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Article: Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head Mourns Loss of Its Energetic Champion
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- February 18, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Back in the early and mid-1990s, things were looking pretty grim
for the Indian Head Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center.
Base closures were the order of the day, and the century-old
explosives facility on the banks of the Potomac was considered a
prime candidate for the ax.
Roger M. Smith, the director of Indian Head, had some ideas about
what needed to be done. He transformed Indian Head from a somewhat
tired engineering-oriented installation into a full-spectrum facility
involved in the research, development, testing and evaluation of
explosives.
But just as important, and without anyone's permission, Smith
started calling Indian Head the "National Center for Energetics."
The ...