Quick QA action avoids potential catastrophe

JERICHO, Vt. -

A quality assurance specialist's decisiveness avoided a potentially unsafe situation involving live ammunition, which could have resulted in serious injury or loss of life.

Tim Bruner, a QA specialist with Defense Contract Management Agency Northeast, was conducting a process review of an acceptance test on an F-16, 20mm gun system at the contractor's firing range when he identified an unsafe action.

"I was watching live-fire ammunition being loaded by one of the lane crewmen when I observed it," Bruner said. "In order to initially load the gun system, the barrels need to be manually hand-cranked to load the ammunition from the slave ammunition transfer unit to the gun."

The contractor's lane personnel had been taught to crank the barrels while standing in front of the gun system, Bruner said."I found this practice unacceptable and dangerous."

Bruner immediately discussed the unsafe practice with the contractor's senior lane captain and range manager.

"I then reported my finding to both the senior contractor quality management and my DCMA first-line supervisor," Bruner said.

The contractor's senior leadership immediately shut the lane operation down until a safer method could be designed and put into practice.

"Had in some manner this gun system ever fired by accident, the consequences would have been catastrophic or fatal," Bruner said.

During validation of the safety concern, the team observed the drive assembly was blocked by a stiffening web on the aft ball mount, causing the operator to stand in front of the aircraft gun, creating the safety issue.

"The issue was documented and dispositioned with an approval to modify the test stand web bracket," Bruner said. "The process was updated, and loading is now completed from the aft side of the gun preventing future risk."

Bruner, an Army and Vermont Army National Guard veteran of 27 years, maintains extensive professional expertise of arms and armaments. He had also worked at the facility for three decades.

"I was hired by DCMA because I had the experience from manufacturing to the end user," Bruner said.

His firearms expertise extends beyond his military and defense contractor experience, however.

"I have been around weapons since I was nine years old," Bruner said. "I have also participated, operated and been a safety officer for military ranges from small arms to 120mm main battle tanks and 155mm self-propelled artillery."

Bruner said the military training and development he received over 27 years is irreplaceable to what he does for DCMA.

"I work with all branches of servicemen and women in DCMA who are the best at what they do," Bruner said. "The military service teaches an individual to follow or lead as the circumstance dictates regardless of the uniform type or color they once wore."

Aligning with his team-first mentality, Bruner was quick to seek recognition for his coworkers.

"They deserve the kudos, especially the young people just starting out at DCMA," said Bruner, who believes great leaders lead from the front and set the example.

"Treat the contractor, the customer, and your teammates with the dignity, fairness, and honesty they deserve. It will be returned 10-fold."

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