Watervliet Arsenal Newsletter: Salvo 31 Jan. 2013

SALVO

Story begins on page 3 Photo by John B. Snyder

Reinvesting from the ground up saves money, improves quality

Vol. 13, No. 1 U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, New York Jan. 31, 2013

Also inside:Commander’s ColumnReinvesting from the very foundationNot your grandfather’s pinupUnsung heroes...Arsenal painters

Page 2 Salvo Jan. 31, 2013

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 endorse-ment 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: [email protected]. The editor reserves the right to edit all information submitted for publication.

Commander, Col. Mark F. MigaleddiPublic Affairs Officer, John B. SnyderEditor, John B. SnyderPhotographer: John B. Snyder Arsenal Facebook Page @http://on.fb.me/sq3LEm

Commander’sCorner

Mark F. MigaleddiCommanding

Manufacturer 6

For nearly 200 years, the Arsenal has produced critical weapons, parts and materiel that have helped hundreds of thousands of our nation’s war fighters to come home safely. But with current combat operations in Afghanistan winding down, we must look at the New Year as an opportunity to position our capability and capacity to help shape the Army for the future. At this time, we do not know what the effects will be to the Army once the debates in Congress are done regarding sequestration. As many of you know, sequestration in-volves nearly $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts to federal pro-grams, if Congress does not come up with a complete debt reduction package. Half of those cuts would be directed at the Defense Department. Congress has delayed a final de-cision until March. What we do know is that we do not expect any signifi-cant near-term effect to our day-to-day operations and our mission will not change. The Watervliet Arsenal will con-tinue to support the war fighter and we’ll focus on today’s requirements with the resources we are given. But having said that, we must continue to find ways to improve our processes — squeezing out even more ef-ficiency than we have previously attained from our opera-tions. And there are several ways we may do this. Our Suggestion Program had a wonderful year in 2012. We adopted 54 of suggestions that saved the Arsenal more than $88,000, as well as paid out nearly $10,800 as awards to those whose suggestions were adopted. Just think that if every Arsenal employee took a few minutes this year to draft a suggestion, the Arsenal would have annual savings exceeding $305,000. Each time we hone too much or use the wrong tools, direct and indirect labor requirements go up. By taking the time and doing things right the first time on the production

floors, we will dramatically improve our quality while re-ducing our costs for rework. For each reworked item, there are multiple levels of direct and indirect labor hours associ-ated in conducting an investigation, reworking the part, or sending the part to scrap. Although I have just touched on efficiency, we must also deliver on time. Our on-time delivery rate has always been one of the selling points as to why it makes sense to buy from us. As competition heats up in a smaller DOD product market, those who have a reputation of not meet-ing schedules will be bypassed as other manufacturers will readily step up to fill the void. Just to ship a cannon, hundreds of parts must be ordered and multiple levels of our organization must be integrated and synchronized to ensure an on-time delivery. At any one point along the manufacturing process, failure or suc-cess resides. As an Army-owned and -operated manufacturing center that has supported our nation in every conflict since the War of 1812, I believe that we have an obligation, a sense of duty, if you will, to ensure that our servicemen and women are provided with the highest quality of weaponry, on time. So let’s make our 200th year of operation a great success story for the Arsenal, Army, and for our Nation. I have great confidence and pride commanding this organization. But more importantly, I look forward to working side by side with you as we lead the Arsenal into the next 200 years of operation.


Story continues on page 4, See Investments

Reducing costs, improving qualitybegins in our very foundation

Photos by John B. Snyder

By John B. Snyder

The Secretary of Defense last December spoke before the National Press Club to explain his vision and strategy for the future of the U.S. military in a speech titled, "The Force of the 21st Century." Although Secretary Leon E. Panetta will soon be leaving his position, there should be no doubt that many of his strategies, as well as what he called the ending of an "era of blank-check defense spend-ing," will affect every Soldier and Department of the Army Civilian long after he departs. Panetta spoke well of the success the American military has achieved, such as ending the war in Iraq in 2011 and the transfer of 75 percent of the Afghan population to Afghan security and control. He also spoke about the tough, chal-lenging decisions required to build the force for the 21st century, which will entail a smaller, leaner military. To some of those who have been at the Arsenal since the 1980s, this talk may bring back memories of the last "peace dividend" that was touted after America's success

