Tobyhanna Employees Strengthen Service Skills through Leadership Lackawanna Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is proudly recognizing five ascending leaders who have graduated from Leadership Lackawanna’s Core Program. Since its founding in 1982, Leadership Lackawanna, which is an affiliate of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, has trained more than 2,400 leaders and completed over 150 community projects. Core Program participants step up to transform public spaces and serve local nonprofit needs. The 2024–2025 class is no exception as they have delivered innovative, hands-on solutions across Lackawanna County, learning lessons they’ll apply to their positions at Tobyhanna Army Depot This year’s esteemed TYAD graduates are Management Analyst Anne Cherundolo, Electronics Mechanic Leader John Kasaczun, General Equipment Mechanic Leader Matthew Lukeski, Management Assistant Tracey Scott, and Electronics Mechanic Supervisor Jesse Tutino. Over the course of ten months, participants met monthly to dive into hands-on leadership training, learning from an array of regional experts and professionals. Beyond the classroom, they rolled up their sleeves to plan and execute community service projects—directly supporting the missions of local nonprofit organizations. Tutino said he was grateful for the opportunity TYAD provided him to develop a deeper understanding of the community he calls home. “Being a part of Leadership Lackawanna gave me the amazing opportunity to build relationships within my local community. The experience gave me an understanding of the professional network within NEPA, the good nature of local businesses, and helped me to learn and grow as a leader,” said Tutino. “I am privileged that Tobyhanna afforded me the opportunity to participate in such a great program!” The 2024-2025 Core Program participants tackled five ambitious community service projects aimed at enhancing local nonprofit spaces across Lackawanna County. From renovating the lobby of Griffin Pond Animal Shelter to upgrading the outdoor play area at United Neighborhood Centers’ Bellevue Child Care Center, each effort addressed real needs with lasting impact. Other initiatives included converting an unused backstage area at IMAGINE NEPA into a functional space for performers, restoring the deteriorating train platform at Carbondale’s historic station, and designing peaceful meditation rooms at the Scranton Counseling Center (SCC). Together, these projects reflect the program’s mission to build leadership through service and strengthen the communities of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Scott served on the SCC Team that took two empty storage rooms and created two separate therapy/mediation rooms, one for adults and one for children and teens. She said she found the experience to be rewarding and helped her meet new, like-minded passionate individuals. “My Leadership Lackawanna experience was deeply gratifying. I not only connected with 42 amazing new friends but also found a community passionately working to uplift neighborhoods, improve lives, and ensure homeless cats find loving homes,” said Scott. “Hearing that the clients of the SCC thrive in the new spaces we created made all the effort truly worthwhile.” Cherundolo and Lukeski worked on the project team supporting United Neighborhood Centers’ Bellevue Child Care Center. They helped successfully raise approximately $15,000 through monetary and in-kind donations. Cherundolo shared how the project positively impacted local youth and said the experience was deeply rewarding, noting that the team’s efforts truly paid off. “The funding allowed us to renovate the outdoor play area for the children, add new musical toys, balance toys, chalkboards, and sandboxes, along with a privacy fence to enhance safety,” said Cherundolo. “Although the project required significant time and effort, seeing the children enjoy their improved play area made it all worthwhile.” Reflecting on the experience, Lukeski emphasized the personal and professional growth he gained throughout the program. “My time in Leadership Lackawanna forced us to rely on each other and build teamwork abilities. It became critical to treat it just as my position here at work, giving it the same time and care to get the most out of it while delivering the best possible outcome,” said Lukeski. “The project was challenging but very rewarding and it connected us to the local community. The 10 months of classes gave me new skills and ideas to utilize, as well as sharpen the ones I already had which I hope improves the performance of my teams and I here at Tobyhanna.” Kasaczun echoed similar sentiments, highlighting both the professional development and sense of purpose he found through the program. “The opportunity taught me valuable leadership skills and gave me a meaningful way to give back to my community,” said Kasaczun. “Overall, it was a rewarding and memorable experience.” Kasaczun added that plans to bring the skills he honed through Leadership Lackawanna—such as empathy, compassion, mindfulness, and active listening—back to his role at TYAD. He aims to strengthen teamwork and foster a deeper sense of community within his team. Kasaczun also recognizes the value in knowing when to lead with words and when to lead by example, an approach he believes will help drive mission success. With new skills, stronger networks, and a shared sense of purpose, these five professionals are well on their way to shaping a brighter future for both TYAD and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Image Descriptions: Leadership Graduates: Tobyhanna Army Depot is proudly recognizing five ascending leaders who have graduated from Leadership Lackawanna’s Core Program. Since its founding in 1982, Leadership Lackawanna has trained more than 2,400 leaders and completed over 150 community projects. Leadership Photo #1: Anne Cherundolo and Matthew Lukeski worked on the project team supporting United Neighborhood Centers’ Bellevue Child Care Center. They helped successfully raise approximately $15,000 through monetary and in-kind donations. Leadership Photo #2: Tracey Scott served on the Scranton Counseling Center Team that took two empty storage rooms and created two separate therapy/mediation rooms, one for adults and one for children and teens. Leadership Photo #3: John Kasaczun added that plans to bring the skills he honed through Leadership Lackawanna—such as empathy, compassion, mindfulness, and active listening—back to his role at Tobyhanna Army Depot. Leadership Photo #4: Jesse Tutino said he was grateful for the opportunity TYAD provided him to develop a deeper understanding of the community he calls home.
