Anniston Army Depot, AL (Alabama)

Anniston Army Depot is one of the United States weapon defense storage facilities. It is located on the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in northeast Alabama and has long earned the reputation as the country’s best. This 25-square miles of land is possibly one, if not the nations most diversified defense resource. From its simple origins in 1942 as a storage depot, it has transformed into a state-of-the-art maintenance facility. Not forgetting the fact that it offers so much scenic splendor. No wonder it has been a recipient of the 2008 Army Superior Unit Ward for meritorious service.

Anniston Army Depot has made a massive accomplishment for itself as a premier facility, one that provides the best support for men and uniform in uniform. It has restored more than 1,600 combat vehicles as well as 36,000 small arms equipment. ANAD is the only depot in the United States that is capable of main maintaining heavy-tracked combat vehicles as well as their parts. For decades, ANAD has been dedicated in various undertakings of repairing and upgrading Americas weaponry for her defense and that of her allies. When asked about the future of ANAD, depot commander Timothy Sullivan says that they will only continue to plunge forward by striving to exceed customer expectations. He later added, Opportunities are endless, describing perfectly the remarkable developments of Anniston Army Depot since it first started.

History of Anniston Army Depot:

The Anniston Army Depot that people know today is a far cry from its humble beginnings some seventy years ago. It was in March 1940 that the initial plans of having an Army Ordnance Depot in northeast Alabama were constructed and hatched. In June of the same year, preliminary steps were taken; first with the acquisition of a 10,640-acre tract and later increased to its present size of 15,000 acres. It was in February of 1941 that construction of several administrative buildings, warehouses, ammunition storage igloos and some standard magazines began. On October 14, 1941, in accordance with War Department General Order No. 11, it was officially designated as the Anniston Ordnance Depot or AOD.

By the late 1942, what started out as a 4-person workforce greatly increased to 4,339. During the 1950s, AOD became a maintenance hub that overhauls and repairs combat vehicles. It later expanded to cover the repair, overhaul, and modification of both mobile and anti-aircraft artillery as well as other aspects of the tank repair program. Soon, it evolved into a more advance depot in order to keep up with the ever changing and upgrading weapons systems.

It was on August 1962 that it was renamed Anniston Army Depot, under the direct jurisdiction of the Army Material Command or AMC. In the 1970s, the depot has overhauled the M551 Sheridan tank, and the conversion of such models such as the M48A1 to M48A5 and M60A1 to M60A3. Finally, in 1976, along with all other Army depots, Anniston Army Depot became a part of the U.S Army Depot System Command or DESCOM. What follows are a series of changes, improvements, and developments that led it to the highly advanced and well-maintained depot that it is today.

In August 2003, it was in the Anniston Chemical Disposal Facility or ANCDF that the depots obsolete stockpile of chemical munitions such as bombs, land mines and rockets were securely destroyed. The last of which was destroyed in September 2011. In December of the same year, ANAD was given the responsibility of producing Armor Survivability Kits in order to protect all military members who are in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). To date, it has supported a total of 25,000 jobs with up to $1.5 billion economic impact for the local community.

Mission of Anniston Army Depot:

The mission of ANAD is simple and direct; to provide superior industrial expertise, products, and services to support Americas warfighters, allies and commercial customers. Truly, they have upheld their commitment even up to this present day. In fact, ANAD just recently celebrated its 69th year of existence just last Oct. 14. This is a clear proof of the depots duty and unwavering service not only for the people in uniform, but to the rest of the country as well.

Anniston Army Depot is the designated site for combat vehicles, bridging systems, artillery, and small caliber weapons. It performs maintenance and overhaul on both heavy and light-tracked combat vehicles as well as their components. Under some partnership agreements, ANAD is able to assume responsibility for vehicle conversions and even upgrades. Lastly, this depot is home to the Department of Defenses only missile recycling center. Tenant organizations that are in affiliation with the depot include the Defense Distribution Depot Anniston Alabama (DDAA), the Anniston Chemical Activity (ANCA), the Anniston Defense Munitions Center (ADMC), and the Center of the Military History.

Interesting facts that you should know:

Too long has the Anniston Army Depot earned the reputation as being the Tank Rebuild Center of the World. Today, they have truly broken free of its historical purpose as a mere maintenance depot as well as a major munitions storage site. Anniston Army Depot is now a broadly diversified people who work solidly in order to maintain the integrity and dignity of the entire body not just for the present, but well into the future as well. To date, ANAD has approximately over 7,000 employees, with up to $307 million in depot payroll. It also houses 430 miles of roadway, 93 miles of fencing and 37 miles of railroad. The people behind ANAD attribute its success to the unfaltering partnership of a highly skilled workforce and the strong support system of the management. No other government agency, especially one as big as ANAD would ever have endured this long if not for the combined effort of everyone involved. Truly, Anniston Army Depot is one agency that all Americans, both young and old, can be proud of. It is a legacy that citizens of this country can proudly pass on to future generations to come.

Map of Anniston Army Depot

Video – A look inside of Anniston Army Depot