during the first Gulf War. The U.S. Army was so success-ful after pushing Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait that it reduced its active end strength from more than 700,000 to below 500,000 in about a 10-year-period. Dur-ing that same time, the Arsenal's workforce declined from nearly 2,800 to just below 500. Although it is not clear what future cuts to the defense budget might bring to the Arsenal, what the Arsenal lead-

ership does know is that they are better positioned today than they were in 1992 to adapt to a significant decline in defense spending. "One of the most important things that we learned coming out of the reductions in force in the 1990s was that we must better manage the right siz-ing of our workforce at least 12-18 months out," said Col. Mark F. Migaleddi, the Arse-nal commander. "Today, we actively monitor and manage our workload to workforce percentages every month and we do not build any 'fat' into

our near and long-term workload requirements."

From left, Capital Investment Project engineers, Bryan Myers and Frank Salvatore, are inspecting a mature lathe that they have identified for replacement. In fact, the lathe behind them is scheduled to be replaced, too.

One of the great things about new technology is that the ma-chines often perform multiple functions without a new set up. Here, a new multi-tasking machine is being installed this month at the Arsenal.

into operation. The Arsenal has also looked at ways to make this replacement process -- which truly involves an art and sci-ence due to the challenges of bringing on new technology into the same footprint that existed for mature machines -- as another means for the Arsenal to reduce its cost of operation. Frank Salvatore, a project manager for Kardas for the replacement of machines on the production floors, said the Arsenal saved nearly $300,000 in installation costs in

2012 by working with vendors to build machines that will use existing foundations. Prior to this new process, the Arsenal would completely replace former foundations to accommodate new machines. The Arsenal now re-quires vendors that will build the new machines to accommodate as much of the existing founda-tion as possible, which not only saves the Arsenal money but also reduces the time to bring a new capability on line. And so, while many in the De-

partment of Defense are waiting for news regarding how future budget cuts will affect them, at a small Army post in upstate New York the Watervliet Arsenal is not waiting. It has learned from the last big rounds of budget cuts in the 1990s and has already taken prudent actions to provide stability to its workforce, efficiency to its manufacturing quality, and improved quality to the Soldier. "We don't know what will come out of future budge decisions and how those decisions may affect the Arse-nal," Migaleddi said. "But what we do know is that we have a mission to do and we trust that the Army will get this right." CIP allows the Army's manufacturing center at Watervliet to upgrade and modernize its equipment and infrastructure. There are three categories of CIP funding: capital equipment; minor construction; and automated data processing equipment. Capital equipment includes such projects as purchasing new boring machines or to rebuild an existing machine. Minor construction may upgrade the Arsenal's infrastruc-ture such as replacing power substations and underground electrical cabling. The third category is basically to purchase computer hardware and software to support the manufacturing mission.


Photo by John B. SnyderHere is one of the newest machines, a side grinder, that was recently installed. The machine and installation cost about $900,000.

Investments cont. What this intense workload management process has achieved through the last several years is a smoothing of the ebbs and flows of direct labor requirements so that the Arsenal's labor requirements have remained relatively stable. Approximately 600 people work in the Arsenal today, which is about the same number as it was two years ago. "What we also learned is that we must be better at reinvesting in ourselves via such programs as the Capital Investment Pro-gram or what we call CIP," Mi-galeddi said. "Just from 2010 to 2012, we have invested more than $40 million in new machin-ery and minor construction." According to Jim Kardas, the Arsenal's CIP manager, "When the average age of machinery exceeds 30 years, we try to bring on line new machinery that will help us compete in the tough defense market." "The new machines have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars every year because the new capa-bility that they bring often reduces set-up time, as well as reduces costs for maintenance and repair parts," Kardas said. "For example, many of the older machines no longer have manufacturers who can make replacement parts and so, when they break down the Arsenal may need to custom make the replacement part, which can be expensive be-cause of the low volume requirement." Kardas further explained that the advancements in technology in regards to controls, drives, and probe capa-bilities of the new machines have also greatly improved the quality of the Arsenal's products as computers now aide machinists in verifying machining operations. As a result of investments made in previous years, the Arsenal will install more than 15 high-tech machines this year that will greatly improve the Arsenal's efficiency and capability, Kardas said. These machines range from a 26-foot computer-numerical-controlled lathe to a 6-meter rapid bore machine. Because of the unique machining capability that is required to manufacture tank, howitzer, and mortar parts, it may take several years from the time a new machine is requested to the time the machine is put