Tobyhanna Army Depot Places Col. Benjamin Kilgore in Command Pictured Left: Col. James L. Crocker; Pictured Right: Col. Benjamin Kilgore; (Photo credit: Justin Kucharski) Tobyhanna Army Depot ushered in a new era of leadership poised to shape the future of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest industrial employer. Col. James L. Crocker relinquished command of Tobyhanna Army Depot to Col. Benjamin Kilgore during a military ceremony on June 25. Maj. Gen. James D. Turinetti IV, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, presided over the ceremony. Also in attendance was the depot workforce, elected officials, community partners, and members of the Crocker and Kilgore families. Col. Crocker departs Tobyhanna and will take a new assignment in Army Materiel Command’s G3. In his departing remarks, he celebrated his time leading the DOD’s choice readiness provider. “At Tobyhanna, we ensure C5ISR readiness for warfighters worldwide. Our accomplishments, over the past two years, while important for us as an organization, were all aimed at delivering key warfighting capabilities at speed and scale,” emphasizing the vast importance of the organization’s newest mission. “The establishment of our microelectronics facility, which was unveiled earlier this month, has positioned Tobyhanna as the only organic supplier of circuit card assemblies for our warfighters, reducing the need to rely upon external sources.” Kilgore is the depot’s 36th commander and most recently served as the chief of staff at Defense Logistics Agency Energy. He holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the Army War College, a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville and a Masters in Managerial Logistics from North Dakota State University. Prior to attending the Army War College, he was assigned to Army Futures Command, where he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff G4 for Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss, Texas. Kilgore will lead 3,100 employees as depot commander and will be responsible for supporting global readiness for Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (also known as C5ISR) systems across the DOD. In his first address to the Tobyhanna community, Kilgore expressed excitement about his newest assignment. “I am honored to serve as Tobyhanna’s 36th Commander. Across the Department of Defense, Tobyhanna is known as a community of dedicated professionals who ensure that our joint force remains mission ready.” Kilgore also laid out his priorities for the organization’s future, citing its role in the evolution of the U.S. Army. “As we look ahead, Team Tobyhanna will continue to drive forward in alignment with CECOM’s top priorities — particularly in supporting the Army’s transformation strategy and enhancing readiness across the joint force. From sustaining and upgrading C5ISR systems to advancing capabilities in microelectronics, our work ensures that the joint force remains lethal, agile, and technologically superior.”
Tobyhanna Army Depot Chief Al Lyons Named Supervisor of the Quarter Lyons’ excellent leadership is helping Tobyhanna forge the future of its critical cyber mission – one that further cements Tobyhanna as a leading readiness provider for the battlefield of today and the future. Lyons routinely goes above and beyond to ensure mission success and comprehensively contributes to Tobyhanna, its employees, and its continued success in delivering the best value to our nation’s warfighters. A prime example of that commitment to mission came when Lyons served as Acting Cyber Division Chief. Lyons seeks to serve all his peers wherever they may fall in his chain of command. Lyons has worked with members of Tobyhanna’s higher headquarters U.S. Army Materiel Command, or AMC, to support modernization efforts, and worked with AMC headquarters and Tobyhanna personnel to design the Army’s industrial control network architecture. Lyons frequently facilitates customer meetings to proactively set Tobyhanna up for success to meet changing workload and customer requirements and maintain positive customer relationships. In addition to this, Lyons prides himself on being a mentor, both formally and informally. Lyons actively mentors several depot employees across several career paths, met regularly with cyber branch chiefs during his time dual hatting as Acting Cyber Division Chief, encourages employees to expand their abilities through training and self-development, and creates a culture of respect amongst his colleagues. In nominating him for Supervisor of the Quarter, Lyons’ peers said, “Albert has established himself as an integral part of Tobyhanna Army Depot’s future in cybersecurity. He personifies quality leadership and invests himself in the depot’s culture of excellence.” Lyons’ efforts have borne substantial fruit for the depot, including being named the AMC Center of Excellence for the development and control of the ICN. So much so that a new branch, the Cyber Support Branch, was created, and when the depot needed a leader for it, Lyons was the choice to stand it up. In addition to stepping up to dual hat, Lyons has represented Tobyhanna at multiple ICN wargames/engagements, the DOD Maintenance Symposium, and numerous customer visits that have led to workload growth. Lyons said receiving the award was humbling, especially since it came from those who work alongside him every day. “Receiving Supervisor of the Quarter is an honor, especially knowing the nomination came from my team,” said Lyons. A former educator, Lyons attributes his success to the knowledge he has received and his commitment to self-development. “I charted a bit of an unorthodox career path as someone who started as a local educator to navigating a career at Tobyhanna Army Depot. Upon my arrival, I made sure to take advantage of professional development and career opportunities as I continuously upskilled with a focus on understanding the business as well as specializing in cybersecurity. More importantly, I was lucky enough to continuously build relationships with teammates currently in leadership that I owe a debt of gratitude for their mentorship along the way. This sense of community, ability to invest in oneself, and the team’s execution to complete our mission is what makes my job at Tobyhanna more fulfilling than I could’ve expected upon my initial career change.” When he’s not working to equip our nation and its warfighters with the vital tools they need for the battlefield of the future, Lyons dedicates his time to his family. A local product, Lyons went to high school at Wyoming Area and met his wife at Misericordia University. Lyons strives to be the best girl dad he can be to their daughters.
