[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF CARMINE SPINELLI

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2018

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and 
contributions of Mr. Carmine Spinelli, a native of Borough of Raritan, 
Somerset County, New Jersey who achieved an extraordinary record of 
leadership during his four decades of service to our great United 
States Army.
  His path to making enduring contributions to our national security 
was apparently established by his father, an immigrant factory worker 
with a fifth grade education, who encouraged his son to pursue 
engineering as a profession. Based on that advice, young Carmine found 
himself in Indiana pursuing studies at Purdue University.
  Armed with a degree in metallurgical engineering, Carmine started an 
entry-level position at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township back in 
his home state in 1958. He never left. He earned promotion after 
promotion until he reached the top research job at Picatinny. As 
Technical Director of the Armaments Research and Development 
Engineering Center (ARDEC), a member of the Senior Executive Service, 
he managed an annual budget of more than $600 million and a technical 
staff of over 2000 scientists and engineers and another 2000 support 
personnel. At ARDEC, his enduring contributions include the areas of 
armament and systems engineering, innovation, life cycle engineering, 
acquisition strategy, and national and international policy.
  During his distinguished career at ARDEC, Carmine led teams 
responsible for all varieties of weaponry, from small bullets shot from 
pistols and rifles to tank ammunition and artillery systems. An early 
advocate of modeling, simulation, and prototyping, he helped usher in 
an era of ``smart ammunitions'' with pinpoint accuracy to help save 
lives throughout the world.
  His was an impressive record of accomplishment. Among his government 
awards: Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service Award (1998, 
1990); Presidential Rank Meritorious Award (1996); Department of 
Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award (1995); SES Performance 
Award (1994,1993, 1992) NDIA Firepower Award (1988); Army Meritorious 
Civilian Service Award (1987, 1982); Honorable Order of Saint Barbara 
(1987), Technical Director's Award--ARRADCOM (1981), Army Research and 
Development Award (1965) and many Merit Performance Awards.
  Since my election to Congress in 1994, I have been proud to work 
side-by-side with Carmine to advance the work conducted at Picatinny 
Arsenal--the Joint Center of Excellence for Armaments. As noted, he 
received many awards and honors for his efforts on bombs, bullets and 
more potent weapons systems. However, I believe he would not dispute 
that his greatest work was done in the area of human resources. His 
innovative and creative hiring practices led to the hiring and 
development of a whole new generation of highly skilled and talented 
armament engineers--men and women who today are ensuring that our joint 
warfighters have the tools and systems they need to meet every emerging 
threat on the battlefield. As Carmine liked to remind us, ``every 
warfighter deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan or some other global `hot 
spot' carried a bit of Picatinny with them.''
  After his formal service at Picatinny ended, Carmine Spinelli still 
labored every day to boost the Arsenal, the Army and veterans across 
our State in various capacities, including as the unsung Chairman of 
the New Jersey Council on Armed Forces and Veteran's Affairs, which 
advocates for all of the State's military installations and missions.
  Carmine Spinelli leaves behind a loving family. He is survived by his 
wife, Roseanne, son, David and daughter, Dina. We grieve along with 
them and hold them close in our thoughts and prayers.
  While he was my constituent for a few short years, he has always been 
my friend. Carmine Spinelli will be sorely missed in his hometown of 
Raritan and in the many communities outside the Cannon Gates at 
Picatinny Arsenal.

                          ____________________