According to website Toptenz.net, the number one World War II poster for U.S. troops were of pinup girls. World War II was the golden age of pinup posters. Many of these posters depicted women in a variety of challenging wardrobe positions and troops widely displayed these posters in their barracks, wall lockers,

and on their military equipment. More than 5 million posters of Betty Grable, a Twentieth Cen-tury Fox movie star at the time, were distributed to the troops as a way to raise morale and to maintain connection with the home front. But maintaining threads of good times and family is not unique to just the American Soldier. At a small Army post in upstate New York, machin-ists and office workers today also adorn their work areas, as Soldiers often have, with items that help them stay connected to the world outside of the U.S. Army’s Watervliet Arsenal fence line. Wayne Pelletier, an Arse-nal machinist, said he has his

whole life adorning his work station. “I have three daughters, ages 4, 8, and 10, who mean the world to me,” Pelletier said. “By putting their pictures and the drawings they have made for me on my workstation I am able to be reminded through-out the day of what is truly important to me.” John Chuley, an Arsenal machinist who previously served in the Air Force, said he decorated his worksta-tion with items that help him think of things that take up his off-duty time, when he has it. “I have worked so much these last three years that I


By John B. Snyder

Not your grandfather’s pinup, but it still serves the same purpose

Photo by John B. SnyderArsenal Machinist Wayne Pelletier proudly displays his daughters’ artwork to help him stay connected to home.

For as long as there has been an army, Soldiers have found innovative ways to stay connected back to the home front. After all, the letters, lockets, post cards, and photos have helped Soldiers endure the harsh realities of war, as well as the tyranny of dis-tance from what was important to them. During the American Civil War, Soldiers hungered for let-ters from home. According to the National Postal Museum, Newton Scott, a private in the Iowa Volun-teers, commented to his child-hood companion in January 1864 about his Christmas, “No roasted turkey for dinner and no visitors to see us, but we stay at our camps thinking of home and of old times, and hoping for happier days to come.” Thinking of “home and old times” would continue to reso-nate with Soldiers well into the 20th Century. During World War II, let-ters quickly became the most important means of communi-cation between families at home and their loved ones serving overseas. So many letters were written, in fact, that the military postal system began to have a prob-lem. As important as regular mail was to the morale of American troops, military supply ships were often swamped with bags and bags of letters needing to be delivered, said Kathryn Burke, National Postal Mu-seum. In addition to letters during World War II, the rise of posters was also essential to not only promoting propaganda that would rally America, but also as a tool for Soldiers to remain connected with the home front. Story continues on page 6, see Pinups


haven’t been able to follow sports,” Chuley said. “I really miss following my teams, and by posting my team decals on my workstation I am able to be reminded of things that I truly enjoy when I am away from the Arsenal.” One of the newer Arsenal machinists, but one who has about 30 years of machining experience, Marlon Charlton said his workstation reflects some of the most prideful mo-ments of his life. Several Marine Corps posters were proudly displayed within a few feet of where Charlton was doing machine work on a 60mm mortar base cap. This kind of makes sense given Charlton’s 10-year service in the Marine Corps as a machinist. Not to be outdone by the machinists, several of the Ar-senal office workers have similar feelings when it comes to decorating their work areas. Jennifer Walkley, a management analyst, said that al-though she usually has cards displayed for such occasions as Mothers Day. Her work area is now focused on new events in her life that are truly exciting. She was recently married and is now expecting her first child from that mar-riage.

“I find that by having photos of my marriage and of my baby’s ultrasound on my desk, I can look at those images throughout the day to make me feel good and to get me ex-cited about my baby,” Walkley said. Although Ken Church was found at his desk, he is rarely there because he runs the Arsenal’s Voluntary Protection Program. Nevertheless, even Church found time to deco-rate his work area. In Church’s cubicle, photos of his kids and four grand-children adorn his desk and walls. But when one takes a deeper look into his cubicle, there is a small pillow with “Adirondack” embroidered on it. It seemed a little strange that this hardened combat Veteran would have something as soft as a pillow displayed, but it was because of his combat experience that the pillow was there. “When I deployed to Iraq, you couldn’t carry much with you into combat,” Church said. “But I always found room for this little pillow that reminded me of home and it stayed with me my entire tour in Iraq.” Two hundred years from now, Soldiers will probably still carry items with them into combat that remind them of home. Given that the Arsenal workforce has been doing the same thing since its establishment in 1813, there is no rea-son not to believe that the next eight generations of workers will not follow in that tradition, too.

