Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 29, 1994 TAG: 9406300080
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: STEPHEN FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FAIRLAWN LENGTH: Medium
U.S. Army leadership at the plant changed hands Tuesday as Lt. Col. John Loyd became the 27th commander of the propellant-making facility, taking over from Lt. Col. Bill Forrester. The command normally changes every two years.
Loyd takes charge as the arsenal continues to cut workers and costs, a situation noted by speakers Tuesday with phrases like "a time of declining resources," "downsizing," or "rightsizing." Even Carl Chase Jr., a security officer, alluded to it in his prayer: "Now it's a time of renewal, a time of continuity, a time of change."
Loyd vowed to continue the practices of his predecessor, to pay attention to safety concerns, environmental efforts and teamwork.
"We must remember that only as Team Radford can we meet the challenges that lie ahead," Loyd said. "Our work force is our most important asset."
The assignment at Radford came as a pleasant surprise for Loyd, who heard snippets from plenty of well-wishers about the beauty of the area and the quality of its people. Shaking hands, he nodded agreement.
Ten years ago, as a captain, he visited the plant briefly on temporary duty, he said. But in terms of a command, "I honestly never thought I would come to Radford."
Like Forrester, Loyd will have to weather continued cutbacks that have forced Hercules Inc., the operator of the plant, to cut its work force almost in half since Forrester arrived. (Total employment at the arsenal today is 1,658.) Loyd spoke of continuing to produce a quality product and controlling costs, and making do with what the federal government provides in terms of money.
"Action will have to follow the lead of the Department of Defense budget," he said.
Brig. Gen. James Boddie also spoke of Loyd's challenge, even as he cited Forrester for a job well done.
Forrester "set the standard for plant personnel to follow" when it came to safety, Boddie said. When he arrived in 1992, talk still circulated about the deaths of two women who had been overcome by ether fumes several months before. During his tenure, the arsenal experienced no fatalities.
Forrester was praised for his attention to environmental concerns, though no mention was made of a weeklong shutdown of the plant in March, forced by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Boddie commended Forrester for initiating a team process among Hercules, the union and the community, "focusing our scarce resources for a common objective." As for Loyd, Boddie said, "He will continue to build upon the teambuilding that was started and focus on teamwork."
Loyd, 45, has a bachelor's degree in criminology from Florida State University, and master's degrees in counseling psychology and contract and acquisition management from Ball State University and the Florida Institute of Technology, respectively. An Army man for 26 years, he has been assigned as a contracting officer at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, and has worked in several ordnance assignments.
He takes over after serving most recently as chief of a munitions supply branch in Seoul, South Korea. Forrester leaves to attend the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
by CNB