Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona Division officially opened its long-awaited, purpose-built Operating Materials & Supplies (OM&S) Warehouse in a ribbon cutting ceremony held Nov. 8.
In addition to Capt. Khary Hembree-Bey, Commanding Officer of NSWC Corona, speaking at the event, special guest Congressman Ken Calvert, U.S. Representative for California’s 42nd Congressional District said a few words to the crowd of about 70 employees.
The warehouse is crucial to meeting the Department of the Navy’s initiative for property accountability and auditability to improve financial compliance as well as readiness to support the warfighter.
“Corona supports nearly all weapon systems across the Navy,” Hembree-Bey said. “Our engineers and scientists procure parts and build systems that directly support those weapon systems that impacts the Navy’s readiness and lethality. The warehouse affords us the agility to optimize our spaces to better increase our core mission to support the fleet.”
Hembree-Bey welcomed Calvert to the podium where Calvert talked about how over the last few years the Department of Defense has turned a corner on financial improvement and audit readiness compliance.
“In our history, there are not many stories about the glories won through audit readiness…,” Calvert said. “(But) there is a reason we say ‘tactics win battles, logistics win wars.’ The incredible reach of the United States military logistics chain ensures that we can fight anywhere in the world. Today’s ribbon cutting is one piece of a larger puzzle that will continue to ensure that we have the most lethal and professional military fighting force the world has ever seen.”
The OM&S warehouse will also help NSWC Corona comply with Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) requirements by providing centralized receiving, accurate inventory and long-term storage.
“There are many benefits of the new OM&S Warehouse,” said Lesa Jones, command accountable property officer. “Such as: properly storing material; streamlining the process for storing and issuing material; improving customer service; sustain accountability and auditability; and returning much needed space to the technical codes so they may expand their resources and focus on the mission. The hard work and dedication to bring the OM&S warehouse to fruition is an example of what the ‘One Team’ effort is able to accomplish.”
“I am incredibly proud of the work done here at NSWC Corona,” Calvert said. “From classified work, to the range systems engineering, to the independent assessment and calibration, the men and women who work here represent the best and the brightest of our region.”
Many thanks to NSWC Corona’s Sandeep Kanda, project manager/engineer and Larry Hurd, safety specialist; NAVFAC’s Corwyn Alexander, construction manager and Samuel Asiamah, fire system engineer; and the NAVFAC team and contractor team. Special thanks to the command leadership, NSWC Corona’s property management staff and Naval Sea Logistics Center (NSLC) for contributing to making this plan become a reality.