| Vol. 1 No. 38 | page 1 | Sept. 26, 1952 |
Shown in the above photo are personnel of the Planning Branch at Black Hills Ordnance Depot.
They are l to r. front - Velbert Luke, May Percy, Dorothy Pierce and Royce Shepherd.
Back - Kenneth Hertha, James Rickard, Roger Yardley, David Busbee, Planning Branch Chief, and Thomas Beimrohr.
by Ken Hertha
The Planning Branch as a unit was set up in the spring of 1951, bringing together two Planning sections which, individually, had served the Ammunition Branch and the Renovation and Demilitarization Branch of the Storage Division. Since that time, the branch, located in Building 3, has enlarged and at the present time employs nine people.
The branch maintains a current backlog of work projects on Maintenance-in-Storage, Normal Maintenance, Modification, Renovation, Demilitarization, and Rewarehousing required by higher authority or local inspection and establishes a priority for these projects. This report includes for each scheduled project the estimated number of shifts and personnel required, estimated cost, facilities and materials required and monthly progress for all projects in operation.
All standing operating procedures for the Storage Division are prepared, a process which requires a great deal of technical information. To obtain this information, the correct drawing, data cards, technical manuals, incoming correspondence, safety manual and others are studied. In addition, the operating branch chiefs and the Surveillance Office are consulted. This information is a assembled to determine the proper assembly of components, adequate safety measures which will be adhered to, the correct materials and methods to be used in packing and the most efficient means of performing the required operation.
From the nature of the operation, which is determined by local inspection by the Surveillance Division and approval by a higher echelon, the personnel of the branch are able to initiate the procurement of components, supplies, packing materials, equipment and tools required for the completion of the operation. Because of the long range planning of work projects by the Planning Branch, work stoppages are held to an absolute minimum.
The Drafting Section also plays an integral part in the performance of the various projects. They design the line layout to conform to the S.O.P. and to the building or site at which the operation will take place. In addition, special tools and equipment are designed for use in these operations and other projects on the depot. Existing tools and equipment are often modified to increase the speed and efficiency in their operation.
A complete file is kept of all orginal drawings made by the Drafting Section and all Ordnance Drawings pertaining to the various operations performed by the Storage Division.
Lot Allocations are made for the Storage Division and are used to control complete assembly of ammunition of a certain lot with definite components. Upon completion of that lot a Completed Lot Allocation is made to show the structure of the completed lot.
Monthly reports are prepared of the unservicable-repairable ammuniton to Raritan Arsenal showing the type of work to be done, Six months schedule, priority of projects and production for the past month. In addition, Planning Branch furnishes information to be used by other branches, coordinates requests for funds with the Fiscal Branch, and prepares special reports as required by a higher echelon.
In order to assure continuity of operations, a Consumable Supply Control Section has been set up to control and coordinate issue and requisition of supplies and to perform a liason between the operation branches of the Storage and Depot Property. Through issue experience gained and recorded on stock cards maintained by this section, future requirements for consumable supplies may be determined more accurately.
A training program is in progress for the staff on all phases of ammunition, emphasizing disassembly of ammunition and components parts. Information from this training will be an aid in the preparation of Standing Operation Procedures for the various projects concerning ammunition. The training consists of an hour of lecture and discussion given each week by different members of the branch who accept the responsibility for the preparation of the information and materials for that particular topic.
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