Home Care In Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

Command Sergeant Major Richard Williams Jr. is a native of Prichard, Alabama. He enlisted in the United States Army on 29 July 1997 as a 92A Automated Logistical Specialist. He attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Advanced Individual Training at the US Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Command Sergeant Major Williams’s first assignment was with the 82nd Forward Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. Moving to Apache and Comanche Troops, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, LA and Headquarters and Headquarters Battery and Service Battery, 3-4 Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC and Echo Company, 1-1 ADA, Okinawa, Japan. Then, moving to Headquarters Support Company 1st Battalion 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Torii Station, Okinawa, Japan.

He also served Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC and Headquarters and Headquarters Company and Alpha Company 302d BSB, Camp Casey, South Korea and his next assignment was Headquarters Support Company, 2nd Infantry Division Headquarters, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea. He then served Service and Distribution Company, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, CO. HHC, 203RD CS BDE, Fort Benning, GA. Alpha Company, 3-81 Armored Regiment, Fort Benning, GA. Bravo Company 2-47 INF BN, Fort Benning, GA. Charlie Company, 1st BN, 81st Armored BN, Fort Benning, GA. 194th AR BDE, Fort Benning, GA. Special Operations Command Pacific, Camp Smith, HI. USASMA and NCOLCoE, Fort Bliss, TX., The Cyber Center of Excellence, G4 SGM, Fort Gordon, GA., the 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Command Sergeant Major, Camp Zama, Japan. His last assignment was the Battalion Command Sergeant Major of the 765th Transportation Terminal Battalion, Camp Zama, Japan.

He has deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq and the Philippines. Command Sgt. Maj. Williams’s military education includes the Basic Leadership Course, Advanced Leadership Course, Senior Leader Course, Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officer Course, Master Resilience Training, Support Operations Course, Joint Logistics Course, Theater Sustainment Planners Course, Battalion Command Sergeant Major Development Program, and the Battalion Pre-Command Course He has held every key leadership position including Section Sergeant, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Senior Logistics NCO, First Sergeant, and Operations Sergeant. He is a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA) Class #70. He holds an Associate of Arts in Supply Chain Management from Coastline Community College, Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Workforce Development from the Command and General Staff College, and a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from Excelsior University.

Command Sgt. Maj. Williams's awards and decorations include: the Meritorious Service Medal with (4 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with (4 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4 OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal with (10th award), National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal (3 campaign stars), Global War of Terrorism Service Medal, Global War of Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Non-Commission Officer Professional Development Ribbon (with numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 4. He is also a recipient of the Distinguished Order of Saint Martin and recognized by The International Society of Logistics (SOLE) as a Demonstrated Master Logistician, the Noble Patron of Armor, and The Honorable Order of Saint Christopher.

Command Sgt. Maj. Williams is married to Patrice Williams of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and has four children, Davaris, Tiara, Sierra and, Aya Williams.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – On Wednesday, August 27th, the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center held a ceremony at the Perryman Test Area. The ceremony took place to recognize the resourcefulness, teamwork and dedication of ATC employees who overcame financial challenges and developed solutions to repair the aging wash rack that is used daily in ATC’s testing mission. After vehicles traverse through mud, dirt, dust and silt on Perryman test courses, rinsing them at the wash rack helps keep other test courses and roadways clean.

The previous wash rack at Perryman was over 30 years old with rusted structural components that posed a hazard to infrastructure, test items, and employees. Recognizing this critical need, the partnership between ATC’s Experimental Fabrication Branch and the Automotive Test Support Division turned this challenge into a capability.

“Since this wash rack supports vehicles that are upwards of 130,000 pounds, the upgrades were essential to protect the test item and infrastructure, but most importantly the people who work out here on these tests” said Kevin Pelletier of the Automotive Test Support Division. “If the supports failed or gave way, it would be a catastrophe.”

Members of the Experimental Fabrication Branch, led by Bill Bryan, and Automotive Test Support Division, led by Patrick Gervais, worked together to identify the necessary improvements, required materials and design upgrades.

