PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - The commander of the Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command welcomed a standing-room only crowd at his first town-hall meeting at the Lindner Conference Center here March 30. Additionally, remote attendees from Fort Belvoir, Va., and the Joint Munitions Command at Rock Island, Ill., joined the meeting by video and teleconference.

Brig. Gen. Larry Wyche said he called the meeting of JM&L LCMC staff- which includes employees from the JMC, the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Program Executive Office for Ammunition- because he felt it was important to hear from him personally. "I want you to know who I am and how I think," Wyche said in his opening remarks.

While the actual term of his service as commander of the JM&L LCMC is still uncertain, he said that he looked forward to serving with each and every member of the LCMC group, and noted that he would be visiting different parts of the installation during his regular visits to Picatinny.

During his address, Wyche focused on the great accomplishments of the JM&L LCMC and its staff in meeting its No. 1 goal of supporting the joint forces warfighters and getting quality ammunition to them where and when they need it.

Wyche remarked that, "The power of this organization is incredible. When people deal with the LCMC as a whole, we want there to be no doubt in their minds that they are dealing with the best organization in the U.S. Army."

Wyche explained that one of the major goals of the JM&L LCMC is to integrate ammunition research and development, acquisition and sustainment to improve efficiencies and reduce costs.

In addition, Wyche said, the organization's role in achieving some efficiencies across the entire life cycle process for ammunition is more important than ever.  Wyche further said that the JM&L LCMC is here to stay and that he needed everyone's help to get where they want to be in the next five to 15 years. "The JM&L LCMC is the pacesetter for the Department of Defense and the defense industry," Wyche said.

His talk encouraged teamwork, honesty and loyalty among the LCMC workforce, touching on Army housekeeping items such as sexual harassment, the problem of increasing suicides and reporting problems through the chain of command. He also discussed the importance of selfless service, coaching and mentoring and of taking care of oneself.

Wyche also serves as commanding general of the JMC at Rock Island and will be wearing both hats while splitting his time between there and Picatinny.

His 35-year career with the Army is impressive. Wyche deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan where he served as the commander of the Joint Logistics Command, Combined Joint Task Force-76.

His most recent assignment was at the Pentagon as director for Strategy and Integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Army Logistics. From being both on the receiving and planning ends, Wyche is no stranger to the details that go into managing the acquisition, logistics and technology for ammunition.

At the end of the meeting, the general thanked everyone on behalf of the Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who depended on them and what they do each day. He encouraged everyone to share their ideas, and then he showed his personal side by letting all in attendance know he is a diehard Minnesota Vikings fan.