John F. Hedderich III was assigned as Director of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, on February 8, 2015. As Director, Mr. Hedderich provides strategic leadership and managerial accountability to the CCDC Armaments Center’s obligation of over $1.3 billion, 64 laboratories, and a workforce of over 4,000 government and support personnel, including engineers and technical staff dedicated in delivering superior lethal and non-lethal armament solutions to the warfighter.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Hedderich was the Executive Director of the Munitions Engineering and Technology Center at the CCDC Armaments Center. He was responsible for providing guidance and direction to an engineering and scientific community. He was also responsible for developing, directing and managing CCDC Armaments Center’s investment strategies to ensure state-of-the-art facilities, people and equipment, as well as the center’s extensive research, development and engineering efforts for fielding new ammo, munitions, and combat systems.

Mr. Hedderich previously served as the Director of the Armaments Engineering Technology Center from January 2007 to June 2008. He also served as Acting Director for CCDC Armaments Center from November 2004 to August 2005.

Mr. Hedderich was Director for Enterprise Management from October 2003 to January 2007. In this capacity, he was responsible for CCDC Armaments Center’s technology base and manufacturing technology programs, strategic planning, and portfolio and knowledge management.

From June 2002 to October 2003, Mr. Hedderich served as Senior Technical Executive in the former ARDEC Close Combat Armaments Center, where he was responsible for developing and executing scientific and technology strategies for small, medium and large caliber weapons, ammunition, mines and countermine, nonlethal weapons and ammunition and special operations gear.

He also served as Associate Technical Director (Systems Concepts and Technology) where he was responsible for the Armament Technology Base Program executed by CCDC Armaments Center. A career executive, he was appointed to the Senior Executive Service, the highest level of civilian government service, in November 1998.