“Building something from the ground up – seeing the hand sketches become a reality – was satisfying”, said Bill Bryan, Design Engineer in the Experimental Fabrication Branch. “Our branch is naturally a collaborative environment. Designers, machinists and welders all take input and feedback from each other and respect each other’s expertise, so working with a new group was exciting and we were glad to support this upgrade.”

Once the supplies arrived, the experimental fabrication branch removed the old wash rack, then cut, welded and installed the new infrastructure, while the workers at Perryman replumbed water system. The repairs were finished within two months.

“I think the best part was how it all quickly it all came together, and how well”, said Pat Gervais, Engineering Technician at Perryman.

Perryman is ATC’s largest of four main automotive test tracks, covering 2,000 acres with over 20 miles of level cross country and a 3-mile paved straight for performance testing of wheeled and tracked vehicles during their developmental testing phase.

Data from real-world testing helps decision makers understand how the vehicle’s components and the entire vehicle will perform.

The extensive testing at ATC exposes vehicles to 80% of the world’s climates throughout the year – including dry or wet dirt, dust, mud, snow, silt and other grit. Cleaning the vehicles after exposure to test course rigors is important for basic vehicle maintenance, the preventative checks in a vehicle’s mission cycle, as well as keeping Perryman’s paved course, other test courses and roadways clean.

“I am proud of this team. This ribbon cutting not only signifies an upgrade to a support element of our testing mission, but also a testament to the team’s dedication and willingness to work together to get things done” said Col. James Polak, ATC Commander. “Without the people, all of the technology in the world doesn’t matter.”

The Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen launched its first-ever Bug Camp, July 14-18, introducing 10 middle school students to the world of military entomology through hands-on scientific research and direct interaction with professional scientists.

The week-long program, held in DCPH-A's lab building at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, gave students from as far away as Virginia, New York and Texas the opportunity to work alongside entomologists using professional-grade equipment and real-world research techniques. The program drew significant interest, with organizers selecting participants from 25 applications submitted nationwide.

"This is the most 'science-y' science camp I've ever seen for junior high kids in terms of the in-depth science and exposure to science with real scientists," said Sarah McDowell, an assistant professor of secondary education at Maryville College, Tennessee, who served as a resource teacher for the camp. "This has been an amazing experience."

The campers spent five days learning about public health entomology through activities including mosquito surveillance, tick collection, microscopy work, and even polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, laboratory techniques typically used by professional researchers--exposure that would be impossible in most traditional classroom settings. According to the National Institutes of Health, PCR is a fast and inexpensive technique used to "amplify"—copy—small segments of DNA. Because significant amounts of a sample of DNA are necessary for molecular and genetic analyses, studies of isolated pieces of DNA are nearly impossible without PCR amplification.

Program support and lasting impact

The program was supported through the Army Educational Outreach Program's Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science, which provided insurance coverage, funding for supplies including lab coats and notebooks, and $125 stipends for each camper to offset transportation and meal costs. DCPH-A used AOEP GEMS grant money to purchase some of the specialized materials including the permethrin-treated protective coveralls used during field collection work. Clothing treated with the insecticide permethrin protects the wearer from mosquitoes, ticks, and other pesky biting arthropods.

For educators like McDowell, who discovered the program through the National Science Teacher Association, Bug Camp represented an invaluable opportunity for students to see science careers up close.

"Students don't typically have this type of access," she said. "Here, students see it as a normal occupation because they are working with seven or eight entomologists. They see the diversity and passion of people who have conveyed their science so well to the students."

Students embrace hands-on science

For 12-year-old Mariia Shestiuk, going into seventh grade, the camp opened her eyes to a potential career path.

"I learned a lot of stuff about mosquitoes. I learned about the different types, and that was really interesting," she said. "I'm actually quite interested in entomology; I might even become an entomologist when I grow up."

Owen Skufis, 12, from Bel Air, Maryland, was struck by the variety of field experiences.

"It was a really interesting experience. We learned about mosquitoes and ticks and caught a bunch of ticks in the field. Then we got to search around the lab building to try and find different bugs," he said.

Local student Owen Halgas, 12, from Aberdeen, Maryland, appreciated both the outdoor activities and sophisticated laboratory work.

