PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – A long-running, specialized course designed to immerse civilian U.S. Army engineers in the intricacies of armaments and warfighting has officially embarked on a new chapter as the Armaments Basic Course (ABC) or “Greening” has aligned itself with the Armament University.
"Greening" helps Picatinny engineers who design products for service members to better understand the many daily activities and challenges that Army Soldiers experience, thus gaining a perspective which helps to inform how the engineering community design products.
Samantha Sabyan, ABC coordinator, has been involved in logistics for the course since April of 2022 and has seen the course evolve to parallel the Army's mission-based approach by continuously pursuing and integrating new information and trends into its curriculum.
The ABC training includes classroom instruction from more than 35 instructors and covers a variety of topics to include Army structure, land navigation, weapons familiarization, and concludes in mock close quarter battles using laser tag weapons between multiple squads.
The classroom instruction provides information on U.S. Army values and branches, threat briefs, and hands on training; including land navigation, Gaming Interactive Technologies and Multimedia, the Tactical Behavioral Research Laboratory, tours of the tracked vehicles such as the M1A1/M777A2 and M109 Paladin, towed artillery equipment, the 60mm/81mm/120mm mortars systems, M153 Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS), Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) technologies, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) to show real world relevance to engage and build skill development within the Armaments Center.
The training concludes in mock close quarter battles using laser tag weapons between multiple squads, while utilizing leadership and followership roles to better understand the atmosphere of a warfighter’s point of view.
"This course ultimately shows the basic 360-degree view of our warfighters to our employees,” said Sabyan. “It is truly incredible to witness within a week of class engagements what the employees learn and acknowledge towards the importance of what they do here, who they are doing it for, and how to improve our technologies and logistics for the workforce and the warfighter."
The week-long course, which is typically offered six times annually, will transition from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center’s Warfighter Central Division to an official course at Armament University which specializes in enhancing the professional development of engineers and scientists through in-house technical classes and special on-the-job training.
“The move is a significant benefit to both the course and the Armaments Center,” said Michael Dascanio, Chief, Armament University and Acting Provost, Armament Graduate School.
“Armament University has the experience and resources to not only conduct the training effectively but also to synchronize it with other programs, like the Armaments Graduate School's (AGS) ‘User Needs Seminar.’ This class is designed to familiarize AGS students with the military and its operations, which will enrich the training programs.”
While the greening course will be overseen by Armament University, the training will still be conducted at Picatinny Arsenal’s Homeland Defense Technology Center where a variety of classrooms, and tactical areas that include structures, vehicles, and containers can be used for simulation and training. The area allows hands-on scenarios to be conducted in a realistic environment, serving as an exercise environment for agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.
“The timing of the move coincides with multiple changes to civilian training, such as adjustments to the Civilian Education System (CES),” said Dascanio. “These changes are intended to gain efficiency, reduce waste, and improve instruction.”
CES is a progressive, centrally funded leadership development program for Army civilians. It provides education at key career intervals through online and in-person training, focusing on leadership, management, and strategic skills.
The U.S. Army has long given the Armaments Center the immense responsibility of being its primary research and development center for new and existing armament systems used by U.S. service members around the world. The workforce leads the way in engineering, innovation, expertise, and problem solving in the areas of ammunition, weapons, fire control and associated items.
Picatinny’s largest tenant, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, operates the Armament University, which offers a wide variety of courses appropriate for entry level, journeyman and advanced audiences.
| Date Taken: |
04.29.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.29.2026 08:51 |
| Story ID: |
563876 |
| Location: |
PICATINNY ARSENAL, NEW JERSEY, US |
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