Mr. Timothy C. Zello

Mr. Zello served in numerous key positions throughout the Ordnance Center and School. He was an exceptional leader who met every challenge head-on with unfailing, outstanding results. The accolades enjoyed by the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School for its proactive, dynamic training was due in large to Mr. Zello's personal commitment to excellence. Without his personal involvement, the unique training initiatives and total team effort would have been seriously eroded during a turbulent, tough, resource constrained timeframe.

During the most turbulent period in the history of Ordnance training, both in terms of personnel and equipment resources, Mr. Zello's ability to organize and provide over watch for critical programs of instruction, supporting training aids, and improved facilities ensured that the thousands of students attending the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, during his tenure, were provided the highest quality hands-on technical training possible. He played a significant role in the dramatic increase in readiness in the recovery vehicle training fleet. Due to his high level of interest and genuine concern, he assisted in elevating the recovery readiness rate by 44 percent in a mere 6-month period, bringing the operational readiness rate up to 95 percent.

Serving in one of the toughest jobs at the Ordnance Center and School, Mr. Zello demanded and received top performance from instructors and training development personnel in all the training departments. To ensure that USAOC&S had a well-prepared staff and faculty to provide and/or support training, Mr. Zello supervised and personally endorsed a robust faculty development program. He consistently encouraged instructors to advance through the various instructor levels and made sure instructors were publicly recognized and rewarded for their outstanding performance. He also implemented an Observation of Training Program whereby middle and top management personnel routinely observed classes and reported their findings on an observation form. This provided another check on training, but it also provided managers a real-life understanding of training within the school.

One noteworthy training initiative implemented by Mr. Zello is when he acquired the Contact Test Set III, a new piece of test, measurement and diagnostic equipment for the School (first in the Army so equipped) and through active testing and coordination with the Project Manager, made the Ordnance Center and School the Army's test bed for this system. As a direct result of this success, the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School became the Army's test center for the Tank Turbine Engine Diagnostic System. These two efforts have been instrumental in keeping the Ordnance Center and School on the forefront of technological systems needed to maintain our modern Army.

Mr. Zello was the visionary for Distance Learning. His dynamic, proactive initiatives made teletraining via satellite and computer/Internet a reality at the Ordnance Center and School. Teletraining sites are now operational at both Aberdeen and Edgewood areas. Training is being conducted with units from Fort Hood, TX; Fort Stewart, GA; Fort Dix, NJ; and Fort Sill, OK. Additionally, this state-of-the-art training is being conducted to Sinai, Macedonia and Vilseck. Thus, U.S. Army forces worldwide can receive real-time, interactive training via satellite on demand.

Under Mr. Zello's competent leadership, the image and reputation of the Ordnance School as an educational institution comparable to civilian technical schools was affirmed by the accreditation by the Council on Occupational Education.

Mr. Zello has had an extraordinary impact on the entire Ordnance Corps. He consistently ensured that our soldiers, civilians and allies were well trained to perform at the highest standards. His dedication to selfless service touched the lives of thousands of military and civilian personnel, and is in keeping with the highest tradition of the Ordnance Corps.