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Portrait of Robert Herron: DoD Corrosion Team Leader

Herron Leads the Specs, Standards, and Qualification Processes Team

By Ben Craig

The DoD Corrosion Office's effectiveness as an organization will be measured by how well it incorporates corrosion prevention and control (CPC) policies into the defense culture and helps improve the quality of military assets. The men and women of the Corrosion Office's Specifications, Standards, and Qualification Processes (SSQP) Team are instrumental to this effort. They ensure that "the rubber meets the road" when it comes to providing operators and maintainers with the best CPC products and materials.

[Robert Herron] has spent much of his career defending the United States against two very different types of threats—enemies on the field of battle and corrosion.

Robert Herron, chief of the SSQP team, is no stranger to the challenges of turning policy into practice, or combating persistent enemies like corrosion. Herron works for the Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC).

In late 2005 the SSQP team entered a transitional period when former chairman Steve Spadafora stepped aside from his leadership role to focus on the demands of a new position within NAVAIR. Because Herron had already demonstrated his management and technical capabilities on the SSQP team, Spadafora heartily recommended that Herron assume the chair. The suggestion was quickly and resoundingly endorsed by the Corrosion Office.

Herron brings a wealth of experience to the SSQP and the benefit of perspective that his broad and multi-disciplined career has afforded him. He has spent much of his career defending the United States against two very different types of threats—enemies on the field of battle and corrosion. As such, he knows firsthand the importance of combating these threats. For eight years Herron served in the U.S. Army National Guard, providing national and international emergency aid and security. During this time he was deployed to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, where he served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm as a combat military policeman.

Professionally, Herron is a well-rounded and technically proficient materials engineer. Following his undergraduate work in applied mathematics and physics, he earned master's degrees in two disciplines—Metallurgical Engineering and Engineering Science and Mechanics. Beyond his academic success, Herron honed his materials engineering skills during a nine-year stint in the commercial sector conducting research and development. During this period he was awarded two patents.

"Ultimately the project will benefit the soldier by improving maintenance practices and eliminating substandard products."

Herron returned to the military several years ago, this time as a civilian materials engineer with AMRDEC. In this position he supports aviation and missile acquisition programs, and also serves as the AMCOM/AMRDEC representative to the Corrosion Prevention and Control Integrated Product Team (CPC IPT), the implementation arm of the Corrosion Office. Soon after joining the team, Herron took a special interest in the SSQP Working Integrated Product Team (WIPT).

Herron recalled, "When I first became involved with the CPC IPT there were a couple of areas that needed support, but one of the areas where AMRDEC wanted representation was SSQP." With his participation, the SSQP has made tremendous progress toward reducing redundant testing of new CPC materials and streamlining the process of introducing new CPC products. This effort has necessitated improving communication within the Services. (See "DoD Launches Online Tool," CorrDefense, Fall 2006.)

"We all will benefit from this project, especially if we can get better products to the Services more quickly," Herron said. "Ultimately the project will benefit the soldier by improving maintenance practices and eliminating substandard products." Presently, he is guiding the WIPT toward finishing the last phase of the three-phase project.

Beyond his involvement in the CPC IPT, Herron is also an AMCOM/AMRDEC representative to the Joint Council on Aging Aircraft, where he participates in the corrosion steering group. Although he acknowledged that he enjoys his work "just a little too much" at times, he is devoted to his family and likes to attend his son's little league games and Taekwondo sessions.