Mr. Edward Ford

Born and raised in New Jersey, Mr. Edward Ford completed active Army duty in 1956. Destined to become a legend within the ammunition field, he earned an Accounting degree from Upsala College utilizing the GI bill, while working with a manufacturer of small arms reloading presses, spending time in the office and machine shop to learn both “sides” of the business. It was there he discovered his passion for production engineering improvement, both from a business and tactical perspective, which eventually led to his first job at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ in 1961.

Mr. Ford’s career in the Army ammunition business exemplifies the leadership, innovation, vision, superior performance, projects, and mentorship role of the Ammunition Hall of Fame criteria. Ed’s career was driven by inter-functional assignments, which allowed for learning and managing the entire life cycle of DoD acquisition. His experiences cover a myriad of the ammunition business and range from early development, production ramp up, major malfunction efforts and product improvements, logistical movement of munitions and weapons to combat conditions, through final obsolescence of items with type classification of new generation items into the field. Ed served as Program Officer at Comptroller, Project Manager, and retired as a PEO leader. Ed was a member of every major Army life cycle transformation group during his long and storied career. He truly made a lasting, positive impact on the ammunition life cycle of technology, systems development, acquisition, production, sustainment, and demilitarization.

Mr. Ford’s contribution to the ammunition mission is evident in the complexity of his progressively more demanding responsibility for the Army. His impact on the ammunition community is demonstrated in the students who have acquired successful careers through his instruction and mentorship. His knowledge and expertise is also proven by the level of responsibility trusted upon him in a SES technical position, despite not having a scientific degree. He helped shape the operating structure for acquisition and life cycle process management for the Army and gained efficiencies across the military Services by bridging better partnerships. He truly made a lasting, positive impact on the ammunition life cycle of technology, systems development, acquisition, production, sustainment, and demilitarization and is worthy of induction into the Ordnance Hall of Fame.

Mr. Ford retired in 1991.