"I really liked catching the bugs and pinning them to posts. I thought that was really cool," he said. "The camp was fun. We get to go outside in nature and get off screen and enjoy the world as it is. We got to do lab stuff, like checking ticks for diseases."

Professional-level learning experience

The camp's carefully structured curriculum was designed to give students authentic scientific experiences while maintaining high engagement through hands-on activities. Jennifer Carder, Integrated Pest Management branch chief and Bug Camp director, explained the program's format.

"We set it up so the campers would get a little bit of classroom time, followed by some activity, back to the classroom, and then another activity."

Day one began with Entomology 101, introducing students to the field before moving into specialized mosquito education. Campers toured DCPH-A's insectary and pesticide laboratory, then ventured into the field to set up various mosquito traps and collect specimens using sweep nets.

"I've caught different bugs using a sweep net. I caught aquatic bugs using dippers, including a water bug. That was fun,” said Shestiuk.

On the second day, students checked their mosquito traps and worked with microscopes and dissecting scopes to identify their specimens using dichotomous keys—tools that guide identification through paired choices based on observable characteristics. After identifying insects to their proper order, students pinned their specimens for future study.

The microscopy work particularly impressed the young scientists.

"We were able to look at insects in detail using microscopes. I liked looking at the tiny little details on an insect. I would have never known beetles had hair on them," said Halgas.

This was a unique opportunity for the campers.

"Junior high students do not typically have a lot of contact with microscopes in the classrooms, and to be able to look at the insects they just collected under the microscopes has been very engaging and enjoyable," said McDowell. "They've identified what they found with entomologists who are very engaged and passionate about entomology."

Advanced laboratory techniques

Wednesday focused on tick surveillance, with Robyn Nadolny, chief of the DCPH-A vector-borne disease branch, leading education about ticks, organisms "vying for the 'most dangerous' animal, along with mosquitoes," said Carder. Students donned Permethrin-treated coveralls to flag for ticks in wooded areas before working in the sophisticated tick laboratory.

"They got to run a gel with some already prepared products and see how their PCR products separated in that gel,” said Carder. “Not using little plastic pipettes, but the actual ones our researchers would use in the lab.”

Halgas was impressed by the laboratory's capabilities.

"It was really cool because the lab has futuristic tech for us to use," he said.

Kevin Harkins, an entomologist with the Entomological Sciences Division at DCPH-A, emphasized the unique value of having students conduct their own collecting rather than working with pre-collected specimens.

"Having them collect insects is a change from how we generally interact with these students," said Harkins. "Usually, we're bringing insects that we've already collected. Having them do the collection themselves and using equipment that we provide, including professional traps for collecting mosquitoes, or flags for collecting ticks, they're making a connection now that maybe they wouldn't normally make."

The hands-on approach proved highly effective with the target age group.

"Kids like hands-on activities, right? Anytime we're doing hands-on anything, they're 100% engaged," said McDowell. "That's the kind of science and the kind of exposure we want students to have."

Military-civilian collaboration

The program brought together expertise from multiple military installations, demonstrating the interconnected nature of military science careers. U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Ted Snyder, an entomology officer at Public Health Command East who also works as a high school science teacher, co-taught a session on urban cockroach adaptation.

"This is such a great opportunity for kids to interact with insects and develop their ecological literacy," said Snyder, who plans to incorporate the Bug Camp lesson into his own classroom. "They get to work with actual scientists doing inquiry-level work."

Students appreciated the building inspection activities that Snyder helped lead.

"I really enjoyed doing all of the field work outside and doing the building pest inspections we did today. That was really fun," said Shestiuk.

James Butler, chief of the entomological sciences division at Public Health Command East, praised the program's comprehensive scope.

"It provides the students a complete overview of what entomology is; the different avenues within it and then be able to have that applied science they've seen over the past few days. It gives these students an opportunity to see what real-world science is like."

Expert panel and competition

The camp concluded Friday with an expert panel featuring four entomologists who answered student questions, followed by the first Bug Camp "Ento Games" challenge—a college bowl-style quiz competition complete with buzzers—moderated by Dr. Ashley Kennedy, a state entomologist representative and former ORISE intern at DCPH-A.

