDEA Team Branch Chief, Innovator, and Owner of 40 Patents

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Inflatable Hallway Barrier

PATENT NO.: US 8,365,804 B1 (Portable Inflatable Protective Partitioning System)

DATE EARNED: 5 February 2013

DESCRIPTION: Designed as a potential response following the release of hazardous materials into an indoor work environment. In population dense spaces such as the workplace, protective measures which are both efficient and able to be deployed rapidly are necessary for ensuring the safety of employees and for incident containment. Manufactured from high-grade, poly-vinyl synthetic material and comprised of a two-part, air regulated barrier expansion system, the Mobile Inflatable Protective Partitioning System (MIPPS) provides a mobile and pressure sealed air lock which can be deployed in passageways, such as hallways and doorways. The MIPPS establishes a sealed partition between individuals and hazardous materials along with a containment area with purging and detoxification capabilities.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Can be an effective means to be employed by hazardous materials responders to isolate hazards in confined spaces such as hallways in buildings.

CURRENT STATUS: Unfunded

Water Sampling Device and Method for Use with a Radiation Probe

PATENT NO.: US 8,342,337 B1 (Water Sampling Device and Method for Use with a Radiation Probe)

DATE EARNED: 1 January 2013

DESCRIPTION: Most low level radiation in water samples is detected by evaporation of the contaminated liquid. This system uses a selective filter to concentrate the radioactive samples and then allowing facile detection using current radiation probe technologies.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Provides for a rapid facile method for detection of radiation in water samples.

CURRENT STATUS: Unfunded

“If it is new and novel and useful, then it fits the criteria to be patentable.” – Jim Genovese

attracts customer interest, which in turn brings along customer funding opportunities.” Future plans for patents involve current projects on the use of centrifugal microfluidic disks for low-level hazard detection, as well as use of a quadrocoptor and colorimetrics to detect chemical agents in the field.Genovese has sound advice for other innovators and often quotes Louis Pasteur, the French chemist, microbiologist, and inventor who is most famous for discovering principles of vaccination and pasteurization: “‘Chance favors only the prepared mind.’ Which means,” explains Genovese, “be aware of what you know, your capabilities, what’s out there. Train yourself to find new ideas.”

Engineering Directorate 219 Funding Winner: Backpack Stand for Field Operators

Current Status: “The idea had potential to be more universal to work for any military bag,” explains project team member Griff Asplundh, a mechanical engineer with Engineering’s Advanced Design and Manufacturing Division (ADM). “The backpack stand would need to support 60 to 100 pounds, to not add too much weight to the Warfighter’s pack, and to support whatever the Warfighter needed, whether it be a communications kit or something that needed a work surface, or if they just wanted to keep their bag high and dry during wet conditions.” To ensure that the design had universal use, the first thing the team did was order many different types of bags and tripods, in order to review and test as many styles, materials and designs as possible for weight and strength.

The team decided to base its design on the most common feature of the various styles of backpacks – the shoulder straps. “Straps are the one thing that is always consistent,” says Asplundh. “We needed to be able to support the bag from the shoulders, and then from there we used different types of tripods.” The team looked for tripods that were reasonably priced (as carbon fiber can be up to eight times the cost of aluminum), yet strong.

Two different designs were weight tested with glass-infused nylon parts made using ADM’s additive manufacturing (3D printing) machines. Both designs passed the test, with weights up to 100 pounds in the backpack.

Collaborative Process: This project is the smallest of those that were awarded funding this year. A small team from ADM led the project, resourcing other engineers and technicians in the Engineering Directorate for their expertise and advice. The team also utilized the help of a West Point cadet who was on rotation. “He was able to give good insight on bags he has seen used at West Point,” says Asplundh.

“It sounds very simple and very straightforward, but this project is very fluid and could be adapted to many different scenarios,” Asplundh explains. “It would be very interesting to hear from people across ECBC and beyond who might find it useful in their work.”

Two different designs were weight tested. Both passed, with weights up to 100 lbs. in the backpack. Credit: Griffith Asplundh.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 ADM Staff Reflect on their Contributions, Challenges, and Lessons Learned from Serving with the RFAST ProgramWere there other aspects of the RFAST assignment that you found particularly interesting or useful in your normal day job?