Tobyhanna’s New Microelectronics Facility Shapes Future From left: Anthony Shebelock, Tobyhanna; Martin Nealon, Tobyhanna; Depot Commander Col. James L. Crocker; Army Materiel Command Executive Deputy to the Commanding General Ms. Liz Miranda; CECOM Commanding General Maj. Gen. James D. Turinetti IV; Jeffrey Burrell, Tobyhanna; and Mark Sgobba, Tobyhanna. With the snip of the scissors, Tobyhanna Army Depot celebrated the official opening of its Microelectronics Manufacturing Facility on Jun. 05, enabling the organization to lead the Department of Defense into a new era of warfighter readiness – one microchip at a time. The depot’s new capability will directly address current supply chain hurdles faced by the U.S. Armed Forces. Like many other industries, the DOD depends on foreign electronics suppliers to provide microelectronics components to develop and sustain weapons systems. This reliance on the global supply chain as well as the emergence of counterfeit parts results in a significant risk for national security. Enter Tobyhanna’s microelectronics facility, where a team of talented engineers and technicians develop repair, manufacturing and testing capabilities for circuit cards required by complex military weapons systems.This operation keeps the DOD’s existing equipment running, meets new technology needs, and, most importantly, reduces reliance on foreign suppliers. The event hosted by Communications-Electronics Command Commanding General, Maj. Gen. James D. Turinetti IV. Also in attendance was Ms. Liz Miranda, Executive Deputy to the Commanding General of Army Materiel Command, other distinguished visitors, depot leaders and members of the workforce. During the keynote address, Miranda emphasized the importance of the new mission. “This facility is a direct investment in Army modernization, enabling us to not only sustain our legacy systems, but to rapidly adapt and integrate cutting-edge technologies into future platforms,” she said, adding that the effort was made possible by the talented members of Team Tobyhanna. “To the workforce of Tobyhanna Army Depot – you are the heart of this operation. Your expertise in C5ISR systems is nationally recognized, and this new facility is designed to empower you, to challenge you, and to provide you with a world-class working environment prioritizing your safety and well-being.” Turinetti shared Miranda’s sentiment, noting the depot’s importance to the Department of Defense overall. “Tobyhanna repeatedly demonstrates value to the Army and other services for their unwavering dedication to innovation,” he said. “None of this would be possible without the expertise, commitment, and ingenuity of the subject matter experts here at Tobyhanna and throughout CECOM. Their dedication to our force and our country allows us to continue modernizing so we can fight and win in any domain.” Lead Electronics Engineer Mark Sgobba has been exploring the potential of a microelectronics facility for Tobyhanna since 2020. He says the effort has been an opportunity for the depot to grow its capabilities, while also embracing agile, future-ready talent. “We enjoy pushing boundaries, embracing challenges and the continuous pursuit of knowledge. I’m very proud of the ME Team we have developed,” he said. The depot first got involved with microelectronics when Sgobba and his colleagues revived the dormant M139 Volcano mine dispensing system through the Service Life Extension Program. Artisans began with an obsolescence and producibility analysis to show that TYAD could support the electrical and mechanical fabrication, assembly, inspection and testing of the dispenser control units for Volcano. The team then got busy developing repair, test and manufacturing capability for 13 different Volcano circuit cards to support U.S. and foreign military sales requirements. The success of the Volcano effort led to missions supporting the AN/TPQ-53, Secure, Mobile, Anti-Jam, Reliable, Tactical Terminal (SMART-T), Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System and more. Depot Commander James L. Crocker says the ribbon cutting was only the start of Tobyhanna’s microelectronics journey. “Today, we celebrated the first milestone in a four-phase project to support microelectronics needs across the DOD. We look forward to expanding our capacity and capability for this critical warfighter readiness mission.” Army Materiel Command Executive Deputy to the Commanding General Liz Miranda tours Tobyhanna’s new Microelectronics Manufacturing Facility, an effort she says is a direct investment in Army modernization. CECOM Commanding General Maj. Gen. James D. Turinetti IV addresses the crowd during Tobyhanna’s Microelectronics Manufacturing Facility Ribbon Cutting Photo Credits to Justin Kucharski
