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ONE COLONEL’S MISSION COMPLETED AS ANOTHER’S BEGINS

By Amy Riggin/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Thursday, July 2, 2009 10:53 PM CDT

The military change of command ceremony is an ancient tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, and one that took place for the 34th time Thursday at the Pine Bluff Arsenal.

Col. Franz Amann (above), incoming commander for the Pine Bluff Arsenal, salutes the colors during the Change of Command ceremonies Thursday morning at the Arsenal. Pine Bluff Commercial/Ralph Fitzgerald

After being at the helm of Arkansas’ only active Army installation for the past two years, emotions ran high for Col. Bill M. Barnett IV as he relinquished command to Col. Franz J. Amann. Members of the military, elected officials and other civilians gathered on a sunny, mild morning under two large tents to observe the ceremony.

“The last two years has been a great run,” Barnett said after reflecting on his “last run” at the arsenal Thursday morning, drinking coffee and visiting with staff. “Today I can’t adequately express to you all how grateful I am for the way you’ve treated me and my family ... It’s been an honor to serve you.”

The Arkansas Army National Guard sent its Color guard to take part in the official exchange of the arsenal flag. Barnett took the flag, handed it to Brig. Gen. Larry Wyche, who then passed it to Amann.

Wyche is commander of the Army Joint Munitions Command at Rock Island, Ill.

“It is truly a great honor and privilege for me to be here,” Amann said, adding, “Today is not about me; it’s about Col. Barnett ... I have some big shoes to fill.”

Amann’s most recent assignment was the V Corps chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive chief in Heidelberg, Germany. He and his wife, Mary, have one daughter, Marita.

Barnett was lauded by Wyche and Amann for his contributions to the arsenal.

“Col. Barnett, you have successfully commanded one of the toughest, most diverse organizations in the United States Army,” Wyche said. “You have executed this mission with a true American hero and warrior spirit — let there be no doubt in your mind it was second to none.”

The arsenal team accelerated industrial output and improved workforce safety under Barnett’s command, Wyche said. The arsenal saw “record-setting” revenues of more than $2 million in fiscal 2008 and improvements in nearly all of its production programs, with 16 ammunition and 12 chemical and biological defense programs completed on time or ahead of schedule.

The arsenal produces illuminating, infrared, phosphorous and smoke munitions and is the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Chemical and Biological Defense Material.

Barnett said command changes are important because they “bring in new ideas, a contemporary perspective, energy and excitement.”

“What we do at the arsenal today is more relevant than ever before,” he said. “As a soldier I never cared about who made the products that we used — I just wanted them to work when we needed them.”

But Barnett said his perspective has changed since coming to Pine Bluff.

“I began to care about who made them and I set out to make sure that we made them,” he said.

Amann said he hopes to continue Barnett’s “strategic vision” and to ensure the arsenal’s “long-term future within the Department of Defense.”

In a later interview, Amann said it is important for the arsenal to “continue to grow our capacity for our future” as it relates to national defense, and to “make it that much harder for anybody to consider a future without Pine Bluff.”

In his remarks, Barnett also thanked U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., for attending.

“I don’t recall any time in the arsenal’s history when a sitting senator attended a change of command,” Barnett said.

Barnett will head to Washington, D.C., for an assignment at the Joint Requirements Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense.

The Arsenal was established Nov. 3, 1941 to manufacture and assemble incendiary munitions. During World War II, its mission expanded to include manufacturing and storage of chemical weapons, which are now being incinerated there, and filling of smoke and white phosphorous munitions. A biological weapons mission was added in 1954 and continued until 1969. In 1978 the arsenal began producing binary chemical weapons and continued until 1990.

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