MSG Half-Mast recently traveled just down the road at Redstone Arsenal to speak with Mr. Jeffrey Cinader, who oversees the Army Aviation and Missile Command's (AMCOM's) Corrosion Program Office and Center of Excellence, on the topic of corrosion.
Mr. Cinader’s current assignment is the Chief, Command Assessment and Continuous Improvement Division, which encompasses the AMCOM Policy Branch, Command Assessment and Analysis Branch, the Organizational Inspection Program, and the Corrosion Program Office. Previous assignments include: Chief, CONUS-West Branch G33; Division Chief, Logistics Assistance Division, Readiness Directorate; Branch Chief for the Cargo/Utility Branch in the Readiness Directorate; Apache Product Management Office; and multiple positions in the Logistics Assistance Program. Mr. Cinader served in active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve aviation units during his military career. He is an Acquisition Corps Member and certified in Life-Cycle Logistics
MSG Half-Mast: I understand there’s a new AMCOM corrosion program office. What makes the office different from before?
Mr. Cinader: There really isn’t a new AMCOM corrosion office. We just initiated a new website that is being continuously updated to ease accessibility to the hosted corrosion data and help streamline the process to request assistance for corrosion-related matters.
The negative impact of corrosion to aviation and missile weapons systems can be extensive, as well as expensive, and warrants special attention. Corrosion results in parts needing to be replaced earlier than planned. So, too, does improperly performed non-destructive testing (NDT), which can result in false indicators. That’s why we have a corrosion program office and invest quite a bit to training, education and inspections.
The AMCOM corrosion prevention and control effort, which the Corrosion Program Office (CPO) oversees, is a mostly-free service to units (if they attend the Redstone Corrosion Course from elsewhere, they bear the TDY and per diem costs). The CPO provides corrosion monitor classes (virtual and onsite), NDT, corrosion demonstrations, equipment and facility surveys, care of supplies in storage (COSIS) instruction and guidance for aviation and missile organizations. The surveys provide combat aviation brigade and Air Defense Artillery commanders with a corrosion and COSIS assessment of their platforms and facilities. While the CPO does not perform COSIS operations, it does provide the commander with guidance on shelf-life items and inspection of long-life reusable containers, among others.
It’s highly recommend that units, (e.g. combat aviation brigades, patriot battalions or brigades) request support from the CPO to educate maintainers and leaders on corrosion and the impact it has to operations.
MSG Half-Mast: What are some of the major challenges the Army faces when it comes to corrosion?
Mr. Cinader: I’d like to focus on one challenge the Army faces with its aviation and missile platforms: maintainers not documenting all occurrences of corrosion properly on forms and records. This data is extremely important to track corrosion’s impact, to conduct trend analysis and to formulate mitigation strategies. Supervisors and leaders must enforce the Army standards, e.g. TM 1-1500-344-23, TM 1-1500-204-23 series or TB 43-0213 (see end of article for more information on these references) regarding corrosion prevention and control, which will assist keeping their air, missile and ground support equipment functional.
MSG Half-Mast: Can you explain the three lines of effort AMCOM is taking to effectively manage corrosion, top to bottom, and how they impact Soldiers?
Mr. Cinader: There are three LOEs—strategic, operational, and tactical. They provide the framework for AMCOM’s Corrosion Prevention Strategy 2021-2026. The aim of the strategy is to achieve measurable results each year and improve on these results year-over-year.
The strategic LOE explores adopting and advancing commercial standards to Army corrosion efforts, as well as making necessary policy and regulation changes at the Department of the Army and Office of the Secretary of Defense levels designed to enhance corrosion prevention and control efforts. Additionally, this LOE charters Army aviation and missile leaders to undertake necessary inspections, maintenance and oversight to optimize weapons systems readiness.
The operational LOE consists of AMCOM’s Corrosion Program Office working with product managers (PMs), the Army Corrosion Executive, other life-cycle management commands (LCMCs), and the Army G-4 to promote and support corrosion efforts, to include NDT. These efforts also include preparing for weapon systems transitioning into sustainment, such as unmanned aerial systems/unmanned aerial vehicles (UASs/UAVs).
The tactical LOE includes AMCOM teams specializing in corrosion, NDT and coatings. These teams provide live, hands-on demonstrations and training, mentorship and field support to Soldiers. Ultimately, it’s Soldiers that have the most important role in preventing and controlling corrosion. Everything at the strategic, operational and tactical levels are designed to provide Soldiers a framework that will enable them to be successful at identifying the causes of corrosion, performing preventive measures to control it and mitigating it if and when it occurs.
MSG Half-Mast: Are units using the new website and taking advantage of the opportunities it offers?
Mr. Cinader: Since moving and “converting” the corrosion website to a SharePoint version, users have better access to corrosion information that can assist both aviators and maintainers in need of corrosion assistance. Not only will they find the latest references, updated consumables list, plus a request form for on-site visits, they’ll also find templates for creating their own corrosion prevention program. The AMCOM CPO’s new site is:
https://amcom.aep.army.mil/G3/cr/SitePages/CPC_Home.aspx (you’ll need your CAC to access). On this SharePoint site, maintainers will find a group email addresses and phone numbers to contact the CPO office.
MSG Half-Mast: Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to send to our readers?
Mr. Cinader: Limiting corrosion's impact on AMCOM-supported equipment is vital to ensuring aviation and missile systems can perform and deliver results in support of the Army's mission. The same can be said for all Army equipment and other Life Cycle Management Commands have similar efforts in effect. Soldiers, civilians, and contractors must continue to work together to improve and resolve corrosion.
Also, please note that IAW TC 3-04.71, Commander’s Aviation Maintenance Training Program, (Dec 20), units must ensure that master repairer-ML (Maintenance Level) 4 and technical inspectors are corrosion monitor certified. The AMCOM Corrosion Office can assist units with meeting this requirement. To learn more about corrosion monitor certification please contact this office for assistance through our Website or contact us directly.
References cited by Mr. Cinader, all of which can be accessed at
https://armypubs.army.mil/:
TM 1-1500-344-23 series,
Cleaning and Corrosion Control (Vol 1-4)
TM 1-1500-204-23 series,
Aviation Unit Maintenance (AVUM) and Aviation Intermediate Maintenance (AVIM) Manual for General Aircraft Maintenance (Vol 1-11)
TB 43-0213,
Corrosion Prevention and Control (CPC) for Army Ground Equipment, (Mar 19)