Tobyhanna Opens Microelectronics Manufacturing Facility WHAT: Tobyhanna Army Depot has officially opened is Microelectronics Manufacturing Facility, where surface mount technology is used to sustain critical military weapons systems. Tobyhanna plays a key role in the DOD, and this new mission expands the organization’s massive capability portfolio. WHEN: Thursday, Jun. 5 at 10 EST WHERE: Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pennsylvania WHY/BACKGROUND: The DOD relies on the global supply chain to provide microelectronics for developing and sustaining military weapons systems. A shortfall in domestic manufacturing and the introduction of counterfeit parts into the supply chain represents a significant risk to operational readiness for the Joint Force. In response to this challenge, Tobyhanna Army Depot is executing a four-phase project to prototype and produce surface mount technology circuit card assemblies (CCAs). Tobyhanna is improving its ability to repair, build, and inspect CCAs, ensuring they last longer and stay reliable. This effort includes studying designs, analyzing supply chain risks, reverse engineering old parts, and creating replicas of outdated components. The goal is to keep the DOD’s existing equipment running, meet new technology needs, and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. This ceremony celebrates Tobyhanna Army Depot reaching operational capability on the microelectronics lab, which enables the depot to repair and manufacture circuit cards for DOD and foreign military sale needs. The future phases will expand capacity and capability at the depot. PARTICIPANTS: Ms. Liz Miranda, executive deputy to the commanding general, Army Materiel Command; Maj. Gen. James Turinetti, commanding general, Amy Communications-Electronics Command; and Col. James L. Crocker, commander of Tobyhanna Army Depot. Media interview available on request. If you wish to attend the ceremony, please RSVP to Danielle Weinschenk, TYAD PA, danielle.e.weinschenk.civ@army.mil. PLEASE NOTE THAT A REAL-ID COMPLIANT IDENTIFICATION IS REQUIRED TO ACCESS TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT.
Tobyhanna Army Depot Celebrates a Century of Service This June 14, the United States Army celebrates its 250th birthday, and Tobyhanna Army Depot is immensely proud to remain a leading readiness provider after more than a quarter of those years. Much like the Army is one year older than the nation it defends, the citizens of Tobyhanna and the surrounding community have been serving our nation before Tobyhanna Army Depot, or Tobyhanna Signal Depot as it was called at the time, opened its doors Feb. 1, 1953. The Army’s origins in Tobyhanna can be traced to 1912 when Maj. Charles P. Summerall leased more than 20,000 acres of land for a field artillery training site. In the 40 years prior to the depot beginning to officially serve the nation, the grounds of the installation went by several names and served our nation in several ways. Tobyhanna served as a tank and ambulance training center during World War I, artillery training center for over two decades, storage point for D-Day gliders, a camp for the Civilian Conservation Corps, a World War II prisoner of war camp, and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers site. When Tobyhanna Signal Depot began serving the nation, its vital and lasting readiness and community impacts were felt immediately. Its proximity to ports and electronics manufacturers made it an ideal site for the nation’s first permanent Signal Corps depot on the east coast, and civilians eager to serve their nation applied in waves. Tobyhanna Army Depot, as it has been known since a 1962 Army-wide reorganization, is a global organization providing readiness for warfighters where and when they need it. On any given day, more than 15% of the depot’s 3,100-strong workforce is outside the gates to meet the needs of the joint warfighter with peak efficiency. Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest industrial employer, Tobyhanna Army Depot creates 5,550 community jobs, employs a workforce of 24% veterans, and creates $2.4B of economic impact in the surrounding community which has advanced its mission for nearly a century. Over the course of serving the nation for seven decades, Tobyhanna has adapted to adhere to its mission. In a testament to proactive leadership and investment, a dynamic workforce of civilian patriots, and a vast portfolio of capabilities, Tobyhanna Army Depot has always answered the call of our nation’s warfighters in the ever-evolving world of warfighter readiness. Though the systems depot artisans work on may look dramatically different, Tobyhanna Army Depot’s mission has never wavered – providing the best value to our nation’s warfighters. Serving as the U.S. Army’s Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), Electronics, Avionics and Missile Guidance and Control, Tobyhanna Army Depot has a long history of upping the standard for our nation’s warfighters through work on invaluable assets from shelters to tactical radios. Today, Tobyhanna Army Depot remains as well-positioned as ever to continue delivering on that promise with over $1B of investments into infrastructure modernization and investments into capabilities like unmanned aerial systems, cable fabrication, and the fifth C of C5ISR, cyber, that will ensure warfighter supremacy on the battlefield of the future. Tobyhanna Army Depot is proud to be a part of the Army’s story as it turns 250. Serving our nation and the warfighters who so selflessly protect it remains not just an objective, but a non-negotiable mission championed by a workforce and community united in warrior ethos and American pride. Here’s to the next 250 years!
