REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (WHNT) — Redstone Arsenal took shape as an Army installation during World War II and continues playing an important role in military logistics and development.
As the Army is gearing up to celebrate its 250th anniversary, leadership is looking back on how the Army’s mission has evolved.
In the 1950s and 60s, Redstone Arsenal welcomed more personnel, becoming home to some of the nation’s leading rocket scientists who developed the systems that would carry astronauts into orbit then onto the moon.
While engineers were pushing the bounds of propulsion technology, the Army continued its mission.
Their responsibilities grew in 2011 when Army Materiel Command (AMC) made the move to the Arsenal.
“When we look at the development of the Army over time, AMC touches everything,” said AMC Historian Issac Hampton. “If the Army shoots it, drives it with fuel, eats it, AMC has that connection. As the premier logistics provider of the U.S. Army, nothing happens unless this command touches it.”
AMC is responsible for the readiness of troops stationed around the globe. Hampton said it is a big job and one AMC can do because they learn from the past.
“Nearly everything the Army does is based on what happened yesterday with its future ops, future plans,” Hampton said. “You get to say the Army looks at a lot of the things that it did decades ago, years ago, to get an idea of how to, what it might look like in the future.”
Hampton said the future of AMC will include technological developments.Now, AMC personnel and Army contractors are making new strides with artificial intelligence and 3D printing.
Command Sgt. Maj. John Fritz said operations and those new developments on the Arsenal require work from tens of thousands of people across North Alabama.
“It’s a very large part of the community,” Fritz said. “It takes a lot of resources and effort from the community.”
Fritz said the Army wants to celebrate the 250th anniversary with the community. The Army will host a public celebration at 3 p.m. on June 9 at Redstone Gateway, and the festivities will include food, fireworks and a demonstration from the U.S Army Golden Knights parachute team.
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