WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. -- The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” may be applied to the great work the Watervliet Arsenal workforce did in supporting our nation’s war fighters and the community in 2012, because it took the entire Arsenal village to ship each product.

1. U.S. ARMY WATERVLIET ARSENAL
NEWS RELEASE
John B. Snyder
Public Affairs Officer
U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Building 10, Room 102
Watervliet, NY 12189
January 4, 2013 (518) 266-5055
Arsenal closes out another great year...
its 199th
WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. -- The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” may be applied
to the great work the Watervliet Arsenal workforce did in supporting our nation’s war fighters and
the community in 2012, because it took the entire Arsenal village to ship each product.
Despite the downsizing of U.S. combat operations Afghanistan last year, the Arsenal was still
able to have pretty respectable revenue to the tune of nearly $89 million, which was down about
$10 million from the previous year. But those numbers don’t tell the true story of the Arsenal’s
manufacturing achievements.
It took every one of the 600 Arsenal employees, from machinists to contract specialists to painters to
transport drivers, to ship the more than 7,900 items from the Arsenal last year. This, by the way, was
accomplished with an on-time delivery rate exceeding 96 percent.
The Arsenal’s manufacturing mix also saw a shift from cannon production being the largest
percentage share of direct labor requirement to the production of mortar tubes and associated
equipment now nearing 58 percent of the production flow.
Nonetheless, the Arsenal shipped out in 2012 approximately: 650 mortar tubes; 30 105mm cannons;
110 155mm cannons; 4 120mm cannons; 500 60mm baseplates; 500 81mm baseplates, and 260
120mm baseplates.
Additionally, the Arsenal had more than $67 million in contracts and nearly $19 million of that
went to New York state companies. Contracts ranged from the purchase of raw stock for cannon
manufacturing to the installation of a new power substation.
Also in the $89 million of revenue is the fact that the Arsenal did all this safely. In 2012, the
Arsenal experienced a 73 percent reduction in lost days and it currently exceeds OSHA industry
safety standards for private sector manufacturers. Some of this good news may be directly tied to
new safety initiatives that rewarded the workforce more than 50 times in 2012 for identifying and
mitigating safety hazards.
-more-

2. In regards to the Arsenal’s effect on the community, the Arsenal employee pay and benefits package
for the last fiscal year was nearly $50 million, which paid for such things as groceries at local
supermarkets, home purchases, car and home insurance policies, and coffee at the local Dunkin’
Donuts shops.
In addition to the monetary effects on the community, the Arsenal participated in nearly 60
community events in 2012 that honored Veterans, fallen heroes, and our servicemen and women.
Just last month, 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 Campaign.
By any standards, 2012 was a pretty good year for the Arsenal, just one more in the nearly 200 years
of continuous service to the nation’s war fighters. The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-
operated manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously active arsenal in the United States,
having begun operations during the War of 1812.
Today’s Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high
tech, high powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. In July 2013, the Arsenal
will celebrate its 200th anniversary.
Photos and cutlines:
Keith Sunkes, who is an Arsenal machinist with nearly 37 years of experience, is putting threads on
a 120mm tube on New Year’s Eve 2012.— at U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal.
http://bit.ly/ZZKDu5
JP Plowden, who has nearly 30 years of experience at the Arsenal, is working on a 120mm mortar
baseplate on New Year’s Eve 2012.— at U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal.
http://bit.ly/137WO5V
Arsenal Commander Col. Mark F. Migaleddi breaking from the formation to thank a Veteran during
the Albany Veterans Day Parade in 2012. The Watervliet Arsenal honored our nation’s Veterans last
November by fielding more than 100 people and 15 vehicles to lead the City of Albany’s Veterans
Day Parade in Division 1, as seen here. The Arsenal also participated in the Village of Menands
Parade.
http://bit.ly/TNjuo5
Arsenal helped the community to overcome a shortage of toys this year by collecting more than 700
toys and $400 for the Troy Salvation Army. Arsenal’s union, NFFE Local #2109, spearheaded this
event. From left, Charlie Hannan, Maj. Steven Loveless, Maj. Paula Loveless, Col. Mark Migaleddi,
Jim Grenier, Beth Myers, Laurie Vroman, and union president, Tim Ostrowski.
http://bit.ly/12tOzC2