Tobyhanna Army Depot’s Fire & Emergency Services Earns Firefighting Credentials (Photo credit: Nicolo Manzo) Three members of Tobyhanna Army Depot’s Fire & Emergency Services team have obtained prestigious firefighting credentials through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Fire Chief Daryl Gebhardt has earned Chief Fire Officer designation and Firefighter Matthew Miller and Firefighter Stephen Motil have both earned Fire Officer designation. Per the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s social media, as of February 2025, there were only 2,030 Chief Fire Officers and 848 Fire Officers worldwide. The three esteemed members of Team Tobyhanna earned these designations after a rigorous process that took the trio about five years to complete. The application process includes conducting an internal review audit to build the submission, getting approval to submit the application, and oral and written reviews by neutral party peer assessors. Those applying for the designation must satisfy educational, years of service, and self-development criteria. Applicants must also prove their commitment to continuous improvement and community service in addition to proficiency in several technical competencies. Gebhardt said achieving this credential helps to bring the department and the personnel who comprise closer to one of the core tenets of the organization. “One of the main principles of obtaining a credential through the Center for Public Safety Excellence is continuous improvement. Just because you’re good today doesn’t mean you can’t be better tomorrow,” said Gebhardt. “It’s one thing to say I’m a firefighter, I’ve done all my training, and I meet all the normal training requirements. It’s another thing to say I continuously do more to improve myself not just on the job but outside of the job as well.” Achieving and maintaining the credential is a continuous endeavor. The credential is good for three years and applicants must identify short-term and long-term goals as well as how they plan to go about accomplishing them. Maintaining the credential requires follow-through on the plan. The development and implementation of a peer fitness program is just one concrete example of continuous improvement spurred on by obtaining and maintaining the credential. Per DoD Instruction 6055.06, “DoD F&ES individuals are encouraged to obtain and maintain professional credentials from nationally accredited or recognized organizations.” However, the obtaining of these credentials is voluntary and represents the employees’ commitment to going above and beyond to improve themselves, their department, and the entire organization. Motil said working to achieve this credential has been rewarding and positively impacted several facets of the Fire & Emergency Services mission. “Credentialing is about personal and professional growth through a commitment to the profession and your organization. It significantly benefits the department. Outside of meeting our job requirements, we’re demonstrating that we’re going above and beyond to fulfill our duties, be a mentor, and show a commitment to departmental improvement,” said Motil. Miller, who has also earned a prestigious position on Federal Emergency Management Agency Pennsylvania Task Force 1, agreed with Motil’s assessment. “Credentialing and accreditation show your commitment to emergency services, your installation, and the people we serve – the workforce, visitors, and the community. The reason we choose to undergo an audit like this is to show we’re exceeding the standards worldwide,” said Miller. Through obtaining these credentials, each of these members of Team Tobyhanna send a strong message of commitment to those whom they protect on the installation and in the community through several mutual aid agreements. They have raised the bar for themselves personally but also helped to bolster an already strong culture of dedication to mission. Miller lauded Gebhardt’s leadership by example and said it motivates everyone on the team to want to achieve more. “When you have a department head that pursues designations like this it speaks volumes amongst the members of our fire stations and other fire stations. He’s holding himself accountable to show improvement when nothing makes him do that,” said Miller. “Not only does it make us want to improve, but it shows the dedication to us as firefighters. Here’s our fire chief, the guy who is in charge of everybody, dedicating himself to constant improvement. Having him constantly raise the bar for himself gives us the motivation to keep going.” Employees investing in personal and professional growth to positively impact themselves, the organization, and the community is directly aligned with Tobyhanna Army Depot’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035, and specifically the Invest in Our People line of effort. The plan, which has three additional focus areas, strives to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense’s premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider.
