2010's Depot History
As the new decade began, LEAD celebrated a variety of accomplishments and improvements that were readily occurring across the Depot. In 2010, Letterkenny received its first Combined Logistics Excellence Award for superior performance of duty in Depot Maintenance Excellence resulting in improved combat readiness.
The Theater Readiness Maintenance Directorate, in partnership with private industry, produced the first missile at the newly constructed Theater Readiness Maintenance Facility. Lockheed Martin and Precision Fires Rocket and Missile System (PFRMS) partnered with LEAD to enhance High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) production. This included the Special Test Equipment, Special Tooling, tools, training, testing and, ultimately, LEAD’s demonstration of capabilities required to repair various M270A1 and HIMARS Fire Control System and HIMARS launcher components.
The production of Route Clearance Vehicles (RCV) emerged as a primary focus of the Depot’s workload. LEAD, in 2010, was named the Joint Depot Source of Repair Decision on the RCV. The Services jointly agreed that Depot Maintenance will be accomplished organically for the RCV: Buffalo/MPCV, Vehicle Mounted Mine Detection System (VMMD) also known as the “Husky,” RG-31 Medium Mine -Protected Vehicle (MMPV), Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle (JERRV) and Medium Mine-Protected Vehicle (MMPV) Panther at LEAD.
In December 2010, Letterkenny completed the last of over 20,000 recapped HMMWVs. With the program completed, LEAD converted its primary assembly line of HMMWVs to accommodate Reset of PATRIOT Prime Movers. This new workload employed 173 people, with a workload encompassing 150 major items including Launchers, 373 Trailers, Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT’s), 900 Series 5 Ton Trucks, Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and 860 Trailers.
Safety and ensuring proper standards moved to the forefront as Depot leadership and employees pursued the goal of attaining Voluntary Protection Programs Certification.
In 2012 Letterkenny was recognized as a CITE for RCV and PATRIOT Missile Recertification.
The First Article Testing for the New Build AGPU was successfully completed in February 2012.
2012 celebrated the Depot’s 70th Anniversary. As the largest employer in Franklin County, the Depot continues to be a mainstay to the local economy, fueling over a quarter of a million dollars into the region annually. Letterkenny’s state of the art facilities, combined with a highly skilled workforce, enable Letterkenny to provide superior products and services to the Soldiers.
Since World War II, Korea and Vietnam, through Operation Desert Storm (Iraq) and Operation Just Cause (Panama), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) Letterkenny is proud to serve the Soldier serving anywhere in the world.
For over 70 years, LEAD has proven repetitively it is flexible, ready and relevant to meet the Warfighter’s needs. LEAD’s constant pursuit of excellence has resulted in becoming the Depot of choice for the greatest Warfighters in the world. Through a unified focus, the employees embrace their daily tasks and take personal responsibility for their role in supporting the Warfighter. Their loyalty, hard work and dedication is evident by the various awards they have received and the vast improvements they have helped to make across the Depot. LEAD is determined to provide the very best to our Nation’s deserving Warfighers.