Just as during World War II, the Arsenal workforce decorates their workspaces ... albeit with a modern touch of sensitivity to others

Pinups cont.

Arsenal Machinist Marlon Charl-ton, top, decorated his work area with USMC posters.

Management Analyst Jennifer Walkley, right, has photos of her wedding and of her baby’s ultrasound on her desk.

Arsenal Machinist John Chuley, top, decorated his work area with sports posters.

VPP Team Chief Ken Church, cen-ter top, has photos of his family, as well as a pillow that he took to Iraq during his combat tour.


Imagine walking into a car dealership where every new car was absent of paint. There is no doubt that sight would quickly catch your attention, but once the novelty and curiosity had worn off the likelihood of you buying one of those cars would probably be slim to none. Although a paint job may not significantly con-tribute to the performance of a car, it is nonetheless so critical to the perception of the overall quality and the visual appeal of the product that its impact is immeasurable. Much of this is also true with the paint applied by mili-tary manufacturing with one big exception — paint does perform a valu-able role to the per-formance and main-tainability of military hardware. And in one of the oldest buildings on the Watervliet Arsenal, which has been an Ar-my-owned and –oper-ated manufacturing center since the War of 1812, resides one of the most important but unsung heroes of Arsenal manufactur-ing — the Arsenal’s paint operation. Steve Koza, the Arsenal’s manufacturing support division supervisor, said that his section of five painters work on a diverse workload that includes such military hardware as 155mm howitzer barrels, 120mm tank barrels, 120mm mortar barrels, and baseplates for the 120mm mortar system. Each product line has its own painting challenges and therefore, requires a skill set that only a very few workers have at the Arsenal, Koza said.

“This isn’t as simple as putting a paint sprayer into someone’s hands that they purchased from a lo-cal hardware store and tell them to go out and spray their deck,” Koza said. “Meticulous preparation, from cleaning to pre-washing to taping, must be precise, otherwise we would spend a lot of time touching up or redoing a part.” Koza said that a specialized paint called CARC is applied to places where Soldiers do not touch as a mat-

ter of a procedure to fire a weapon system. CARC, which stands for Chemical Agent Resistant Coating, has been used by the U.S. military for many years and resists the penetration of chemical agents, corrosion, and is very durable against de-

contamination agents. Additionally, most of the CARC painting requirements require an epoxy primer to be applied before the paint and lubrication applied before ship-ment. And speaking of shipment, many of the painters are dual-hatted in that they also build the boxes that the products will be shipped in. On any given day, there are cannons and mortars being readied for shipment.

And so, one may often see one of the painters finish his priming work on a mortar tube and while waiting for the tubes to dry, to begin the packaging an Abrams tank cannon for shipment. So, the next time a mortarman fires his 120mm mor-tar or an artilleryman fires his 155mm howitzer, they should have the same level of confidence in the quality of work that is on the outside of their weapon system as they do on the inside.


The best paint (ers) the Army can buyBy John B. Snyder

Top: Samuel Hinton readies 120mm mortar tubes for painting.Bottom: Sean Stephenson is painting 120mm baseplates while waiting for the paint to dry on a 120mm tank tube.



CPAC CornerDid you know that Employment Verification Inquiries Must Be Completed Through MyBiz?

For your privacy, CPAC is prohibited from disclosing any employment information about you to external organizations (except that you are or are not employed here). External organizations (businesses, banks, credit unions) often need further proof of employment and/or salary information. To release your employ-ment information to an outside party, follow the steps below (you will need the recipient’s email address):

1. Log into the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System Portal using your CAC at: https://compo.dcpds.cpms.osd.mil/ - If this is your first time logging in, you will need to register your card by clicking the “register” link. Your user name is preset as your SSN. 2. You will reach a screen with two tabs on the top labeled “My Application/Database” and “Add Ad-ditional Application/Database.” Click “Add Additional Application/Database” tab and enter your user name3. Select My Biz then Employment Verification (EV)4. Select your Details to Share, either a. Employment Information, or b. Employment and Salary Information5. Enter Recipient Email Information6. Ensure (verify) your work email address is included in Recipient Information ‘CC’ field to receive a copy of the EV email7. Select Continue to ‘Acknowledge and Submit’ to send your EV information

