May 4—SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — A Change of Command ceremony was held at the U.S. Army Joint Systems Manufacturing Center-Lima bringing in a civilian, Travis D. Adkins to replace Lieutenant Colonel George P. Kloppenburg.

The Change of Responsibility ceremony is a tradition. The ceremony is an outward display for "all hands and public spectators" to know that there has been a shift in authority marking the end of one era of history at the facility and the beginning of a time of opportunity for future advancement. Travis Adkins is not a stranger to the JSMC. While serving in the army Lieutenant Colonel Travis Adkins commanded the JSMC immediately preceding the command of Lieutenant Colonel Kloppenburg. Previous to serving as commander, he served as the administrative contracting officer and program integrator at the JSMC. Most recently he served as the Senior Program Manager for the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command. Now he begins service as the first civilian manager of the JSMC.

"I plan to do my best to get reacquainted with the mission here and the team, figure out what the Army's requirements are going forward, so we continue to provide world class combat capability to shield our warfighters and our allies that are out there in a place to fight and win. That's what it's all about."

Army Lieutenant General David Bassett, Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency, was the first to share his remarks."Today's ceremony is really about family. It's about the DCMA family saying farewell to George Kloppenburg and his wife, Molly, and thanking them for their service. It's about welcoming back to JSMC another member of the DCMA family in the Adkins Family. What I see is a family that's dedicated. And I don't mean just the Kloppenburg family and the Adkins family. I'm talking about the JSMC Lima family. It's dedicated to this magnificent vehicle, the greatest expression of land power that the U.S. Army can deliver. Knowing what this means to our soldiers and the commitment we have to giving our soldiers the very best capability...We want them to have the greatest capability they can have in the greatest expression of land power. And the JSMC delivers that capability to our soldiers."

Lieutenant Colonel Kloppenburg addressed those at the JSMC one last time. "Though the ceremony signifies the transition of responsibility between two great services, the real story is about the loyal, resilient and dedicated employees on the facilities team who have patiently watched this effort evolve over the years, always tempering their anxiety of impending change. This transition will be seamless. Today marks a significant change in installation management, but what must remain the same is the unique collaboration between multiple stakeholders that have underpinned the success of JSMC since 1941."

The JSMC has a history that spans over 80 years. Originally, the Lima Army Tank Plant was activated in 1941. It then was used for World War II production. In 1952 — 1958 the facility was expanded during the fighting in Korea. In 1976 the site was chosen for the production of the XM-1 tank. In 2005, the Lima Army Tank Plant was renamed the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center and in 2010 the facility celebrated 30 years of making the Abrams tank at the facility.

Reach Dean Brown at 567-242-0409