Crane Army Increases Munitions Readiness Posture

Last updated on Friday, December 21, 2018

(CRANE) - In the fast-paced world of combat, Crane Army Ammunition Activity plays a vital role in providing munitions readiness to the Warfighter according to Hayley Smith of Crane Army Ammunition Activity.

Smith reports, CAAA's Depot Operations Quality Division recently updated the ammunition distribution process to better meet the ever-changing demands of U.S. troops around the world.

DOQ personnel increased readiness for high priority munitions and all serviceable Joint Warfighter ammunition assets in Crane Army's care by eradicating deficient data in Logistics Management Program, the database utilized to track and manage the more than 10,000 types of munitions valued at approximately $9.8 billion which are stored, inspected, shipped, demilitarized and produced at Crane Army.

A Crane Army Ammunition Activity employee stages munitions for delivery to Warfighters.Photo Credit: Hayley Smith, Crane Army Ammunition Activity

These deficiencies manifest as "zero-fill" data or missing records regarding an item's last inspection or date of the next required inspection. Zero-fill incidents typically occur when data transfers from another inspection database fail or when receipt inspection information for incoming ammunition assets is delayed from entering the system. Since ammunition cannot ship out from Crane Army without proof of current inspection, eliminating zero-fill data increases CAAA's ability to provide munitions readiness to Warfighters.

"In just 90 days, DOQ employees reduced zero-fill data for priority munitions, or those most likely to be needed for contingency or training operations, by 69 percent," Crane Army DOQ Chief James Tollett said. "For all serviceable Joint Warfighter munitions stored at Crane Army, zero-fill data was reduced by 21 percent."

A Crane Army Ammunition Activity employee prepares munitions for delivery to Warfighters. Photo Credit: Capt. Amy Crane, Crane Army Ammunition Activity

DOQ workers recently upgraded DOQ's ammunition shipping document clearing process to a new electronic format, which streamlined the clearing of Crane Army's outgoing shipments. The shorter turnover periods for munitions shipments provided time for employees to input receipt inspection records more quickly and focus on overall zero-fill data reduction.

"Decreasing zero-fill data helps Crane Army get munitions to the Warfighter faster," Tollett said. "From a DOQ perspective, the most direct way that we can impact Warfighter readiness is to have all serviceable assets with current inspections so they are ready to ship at a moment's notice. The LMP process change helps us achieve that."

Employees working directly with the new system appreciate the change and its effects on every level. Crane Army personnel credit the collaboration between Joint Munitions Command, CAAA's higher headquarters, and consulting firm Wilson Perumal & Company for identifying areas to improve the munitions distribution process. JMC spearheaded reform initiatives in an effort to increase efficiency across the organic industrial base and maximize taxpayer dollars.

"The new LMP format really increases production at Crane Army," Quality Assurance Specialist Ammunition Surveillance Teddy Butler, Jr. said. "We're pushing munitions out much faster and more efficiently and better supporting the Warfighter. It also saves CAAA a lot of time and money."

The new system impacts the day-to-day workflow as well as Crane Army's overall mission.

"The new LMP format supports enhancing DOQ's ability to maintain current inspections on munitions at CAAA," Tollett said. "This is how DOQ executes Crane Army Commander Col. Michael Garlington's direction to 'Do more with less, then do more with the leftovers.'"

Crane Army Ammunition Activity produces and provides conventional munitions requirements in support of U.S. Army and Joint Force readiness. It is one of 14 installations of the Joint Munitions Command and one of 23 organic industrial base installations under the U.S. Army Materiel Command, which include arsenals, depots, activities and ammunition plants.

For more information visit https://www.army.mil/

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