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News | Aug. 21, 2026

Changing of the guard for product manager offices at Picatinny Arsenal

By by Michael Chambers Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment & Ammunition (PAE ASA)

PICATINNY ASRENAL, N.J. Honoring age-old military tradition, various offices under the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment & Ammunition (PAE ASA) held command change ceremonies recently. Typically, senior level military officers and SES civilian employees rotate through offices in lead or deputy roles to ensure institutional knowledge and expertise is preserved and shared throughout the wider organization.

Headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey and under the command of Maj. Gen. Christopher Schneider, PAE ASA plays a vital role in maintaining Army readiness – delivering the capabilities, expertise, and innovation that ensures our Warfighters and allies are equipped to succeed in any environment.
 

Incoming and Outgoing at PM CAS

Col. Alicia Johnson, Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems (PM CAS), hosted Change of Charter ceremonies on Picatinny Arsenal for three product manager (PdM) offices.
In the first ceremony, Lt. Col. Ian A. Welch transferred command of PdM for Artillery, Mortars & Precision Systems to Lt. Col. Mark D. Milligan.

Followed by a separate ceremony where Lt. Col. Rafael R. Acevedo relinquished management of PdM for Precision Attack Cannon Munitions to Mr. Raymond Colon.

Later that month, Lt. Col. Christopher W. Sanders assumed command of PdM for Extended Range Artillery Munitions.

Promotion and New Role for Head of PM MAS

Lt. Col. Micah Rue was promoted to colonel on August 3 during a ceremony hosted by the PAE ASA Maj. Gen. Chris Schneider. Following the promotion, Col. Rue was installed as the Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS) taking over from Lt. Col. Jamie Michel.

Shifting Places at PM CCS

Col. Isaac Cuthbertson, Project Manager, Close Combat Systems (PM CCS), hosted a joint Change of Management Ceremony for three product teams on August 4.

Ms. Tinesha Nicholas relinquished management to Lt. Col. Justin Bond for Product Manager Terrain Shaping Obstacles (PM TSO).

Mr. Michael Burke relinquished management of Product Director Joint Ammunition and Weapon Systems (PD JAWS) to Ms. Tinesha Nicholas.

While Ms. Anita Polesky (Acting) relinquished management of Product Director Combat Armaments & Protection Systems (PD CAPS) to Mr. Michael Burke.

The event is a traditional ceremony where management of an office is transferred from one person to another. The unit’s guidon represents the integrity and authority of the office.

Featured Stories
CANTON, OH – The U.S. Army and Metallus Inc. commissioned several new, state of the art manufacturing assets at the company’s facilities in Canton, Ohio. The newly commissioned assets include a bloom reheat furnace, roller furnace, and supporting equipment. The new assets will increase Metallus’ production capacity/volume of High Fragmentation (HF-1) Steel.
The U.S. Army and Metallus kickoff HF-1 steel capacity expansion effort with new manufacturing assets in Ohio
By Michael Chambers | Sept. 2, 2026
CANTON, OH – The U.S. Army and Metallus Inc. commissioned several new, state of the art manufacturing assets at the company’s facilities in Canton, Ohio. The newly commissioned assets include a bloom reheat furnace, roller furnace, and supporting equipment. The new assets will increase Metallus’ production capacity/volume of High Fragmentation (HF-1) Steel.

Milestone reached! Laura Emanski, Product Manager Small Caliber Ammunition, thanks the dedicated trade workforce during the dry-in ceremony for the new 6.8mm production facility at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.
More exciting than watching concrete dry: Lake City’s new 6.8mm facility reaches dry-in milestone
By Daniel Jara | Aug. 31, 2026
INDEPENDENCE, MO - “Delivering tomorrow’s small caliber ammunition lethality today” is the guiding principle behind ongoing transformation at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, Missouri. The U.S. Army is one step closer to bringing its next-generation manufacturing vision to life. On July 22, construction crews celebrated a dry-in ceremony for the 6.8mm Cartridge Manufacturing Facility at LCAAP. This ceremony represents a critical milestone meaning the building’s exterior shell is now complete and weather-tight.

IDAHO FALLS, ID – The U.S. Army’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment and Ammunition (PAE AS&A) joined Perpetua Resources Inc. and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to celebrate the opening of a new processing capability for military-grade antimony sulfide at INL on July 29. This ribbon-cutting event marks a critical milestone in establishing a secure, domestic supply chain for this essential ammunition component, vital for U.S. defense readiness.
U.S. Army, Perpetua Resources, and INL launch domestic antimony sulfide processing facility
By Michael Chambers | Aug. 6, 2026
IDAHO FALLS, ID – The U.S. Army’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment and Ammunition (PAE AS&A) joined Perpetua Resources Inc. and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to celebrate the opening of a new processing capability for military-grade antimony sulfide at INL on July 29. This ribbon-cutting event marks a critical milestone in establishing a secure, domestic supply chain for this essential ammunition component, vital for U.S. defense readiness.

Portfolio Acquistion Executive Agile Sustainment & Ammunition

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