Carl Kremer was destined to serve his country. His grandfather, the original Carl, served in the Army during World War II. His father, Carl 2.0, joined the Army’s ranks during the Vietnam War. And his mother, Lou Ann, retired as an Army officer.
The self-described “Army brat” broke family tradition due to his love of aviation mechanics and joined the Air Force as a high school senior. He spent his active-duty time traveling the world as a C-5 Galaxy flight mechanic. After active-duty, Kremer joined the Air Force Reserve — where he eventually amassed a 30-year warfighter career.
Joining the Reserve allowed him to begin his civil-service career, which now stretches more than 26 years. He currently works at Defense Contract Management Agency Indianapolis as a quality assurance specialist. Team members consider him a subject matter expert regarding the office’s quality surveillance for Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, known as SUPSHIP, and the Navy’s Strategic System Programs.
“Mr. Kremer provides unparalleled support at the Major Tool and Machine division, working diligently with a team of Indianapolis QASs to equip our troops and provide unwavering warfighter support,” said Army Lt. Col. Steve Adcock, DCMA Indianapolis commander. “He champions quality surveillance and is viewed as a resident expert on all DCMA quality related questions and issues related to Major Tool and Machine.”
Kremer is the son of soldiers, a veteran of the skies and now serves the sea. It is a diverse background that exceeds his family expectation of service before self. His current passion stems from a career spent on the receiving end of delivery.
“After being that warfighter for 30 years, receiving replacement parts to install, and wondering, 'how could I be getting defective parts?' ” said Kremer, who routinely fills a mentoring role to bolster the office’s future leaders. “I remember spending 12 hours to install an aircraft hydraulic part, and it failed. Now I’m on the other side, and I do everything possible to ensure a good parts get out to the warfighter.”
Like his professional history the programs he supports are varied. His programs include the MK 41 Vertical Launching System; Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS; Advanced Arresting Gear system; and the new Ship to Shore Connector. According to leadership, these programs include critical safety items and quality letters of instruction which have resulted in more than 2,300 customer mandated inspections.
The Navy’s Vertical Launch System Program Office recently recognized Kremer “for his outstanding support, expertise and technical knowledge.”
The Air Force veteran’s recent extra efforts have supported an agency-wide initiative.
He implemented a Detection to Prevention, or D2P, strategy at the local command level. D2P is a risk-based initiative that enables transition from in-depth product surveillance to process and system insight. The initiative’s local embrace has resulted in significant surveillance time and cost reduction.
“Mr. Kremer is a true example of the highly skilled and dedicated workforce at DCMA,” said Adcock. “The detection of non-conforming material and prevention of bad product being delivered to our customers reflects highly on Mr. Kremer and the Quality Team supporting the Major Tool and Machine division. His focus has been on actionable insight that matters, and he demonstrates this in the execution of his daily duties. His commitment and dedication is appreciated and admired.”
While stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, in 1984, Army Capt. Lou Ann Kremer raised her right hand to enlist her son into the Air Force. The post is closed now — an early-90s victim of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The land still holds a military presence, however, to include the Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center.
“I spent a lot of time there growing up as an Army brat,” said Kremer. “Now I’m in the DCMA office at the DFAS/Bean Center where I spent some time in as a child. It’s kind of strange that sometimes we end up back where we started our initial journey.”
There’s nothing strange about keeping up an old family tradition.