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the CPAC office (266-5400 or 266-4040)

Arsenal History TriviaThe Mexican-American War

The start of the Mexican-American War in 1846 caused feverish activity as tons of ammunition, hundreds of gun carriages, and thousands of sets of infantry accoutrements poured from the Arsenal by canal barge or river boat each month. Twenty-three smithy fires burned day and night and 200 boys were hired to help roll pa-per rifle cartridges. Parties of Arsenal blacksmiths, carriage makers and armorers traveled the long routes to Texas and Mexico to keep the tools of war working with deadly efficiency.

From the Arsenal’s Sesquicentennial pamphlet produced in 1963


Lean Corner: Think outside the box? By Mark Ripley

We are sometimes told to “think outside the box” to achieve a goal and that is all well and good unless you don’t know what your constraints and or restrictions are to achieving the goal. Without clear guidance and direction, it is kind of like being told to drive to California where the road is nothing but a huge plain of unmarked asphalt. You don’t know which way to go, what time to depart, what time to arrive, what speed to travel, what direction you need to head..okay, you get the point that I’m trying to make. It’s much easier to reach California if lines are painted on the asphalt, signs are posted, and more detailed directions are given.

Imagine your boss sits a team down and says “We have to be more efficient. Fix it!” Your mind is probably blank or overwhelmed. You are in the middle of the asphalt with no idea how to get where you’re supposed to go. Because you have been given very little direction, you are forced to think “outside the box.” Maybe Bob is thinking that the way we report delay time is ridiculous. And Sue is thinking about poor incoming material quality. And Mark is thinking “I wish I had some annual leave left.” None of this helps the team reach their goal, which is to become more efficient.

But if the boss says “I need you to figure out how to reduce setup delay in Minors,” there are constraints in this vision – it takes options off the table. It gives the team a box to think in. But, as jazz great Charles Mingus said, “You can’t improvise on nothing, man. You’ve gotta improvise on something.” A good box unleashes directed creativity. Research shows that brainstorming is more productive when it is focused. There is plenty of room inside the proper box to come up with new and unusual ideas.

Let’s say you manage a bank. Marketing wants to remodel to appeal to young professionals. That box is way too big – what do the light fixtures look like, what color are the walls? A team could spend months working through the options and still get nowhere. But what if you say, “We want the space to be more like a Starbucks and less like a post office”? Suddenly it’s easier to be creative, isn’t it? You can see that selecting the right box should dramatically improve the team’s chances of achieving their goal.

So, when a team is asked to achieve a goal they should also be given the proper box within which to think. A box does not stifle creativity, it enhances it. So don’t think outside the box. Go box shopping. And don’t place all the blame for the lack of clear guidance always on your boss. You should have a sense of duty that if you believe that you were just given unclear or unrestricted guidance, you should not leave your boss until you query him or her for more definitive guidance.

(Portions from “The Myth of the Garage”; Dan Heath and Chip Heath)

“Service to the Line, On the Line, On Time”


WWII: The tipping point for integration By Mark Koziol

Top: Heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis (1914-1981) enlisted in the U.S. Army where he was the focus of a media recruitment campaign encouraging African-American men to enlist in the Armed Services, despite the military’s racial segregation.

Left: In order to boost and maintain morale for all Ameri-cans, the government used posters like this one depicting defense workers of different races working together side-by- side to defeat the Axis powers.