Tobyhanna Commences Work on New Army Family Housing Project Representatives from Tobyhanna Army Depot and Centinel Public Partnerships break ground on a highly anticipated project to build 35 new homes for military families at the depot. From left: William Ramey, Director of Installation Services; Amalia Thomas, Master Planner; Depot Commander Col. James L. Crocker; and Todd Wentland, Cadence Communities Project Director. (Justin Kucharski) The skies were gray but golden shovels gleamed as leaders from Tobyhanna Army Depot and their private military housing partner, Centinel Public Partnerships (Centinel), broke ground on a project to build better housing for military families. Depot Commander Col. James L. Crocker presided over the highly anticipated event, which commenced a $38M project that will build 35 modern and accessible homes for American heroes stationed in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Crocker was joined by Cadence Communities Project Director Todd Wentland along with William Ramey and Amalia Thomas of the Installation Services Directorate. The project is a collaboration between the depot and Centinel as part of the Army’s Small Installation Privatization Initiative to revitalize military housing across the country. Other participating installations include the Natick Soldier Systems Center in Massachusetts; U.S. Army Garrison-Miami in Florida; Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois; Fort McCoy in Wisconsin; Fort Buchanan in Puerto Rico; and Fort Hunter Liggett in California. Built in the late 1970s, the existing homes in Tobyhanna’s family housing community, Tobyhanna Pines, will be demolished immediately. In their place, 35 new homes will be constructed: 16 four-bedroom properties, 18 three-bedroom properties, and a single four-bedroom property that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities act.The new community will boast a new name, Cadence Communities, and American warriors from all military services will be eligible to reside there. The culmination of the project will bring a robust military community back to Tobyhanna, according to Housing Manager Colleen Gavin. “Right now, military families lack a ‘hub’ in Northeastern Pennsylvania. When the homes are ready for occupancy, our warfighters and their families will have a central location to live and thrive,” she said. “We look forward to helping create a culture of camaraderie and providing secure housing options for those who defend our nation so bravely.” Wentland said the new homes are the product of a strong partnership and a shared purpose between Centinel and Tobyhanna. “Today’s groundbreaking at Tobyhanna Army Depot marks more than just the start of construction on 35 new homes as part of Cadence Communities. It symbolizes our enduring commitment to delivering high-quality housing and a sense of community for the service members and families who call this installation home. We are proud to be part of the Tobyhanna family and grateful for the trust placed in us,” he said, adding that warfighter quality of life drives all aspects of the project. “The new homes will replace aging units with thoughtfully designed residences that reflect the evolving needs of today’s military families—spaces that support their well-being, resilience, and connection.” In addition to military families, Gavin emphasized that Department of Defense (DOD) civilian employees and military retirees will also benefit from the project. “If the Cadence Community is 95% occupied by active-duty military members and there is no demand from other warfighters, DOD employees who work at Tobyhanna or military retirees will be eligible to move in,” she said. “Having this housing on post creates opportunities for active-duty families, unaccompanied military personnel active National Guardsmen and Reservists, military retirees, and federal civilians.” The event marked a significant accomplishment for those in the Installation Services Directorate, who spent years planning the modernization project. “It is a proud day to see the groundbreaking for our new Army family housing neighborhood. Providing new homes and bringing soldiers and their families back to our installation with ease of access to our community services, fitness centers, and child and youth services will provide the holistic support our warfighters deserve,” Ramey said. Oustrich agreed, adding that the final product will provide better experiences for military families living in Northeastern Pennsylvania. “This construction project will bring military families back to the installation as part of the Tobyhanna family and afford them certain amenities not available to them while living on the economy,” he remarked. The Cadence Communities are expected to be completed and ready for occupancy in mid-2027. Fostering quality housing for American warriors is a TOBY2035 Invest in Our People and C5ISR Readiness initiative. Tobyhanna Army Depot’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035, strives to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense’s premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider. Cadence Communities is a 50-year partnership established in 2023 between Centinel, a leader in community development, and the U.S. Department of the Army. With a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for military members and their families, Centinel, alongside property management partner WinnResidential Military Housing Services, will develop, build, renovate, finance, and maintain more than 540 homes across seven U.S. Army installations that make up Cadence Communities. This commitment will create vibrant and supportive communities that meet the evolving needs of soldiers and their families until 2073 and beyond.
