A Gathering of the Minds: ECBC Facilitates First JACKS-RW Summit

Edgewood Chemical Biological Center Engineering’s Information & Technology Solutions Team (I&TST) facilitated a DoD-wide Joint Acquisition CBRN Knowledge System- Reporting Warehouse (JACKS-RW) Summit, held concurrently at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) on 4-5 April 2012.

JACKS-RW is a Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological (JPEO-CBD) information management system that is used by all Department of Defense (DoD) Service Branches and Agencies to collect, consolidate, and report Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) stock quantities and serviceability status in support of the Annual Report to Congress (ARC). The system is also an important tool in managing the shelf-life of CBRN assets across DoD.

ECBC Decontamination Engineering Branch Supports JPM-P with Decon Needs for U.S. Armed Forces

One of ECBC's Decontamination Engineering Branch’s core competencies is providing engineering and technical support for decontamination systems to Joint Project Manager-Protection (JPM-P).

This type of support and collaboration is done through several roles and responsibilities, to include the Army Materiel Developer (AMD) role.

As the AMD, Joe Grodecki is the lead Army technical representative for developmental decontamination programs within JPM-P. This includes support on Source Selection Boards, a role in review and approval of key programmatic documents, as well as acting as the Army focal point and voice, in unison with the Army Combat Developer (Maneuver Support Center of Excellence) on Systems Engineering and Test & Evaluation Integrated Product Teams (IPTs).

“During my three years in this position, it has been a tremendous experience. I learn something new every day,” Grodecki said. “The opportunity to work with service representatives, testing agencies, and JPM-P personnel with the objective to provide the best product possible to the Warfighter has been an extremely gratifying experience.”

In addition to the support provided to JPM-P as the AMD, Grodecki and Alex Carlson, DCEB, have worked with JPM-Contamination Avoidance and JPM-P to develop the Decontamination Expeditionary Bag (DEB) as part of the Dismounted Recon Sets Kits and Outfits (DR SKO) program. The DEB is a self-contained, tactical, and independent decontamination system to be used against Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) agents, Toxic Industrial Chemicals, and Toxic Industrial Materials for personnel decontamination. It is a one time use item that is designed to decontaminate up to 24 personnel at a time in each of the services, except the Navy, which has an eight person variant kit. ECBC Engineering and JPM-P have collaborated with the DR SKO program office and the services to ensure the DEB kits contain the necessary equipment for each service to complete their mission. There are currently three variants of the kit: Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

In addition to the DEB kits that ECBC has already helped develop, ECBC Engineering has been designated as the lead for the development and assembly of all future DR SKO DEB requirements as well as for the development of the DEB specification. To date, ECBC Engineering has collaborated with the Dismounted Recon Sets Kits and Outfits (DR SKO) and JPM-P to develop and assemble 37 Army, Marine Corps, and Navy decontamination kits and 20 kits for the Coast Guard.

“We look forward to continuing this effort with JPM-P and the DR SKO program office,” Grodecki said. “It is always exciting to work on a great project with a great group of people.”

Through the Smoke: Pyrotechnics and Explosives Branch Creates Safer Grenade for the Warfighter

Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) Pyrotechnics and Explosives Branch is making smoke grenades safer for the Warfighter. The branch is working to slow the burn rate and increase the yield factor of grenade smoke by revamping the screening smoke composition for the AN-M8 HC Screening Smoke Grenade. The new screening smoke composition, labeled HX Smoke Composition, will be used as a direct replacement fill for the AN-M8 HC Screening Smoke Grenade, which has been placed into restricted use due to environmental and toxicology issues.