Detroit Chapter Hosts TACOM Open House.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Defense industry - Brief Article

The Detroit Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) hosted an open house in Warren, Mich., to increase local awareness of the Tank, Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). Estimates indicated that 15,000 people attended at least one portion of the two-day event. According to one observer, the event was a success, because it was a "gigantic team effort, with 250 to 300 people from TACOM and NDIA acting as volunteers."

The event, held earlier this summer at the Detroit Arsenal, was kicked off by commanding officer Maj. Gen. (P) John Caldwell. Organizer Gerald R. Lane, immediate past president of the NDIA Detroit Chapter and current Detroit representative to NDIA headquarters, is associate director for Advanced Vehicle Technologies at the Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center. He explained that the program was planned to increase regional understanding of the facility, as well as showcase its proud history.

The TACOM open house was co-sponsored by NDIA, the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and the Detroit Chamber of Commerce. Detroit's NDIA chapter contributed $13,000 to publicize the event. The event marked the first time in 30 years that TACOM opened its doors to the public, and this was the first time it was marketed at this magnitude.

The open house had numerous attractions and exhibits, Lane explained. Highlights included vehicle rides on Humvees, M113s (Armored Personnel Carriers), and the Marine Corps' Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs).

"We also had a vehicle display of a lot of the latest ground combat vehicles," including all three of the M-1s currently in service: the M1A1 and the M1A2 SEP. "The M1A2 SEP had a constant line of at least 30 people," Lane said. "They could crawl in and see this state-of-the-art tank."

Parachute jumpers performed death-defying maneuvers, and special forces helicopter rescuers executed demonstrations. At one point, the crowd was addressed by an actor who portrayed World War II Gen...