Tobyhanna Army Depot Announces Employees of the Quarter Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) recently honored two standout team members as its latest Employees of the Quarter, recognizing their exceptional contributions to our mission of supporting America’s warfighters. Selected for their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence, the honorees exemplify the values that keep Team Tobyhanna and America’s Armed Forces ready, modern, and prepared. The junior and senior recipients for the 2nd quarter of FY25 are Jolene Jensen of the Production Management directorate and John Wojciechowski of the Resource Management directorate respectively. Jensen currently serves as a Management Assistant in the Regional Support Center (RSC) Management Division. She is being recognized for the pivotal role she plays in the execution of administrative matters across the division along with planning and leading the depot’s Integrated Product Team for the implementation of the worldwide field support contract within the Logistics Management Program (LMP). Jensen also took on the sole administration role for the management Global Combat Support System (GCSS) Army across TYAD’s RSCs. Jensen’s efforts have positioned the depot for the incorporation of over 400,000 labor hours across more than 120 separate programs into LMP. This significantly impacts TYAD’s productive yield and net operating revenue performance. Her leadership in administering GCSS Army has enabled the establishment of proper property book office accountability of all government material across seven separate RSC sites. She has also supported the completion of the complex reorganization of the division and its two associated moves. Michael Monroe serves as Chief of the RSC Management Division. He said Jensen’s dedication to bolstering warfighter readiness made her more than deserving of this honor. “Where others may concern themselves with daily weight of their assigned workload, Ms. Jensen has remained intensely focused on what needs to get done. She has stepped up to lead teams where she was the lowest grade employee. She did it with confidence and effectiveness, largely due to the professional reputation that she has established and maintained,” said Monroe. “It is her constant and continuous, selfless service that provides the foundation for the professional credibility and competence for which she is known. She doesn’t seek the spotlight, but rather seeks the satisfaction of making the greatest possible impact and achieving excellence on behalf of the warfighter.” Reflecting on the recognition, Jensen said it couldn’t have been achieved without the strong support system around her. “Receiving Employee of the Quarter is such a massive honor – my heart swells with pride by the recognition. That said, the work I put in is only a reflection of the amazing team I work with and the example each of my RSC co-workers set on a daily basis. I am eternally grateful to have been granted the privilege of standing at the base of this mountain of knowledge and wisdom and learn from it every day,” said Jensen. “Though it should go without saying, I feel incredibly lucky to have leadership that recognizes our potential and pushes us to perform beyond what we thought ourselves capable.” Wojciechowski serves as a Lead Budget Analyst within TYAD’s Budget Division. He is being recognized for developing over 300 new cost center rates within a three-week timeframe during a recent organizational restructuring, all of which were uploaded into LMP ensuring appropriate rates were available for customer charging the day the reorganization was implemented. He also reconfigured the labor-hour plan to reflect the new organizational structure, ensuring leadership can make informed decisions related to resource allocation. Additionally, he drafted information papers focusing on forward repair activity rate development and CECOM Civilian Human Resources Services Center costing that have been shared with senior leadership for policy and decision making consideration. Wojciechowski created detailed worksheets that categorize the components of each cost center rate. This established a visible standardized structure that is easily understood and ensures rate development is comprehensive, accurate, and auditable during rate development. These complex spreadsheets ensure questions regarding rates are addressed in minutes instead of days. He also developed detailed guidance and instruction of cost center rate development to be used internally and externally to ensure transparency in costing data and confidence in pricing to customers. Chief of the Program Budget & Execution Division Deana Haikes lauded Wojciechowski for bringing stability during an otherwise unstable time. “John accepted the labor-hour planning, execution, and justification function during the reorganization. When it was determined this function was transferring to the Division, John assumed the role to ensure he understood it, the mission was performed properly, and he could develop guidance for his team of analysts to ensure they acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully manage the workload. This quarter, John’s willingness to improve processes, multitask a heavy workload, navigate additional stress, all while getting to know the new teammates brought to him during the reorganization proved to be the steady hand that was required for success.” Wojciechowski said receiving the honor made him reflect on how every depot employee plays a role in supporting the joint warfighter. “I was very surprised that I won employee of the quarter. I do not feel like I do anything extraordinary each day. I think I feel that way because I enjoy and take pride in what I do and realize the part we all play in supporting the warfighter,” said Wojciechowski. “I am fortunate to be surrounded by amazing coworkers and have had great mentors throughout my career at Tobyhanna.” The Employee of the Quarter awards and other employee recognition programs align with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035 – specifically the Investing in our People line of effort. The effort has four strategic focus areas: Investing in Our People, C5ISR Readiness, Shape the Future and Strategic Communications and aims to posture the organization for future success.