“I think I can speak for the group and say that I don’t think any of us came back without learning something,” said Wetherell. “I don’t mean just as in machining or fabricating or engineering. I mean just as a person. You learn about you. It is six months of soul-searching.”Graham said he gained a better understanding of the situations the Warfighters face in combat zones. “Especially being a civilian organization here, you don’t get a true feel for the military side of things. There you are surrounded by it, so you get a good understanding of how units work and you are part of a brigade,” he said.“To really see up close what you hear about, what the soldiers are really going through,” said Ward. “You see them in the chow hall with their backpack loaded up, either just coming back in or getting ready to go out, and you really see what they are going through.” Since the PIF was open to everyone on base, it was also used to service allied military units, including soldiers from Australia, France, and Poland. “To interact with them, to work with soldiers from around the country as well as around the world, it really enlightened you and made you appreciate what they are going through,” Ward added. The Warfighters also showed their appreciation for the support the PIF staff provided. “They were very grateful, very thankful for everything,” said Lumpkins. “The soldiers would bring the guys food, steak, coffee, you name it.”“Some soldiers came into the shop, interested in learning about what we were doing,” said Merrill. “They came in on their own time. They were genuinely interested. They would provide an extra set of hands if it helped get the project done faster, sometimes two or three guys, just to do whatever it took. They were just as interested in what we did as we were with what they did.”What is ECBC Engineering ADM Division Chief Mark Schlein’s current assignment at BAF for RFAST?

Mark Schlein has been the director of RFAST-C since arriving in Afghanistan in early May 2013. He has coordinated the implementation and execution of dozens of projects in support of Warfighter requirements and expanded partnerships and collaborations with several other agencies, including the Asymmetrical Warfare Group (AWG), Rapid Equipping Force (REF), and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A). Mark was instrumental in the retrograde of the RFAST-C PIF from Afghanistan and the standing up of an enduring capability. He will be returning to ECBC at the end of October 2013.“Mark went over with two things on his plate,” explained Lumpkins. “One was retrograde, which is closing down the shop. All the equipment has been deployed back to the RDECOM facilities. There is still equipment there that is waiting to be shipped, but the building is mostly empty.”

“The second thing was to set up a forward office for RDECOM, to include two people, one technician and one engineer, to remain there onsite, to perform some work and answer questions. Mark set up reach back capabilities to the PIFs in the States. The forward guys at BAF would do a little engineering or a lot of engineering, send it back to the PIFs to finish the engineering, and they send the parts back.”What is the next step or future outlook for the RFAST program? How is ADM influencing or shaping the next step in the program?

RFAST-C has closed the 10,000 square foot prototype facility at BAF and retrograded the equipment back to the CONUS PIFs. According to Schlein, the program will “retain a compact team of scientists, engineers, and technicians (four in total) in Afghanistan to provide an enduring capability. Their mission is to interface with the deployed units and forward activities to determine detailed requirements and emerging technology gaps. Solutions will be principally provided by reach back CONUS to the responsible agency, PM, or RDEC, and to the RDECOM PIFs for design and fabrication.”“Everyone’s computer over there has a screensaver put on it that advertises what services are available,” explained Lumpkins. “ADM is working on a screensaver to put in that rotation for RFAST and also a flier to be able to hand out. Again, all of that is with reach-back to the States and all of the PIFs do the work.” This process will be evaluated every three to six months by RCECOM Headquarters. From the back side looking at this, RFAST was a tremendous success,” said Lumpkins. “Especially because with everything back in the States, you deal with the logistics side, the approvals, paperwork, etcetera. This program was an open door. Soldiers could come directly with their problems, and they were handed something back in return to alleviate or fix a problem and help them in any way, shape, or form. There has been nothing but positive feedback for RFAST on what it did and what it was capable of doing in such a short time.”“Some jobs you were making something as little as a washer, and some jobs you were making something with 10 or 20 pieces that needed manufactured and completed to assembly,” said Wetherell. “But all of those jobs were important. It was definitely appreciated by the soldiers who were stationed there.”