Rare, Authentic Commander Challenge Coin Radford Army Ammunition Plant

Description: Coin presented by the Commander of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford, VA circa 2011. Front features a relief of the state of Virginia with a star on the location of the base, with a helicopter and a silver oak leaf - the insignia of the Lieutenant Colonel in command. Back features the crest and motto of the plant and "Presented By The Commander." About the plant: LOCATION Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) is a Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated facilitylocated in Montgomery and Pulaski Counties in southwest Virginia. It consists of two separate facilities;the main plant is the Radford manufacturing unit located between the city of Radford and the town ofBlacksburg and consists of 4,080 acres. The New River Storage Unit is located 12 miles from the mainplant near the town of Dublin and consists of 2,821 acres. Radford Army Ammunition Plant is locatedapproximately 30 miles from Roanoke, Virginia, where the nearest major airport is located. The mainplant is divided by the New River into a northwestern portion (in Pulaski County) and southeasternportion (in Montgomery County). The Claytor Lake Dam, located ten miles south of the main plant,governs the rise and fall of the New River along the boundaries of RFAAP. The terrain of the main plantis a sloping alluvial floodplain and terrace deposits border the river on the north and eastern sides. TheNew River Unit is gently rolling to hilly, with a low ridge along the northwest boundary. HISTORY RFAAP was one of the first single-base smokeless powder plants authorized under the NationalDefense program and served as a planning model for similar plants. The main plant was constructedby Mason & Hanger, Inc. with government oversight and was operated by Hercules Powder Companyfrom 1941 to 1995. The New River Unit, which originally was a separate installation, was constructedin 1941-1942 as a bag-manufacturing-and-loading plant for smokeless and black powders. FollowingWorld War II, the two units were combined into a single installation. At the end of World War II,operations at the main plant and the New River Unit were temporarily discontinued. The Nitric Acidarea of the plant was reactivated from 1946 to 1949 for the production of ammonium nitrate (fertilizer)with propellant production resuming in 1949. The outbreak of the Korean conflict required rehabilitationof large areas of the plant to accommodate military requirements. This construction took placefrom1950 to 1958 and included a new area enabling the plant to produce cast propellants charges forrockets and missiles. From 1964 to 1974, the Vietnam War created a need for increased production ofvarious propellants. As the Vietnam effort declined the need for propellants also declined, resulting inreduced production and fewer employees. Also during 1974, planned improvements were made to theplant in concert with military requirements. In 1995, Alliant Techsystems took over as the operatingcontractor. In 1996, RFAAP was one of six ammunition plants with active missions. Modernizationefforts continued with the DoD, Army and ATK to successfully increase production in vital areas of theplant. In 2011, BAE Systems, Inc. was awarded the operating contract and became the operatingcontractor on July 1, 2012. MISSION Team Radford provides America’s Warfighters with superior performing propellants, energetics andmunitions, in order to enable engagement and destruction of targets with total confidence.RFAAP has embarked upon a transformation/modernization effort resulting in a modern, flexible andefficient facility that reduces the Army’s operating and production costs. These modernizations will alsoensure continued support to the Department of Defense, increase the safety of employees, reduce RFAAP’s environmental impact, and provide employment for the New River Valley residents. HigherHeadquarters - Joint Munitions Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois MAJOR UNITS/TENANTS • ALTESS - US Army Acquisition, Logistics & Technology Enterprise Systems & Services – IT Support • Alacran - DOD-compliant storage and record keeping for Class 1 and sensitive goods at theRadford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP). • Alexander Arms – Develop, Manufacturing, & Sales of Commercial Rifles • Appalachian Railcar Service – Railcar Movement & Repair • Aquabotix – Oceanographic technology • Cave Spring Painting - Equipment storage for commercial painting • Crown Communications - Cellular Communications Tower Site • Grucci Pyrotechniques – Assemble fireworks, perform shows & manufacture DoD simulators • NGIS – Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems– Medium Caliber LAP - Manufacture 25MM & 30MM Ammo– New River Energetics - Commercial Propellants • Safety Management Services (SMS) – Safety Management, Process Hazards Analysis (PHA),Explosive Site Planning • Salem Tools – Maintenance Repair and Operational Supplies • US Cellular - Cellular Communications Tower Site • Valley Turf – Office & Maintenance Shop - RFAAP mowing contractor and repairs https://www.jmc.army.mil/Radford/RadfordDefault.aspx This is an authentic "first hand" coin - all coins come from my personal collection and were presented to me during my career in the U.S. Navy. All coins are in excellent condition unless otherwise noted, though may show minor signs of carry (very small scratches in enamel, etc). Message me for any questions - check my other listings for more coins. Measures 2 inches in diameter.

Price: 34.99 USD

Location: Fairfax Station, Virginia

End Time: 2025-01-26T01:25:33.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD