Courtesy Photo | Army Sustainment Command G4 (Logistics) engineer William Ellis (blue coat) with...... read more read more
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ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- He's the man behind the scenes, but without him and others like him, Army Sustainment Command buildings worldwide wouldn't be as well thought out.
"You will know if you're in a building that I built, because the bathroom doors open out," said ASC G4 (Logistics) Facilities Management engineer William Ellis. "Why do they open out? Because you don't have to touch the door with your hands. It's not a code requirement, it's not a legal requirement, but how do you make things work?"
Ellis and the other facilities engineers help keep the Army -- particularly ASC -- running smoothly by ensuring that facilities are designed with its usage in mind. Functionality is key, and it's Ellis' job to think of the details that otherwise might not be caught until after construction is complete. Whether that's factors of convenience like bathroom doors or design plans that keep the location and items being stored in mind, no detail goes unturned in Ellis' world. The engineers want the functionality of their buildings to be effortless – and not a hinderance – for anyone who enters.
ASC is responsible for anything that a Soldier eats, wears, shoots and getting it to its destination. ASC also handles the Army Prepositioned Stock program, which ensures equipment is on-site and ready to go at locations around the world. It could sit dormant for years without needing to be used, but it will be there, ready, and in usable condition when the time comes. A major part of the success of APS is having the proper facilities to house this equipment in an optimal environment.
"What sticks out with Ellis is that he is considered a subject matter expert in many facility engineering subjects, and he always goes above and beyond when he provides details and feedback," said Tracy Neitzer, chief of the Facilities Management Engineering branch of G4.
From comparing doorknob shapes to making sure offices aren’t too close to loud air conditioning units, Ellis doesn’t leave a stone unturned.
"I'm involved in the structure itself," Ellis explained. "Every possible part. It's of interest to me because it's there for a purpose, and if it doesn't support our need, then we need to not build it. We have to understand the processes that go with the mission."
With 35 years and work at two dozen countries under his belt as an ASC engineer, Ellis is no stranger to projects of all sizes. From railroad unit shops to ocean tugboat vessel storage to warehouse space storing items the size of bottle caps, he's seen it all.
"It's not all just Jeeps and Humvees," he said with a smile.
Ellis’ job isn’t to come up with the initial plans, but he thinks of all the details.
"We don't make up the requirements, but we take the Army's requirements of numbers of stuff, whether that's hundreds of items or a single item, and we build a facility around it," Ellis said of his work.
For example, one of their latest builds in South Korea, Warehouse K (named in honor of the Korea Service Corps), is one of the largest controlled humidity vehicle warehouses in the world, nearly the size of eight football fields. These types of warehouses protect equipment from the elements, whether that’s sunshine, humidity, rain, snow, or other factors.
For something like a maintenance facility, the building structure will vary depending on whether its basic wheeled vehicles being stored or if there is anything requiring armor. Armor, for example, requires a track shop allowing for special handling, and therefore a wider footprint to accommodate large equipment and any specialty tools needed.
"We've figured out how to build them," Ellis said. "Kind of the hard way, because we've built some that didn't work very well. And I learn every time I build a building, and think 'hey, next time I'll do something a little bit different than what we did this time.'"
While the main goal is to properly house equipment, the buildings also often save the Army money. For example, the controlled humidity vehicle storage warehouse in South Korea – and others like it – has cut maintenance costs in half for the equipment stored inside.
Tanks and trucks that are stored outside and rarely used would normally need shop maintenance every two years, but they can be safely stored in controlled humidity warehouses for up to four years between maintenance. Since a single maintenance service in a large, armored vehicle can take over 100 labor hours, the cost savings adds up quickly.
Ellis did explain that he tries to keep in mind who will be working at the facility when building it. He always tries to learn about customs and history of each place he travels. Whether that's designing buildings with floor-level toilets in Middle Eastern countries or ensuring that electrical codes are followed according to the standards in the area, it's the sort of knowledge that doesn't come from a textbook.
"The most remarkable aspect of the facility management and engineering team that I can share is that they provide the answer to the question not asked," Neitzer said of her team. "They see the entire picture and the impacts of every facility issue and decision, even those that will affect the mission, the equipment, the personnel, and more."
Neitzer said Ellis has been a big help when it comes to sharing his knowledge and experience. “He has been a facility mentor to all members of the facility management team at different times."
Ellis enjoys exploring history and culture in his spare time. He travels the lesser-known parts of the world and doesn’t want to just see each place from the eyes of a tourist. While his primary focus is his work, he has enjoyed being able to see the world while doing his job. He encourages others to do the same if they’re given the chance, saying that getting up close and personal with history is much more interesting than seeing it from behind a velvet rope in a museum.
While the buildings Ellis helps create may not be museums, he and his team are creating works of art in their own rights. Considering doorknobs, making sure doors open the right way, and ensuring each inch of space is functional and useable help keep ASC-- and the rest of the Army -- prepared and ready at a moment’s notice.
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2024 15:50 |
| Story ID: | 479571 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, William Ellis: engineering every detail across the globe, by Kelly Haertjens, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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