A year before the United States entered World War II, the nation be-gan to mobilize its defense industry and capabilities. In early 1941, the number of employees working at Watervliet Arsenal was about 3,000 and then peaked at more than 9,000 workers just before the end of the war. In 1942, the value of contracts the Arsenal worked on totaled a stagger-ing $200 million. Nationally, there was an increase in demand for work-ers but many facto-ries refused to hire African-American workers. This in-justice led A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Por-ters, into action by promising an early summer march on Washington, D.C., of 50,000 African American citizens. His actions pressured President Franklin D. Roosevelt to take ac-tion. On June 35, 1941 FDR signed Executive Order 8802. The Executive Order prohib-ited discrimination in the Defense industry based on race, creed, color, or national origin. The order estab-lished the successful Fair Employ-ment Practices Commissions. After Pearl Harbor, millions of white men enlisted or were drafted into

the U.S. military. Those not serv-ing were quickly hired at defense plants. But, with thousands of jobs still available, women and minori-ties rushed to fill both unskilled and skilled job shortages. By 1944, Af-rican Americans held close to eight

percent of the jobs in the War in-dustries. Although that number did not fairly represent the percentage of African Americans to the U.S. population, it was still an improve-ment over pre-war numbers. Many African Americans viewed this time as when they were waging a Double Victory campaign against the tyr-anny of the Axis powers abroad and for equal consideration for jobs on the home front.

During the war, nearly 750,000 African Americans relocated from the agri-cultural Southern states to the urban Northern states, many finding work in de-

fense plants. The irony of World War II is that while the defense plants were as integrated as possible for the mid 1940s, the military remained segre-gated. In 1943, there were 500,000 African Americans in the U.S. Army but only 79,000 were serving overseas. When African-American troops were sent into combat action, they served with distinction and valor.


The Arsenal visited Veterans at the Albany VA Medical Center on January 23rd. The next visit will be in April.

Photo provided by Peter Gannon

The Watervliet Arsenal heard the community's call for support last holiday season and it responded, as it has for nearly 200 years, with workers reaching deep into their pockets to provide support to hundreds of Albany-area children, as well as to national non-profit organizations. The Arsenal raised nearly $60,000 in the way of cash, toys, and clothes for the Troy Salvation Army, City of Watervliet Head Start Program, and for the Combined Federal Cam-paign. "This was our 23rd year of collecting toys for the Troy Salvation Army and by far it was our best year in recent memory," said Tim Ostrowski, the union president of the National Federation of Federal Employees Local 2109 that operates on the Arsenal. "We thought that we did well last year having collected 600 toys, but this year's efforts provided the Troy Salvation Army more than 700 toys and a $400 check for the community's children." Maj. Paula Loveless, from the Troy Salvation Army, said that they were in serious trouble this year until the Arsenal stepped in. “About 10 days before the Arsenal’s donation, we had 875 kids to support and only 40 of those were covered by donations,” Loveless said. "I told my husband that we weren't going to make it." "The Arsenal's donation was unbelievable and we can't thank them (Arsenal workforce) enough for taking the time to shop for such beautiful gifts for the kids," Loveless said. NFFE Local 2109 spearheaded the Salvation Army col-lection on the Watervliet Arsenal. Meanwhile, the Arsenal's Historical Society and the Fed-eral Managers Association sponsored the City of Watervliet Head Start Holiday Program, supporting 18 families, which included 46 kids. Arsenal employees selected one or more

Community asks for support, Watervliet digs deep, delivers By John B. Snyder

children from a list and then shopped for clothing and toys for the kids. The added, personal touch here was that each gift was personally wrapped, as if it was a gift for one of their family members. The Arsenal also closed out its Combined Federal Cam-paign last month. Arsenal CFC Coordinator Shannon Lischak announced to the workforce that through their efforts the Arsenal was able to raise nearly $46,000 for the 2012 campaign. On a side note, every three months the Arsenal sends 6-8 workers to visit Veterans in the Albany VA Medical Center. Some of these Veterans are only in the hospital for a few days, while others may have been there more than a year. Nevertheless, they all seem pleased to have us visit them and for them to share their stories. If you haven’t had the opportunity to participate in these visits, please let your supervisor know that you want to be put on the next list to attend.

Joe Hartunian, from Delmar, interned for the Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership in the summer of 2011 when he was an un-dergrad student at Villanova University. According to Peter Gan-non, the Partnership president, “The kid was incredible. By day two, he was briefing me on the contents of the National Defense Authorization Act.” Anyway, he ends up getting an internship post graduation down in the U.S. Senate, which ended up turn-ing into a paid position on the Joint Congressional Committee for Inaugural Ceremonies. However far Joe goes in the political arena, he can always say that he got his start at the Watervliet Arsenal.

Green shoots from Watervliet now planted in the U.S. Senate


News & Politics

Watervliet Arsenal Newsletter: Salvo 31 Jan. 2013