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is Currently in the Process of Upgrading its Water Distribution System. This initiative, in the words of Public Works Division Chief Amalia Thomas, is the last piece to a 10-plus-year initiative to send Tobyhanna’s handling of drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater to new heights. Since the late 2000s, Tobyhanna Army Depot has taken a keen interest in the water infrastructure serving thousands of employees and 26 residences surrounding the installation. With 2008 serving as the baseline for comparison, Tobyhanna Army Depot has been a net zero water facility since 2012. This means the depot strives to account for every single drop of water used from the water basin and put back in. Investments into improving Tobyhanna’s wells began in 2014 and culminated with them being installed in 2021. Other areas of infrastructure investment and innovation included new water storage tanks, a new treatment center, flowmeters to track water usage, and the shutting off of an older well to optimize operations and reduce the amount of PFAS in the drinking water. Thomas said after this investment into nearly every aspect of Tobyhanna’s water, developing a strong distribution network was the next logical step. “This is the grand master plan for Tobyhanna to set a new standard. A lot of the necessary work has already been done. The final piece is the distribution network – the pipes,” said Thomas. The current initiative is a proposed three-phase project currently in its first phase with a three-year timeline for each phase. The goal of the three phases is to cover the depot’s industrial area with the entire installation to follow. Work on the first phase is a collaboration between Tobyhanna Army Depot and general contractor Sealaska with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers serving as responsible agent. Estimating $40M per phase, the funding for the first phase was provided by United States Army Materiel Command’s Organic Industrial Base Modernization Office. Organic Industrial Base Modernization Office Director Stephanie Hoaglin said the ability to fund this project is a testament to meticulous planning and support from across the Army in supporting the shared mission of providing readiness. “This project is another example of planning done right. Now that we are a few years into the Organic Industrial Base Modernization Implementation Plan, we are starting to see the fruits of our labor. Projects like these, which are ongoing across the entire AMC Enterprise, are a testament of the support we have from Army Senior Leaders and Congress to make the right investments to support the current and future needs to of the Army.” The next two phases of the initiative will seek funding from the Army’s Facility Investment Plan, with depot officials hoping for a similar result to the first phase. Anyone familiar with Tobyhanna and its climate will understand all too well what pushed upgrading the pipes to an official project. Aided by its elevation, Tobyhanna’s winters are often accompanied by temperatures below freezing and winter storms bringing multiple inches of snow. And in the late 2010s, the depot had a particularly harsh winter during which the pipes dating to the 1940s suffered several water main breaks. This meant the depot was at max capacity for pumping drinking water wells and couldn’t fully supply the amount of water it was losing. “That winter was the catalyst that moved this into an actual project,” said Thomas. “The previous Master Planner, Brian Decker, started this initiative in replacing underground lines. The multitude of breaks and the way they were breaking provided justification to move this project forward.” The benefits of replacing the underground water lines are many and include cost savings, increased quality of drinking water, increased reliability, and increased readiness. Thomas said this project is key to aligning with points of emphasis across the Army including efficiency, consistency, and fiscal responsibility. “This will significantly improve drinking water, improve financial status, and in a time when there is an emphasis on fiscal responsibility, having a reliable distribution network is key to consistent savings,” said Thomas. The way it will increase quality of drinking water is fairly simple – as pipes age, sediment can build up. Despite the rigorous filtration processes employed by the depot, the water can be degraded in some respect. This project and other investments into Tobyhanna’s utilities save money in a plethora of ways. Each time a water main breaks, it costs approximately $40k to repair in addition to acoustic leak detection surveys, conditional surveys, and expensive chemicals. This initiative ensures pipes will be properly supported and insulated through better bedding and thus more resistant to thawing and freezing which cause pipes to flex and break. Civil Engineer Kyle Streich said in addition to proper bedding, gaining a comprehensive understanding of where infrastructure is located underground will help to combat potential unexpected issues or expenses. “A big benefit of this project is knowing precisely where everything is located underground. We’re constantly planning projects at the depot and being able to verify where everything is located will help to alleviate issues and unforeseen modifications that result in spending money we didn’t plan to spend,” said Streich. Both Thomas and Streich agreed that this project comes with secondary benefits including allowing Tobyhanna’s Roads and Grounds Branch to respond to other issues more efficiently and newly paved roadways as a result of the pipes being installed. Perhaps the most important impact this project has is in increasing Tobyhanna’s already lofty readiness capability. The reliability of the new distribution system will ensure a consistent, controlled environment in which the depot workforce can provide the critical services our warfighters need in the most efficient manner possible. Tobyhanna Army Depot, bolstered by its partners and dynamic workforce, remains as committed as ever to providing unparalleled readiness contributions to our nation’s warfighters. Projects like the water distribution network replacement are directly aligned with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035. The effort has four strategic focus areas: Investing in Our People, C5ISR Readiness, Shape the Future and Strategic Communications and aims to posture the organization for future success. TYAD is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners. Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, cyber support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters. About 3,100 personnel are employed by Tobyhanna. While the organization’s headquarters is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, Tobyhanna’s worldwide workforce includes employees in 43 fixed locations across the globe. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to deliver integrated C5ISR weapon systems, business systems, and medical sustainment to enable full spectrum combat operations at the point of need.