The expert panel included Dr. Kennedy, James Butler from Fort George G. Meade, U.S. Army Col. Hee Kim (currently director for Occupational Health Sciences but trained as an entomologist), and Dr. Charles Bartlett, an entomology professor at the University of Delaware.

Bug Camp impact

The camp's impact extends beyond individual learning, said Carder.

"We plant seeds, and then they can actually start ripples," she said. "If we teach these kids about how important it is for them to protect themselves, the hope is that they take that home and that ripple continues, and they can share that with their friends at school or in their neighborhood, and with their parents."

Butler noted that the program targets an ideal age group for scientific engagement.

"At this age, it's getting them excited for it—to want to learn it—so we show them and have them go through motions of how to collect stuff, how to inspect. This engages their mind and gets them to want to learn more."

DCPH-A hopes to continue the program in future years and build on this inaugural event.

"It's great to have a chance to interact with students and show them all the great things that we do, the types of equipment that entomologists use—and maybe one day they'll grow up and want to be an entomologist," said Carder.

The Defense Health Agency supports our Nation by improving health and building readiness—making extraordinary experiences ordinary and exceptional outcomes routine.

NOTE: The mention of any non-federal entity and/or its products is for informational purposes only, and is not to be construed or interpreted, in any manner, as federal endorsement of that non-federal entity or its products.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — CECOM Integrated Logistics Support Center’s Employee Safety Committee hosted its annual Safety Day on Aug. 13, bringing together employees, Soldiers, and visitors for a day dedicated to promoting workplace safety and well-being.

Held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the C5ISR Courtyard, the event featured interactive exhibits, hands-on training and expert-led demonstrations. Abel Salgado, deputy executive director of ILSC and a recognized safety advocate, delivered the keynote address at Myer Auditorium. Salgado emphasized the importance of fostering a strong safety culture across all levels of the workforce.

“Safety is not just a checklist — it’s a mindset,” Salgado said.

Attendees explored a wide range of safety topics, including fire extinguisher simulations, emergency medical services, hearing conservation, tick awareness, lead hazard education, and thermal imaging technology. Additional sessions covered fall protection, suicide prevention, ladder and electrical safety, and the safe operation of equipment such as scissor lifts, mowers, and blowers.

The event also featured bicycle and boating safety demonstrations, distracted driving simulations, and child car seat inspections. Local food trucks were available for refreshments throughout the day.

Child Car Seat Safety

Nurse Kelly Petee, from Community Outreach and Health Improvement at University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, spoke about the importance of proper car seat use. She noted that 73% of child restraints are not installed or used correctly.

“I’ve been doing this for almost four years, and I think I’ve had two — three at best — who had it correct,” Petee said.

She reminded attendees that children under 13 should not ride in the front seat due to the risk posed by airbag deployment. Under Maryland law, children under two must ride rear-facing unless they exceed the seat’s height or weight limits. Children under eight must use a car seat or booster unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall.

Petee encouraged parents and caregivers to take advantage of free monthly car seat safety checks at the Abingdon Fire Company. To register, call 1-800-515-0044. “It could save a life,” she said.

Thermal Imaging Technology

Thomas Lee, a safety specialist with the U.S. Army Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center, demonstrated thermal imaging technology used in search and rescue operations.

The technology, commonly employed by fire departments, detects heat signatures to identify fire locations and pinpoint the hottest areas of a blaze. Lee emphasized its critical role following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when thermal imaging helped locate victims trapped beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center.

Bicycle Safety and Advocacy

Gabriel Rothman, a physical scientist with the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity and avid cyclist, shared tips on bike safety, local trails, and mobile apps for route planning and fitness tracking. Drawing on his background as a hazard analyst, Rothman emphasized the importance of evaluating risks and staying alert.

“We take safety for granted,” Carmen Kifer said, a retired CMA civilian and volunteer with Bike Harford. Alongside volunteers Aaron Friedman and Bruce Kinsinger, Kifer helped promote safe cycling practices and infrastructure advocacy.

Bike safety tips included:

The event was organized by the ILSC Employee Safety Committee and supported by volunteers. For more information, contact Jurgen Williams at [email protected].

Rachel Ponder also contributed to this story.