Cummins Engineer Helps Power the Army National Guard

Minnesota  Army National Guard Sergeant and Cummins Supplier Quality Improvement Engineer, Robyn Aiken always had a mechanical and technical interest.

“As a 19 year old looking for a way to pay for college and gain some life experience, I decided to enlist in the Minnesota Army National Guard.  I chose the job to become a generator mechanic, because it seemed to fit a technical and mechanical interest I had. Over the past eighteen years of my career, I have had the opportunities to serve not only in the National Guard, but also in the Army Reserve and the Army all over the world equipping military locations with electrical power for my fellow soldiers and performing maintenance on generators. I have performed simple tasks like oil changes and replacing solenoids to more in-depth work like boring out piston heads in an Army depot.”

As an active member serving in the Army National Guard, Robyn Aiken decided to use her skills and her experience to infuse her military career with her work at Cummins. She took an opportunity through use of the new AMMPS units to connect her military and Cummins civilian teams.

“Now, 18 years later, as a Sergeant in the Army National Guard Red Bulls, 34 ID, Division Headquarters, I mentor new soldiers on various maintenance items. Recently this past August, I had the honor to attend an operator’s maintenance course at Camp Ripley for the new Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source (AMMPS) units that are built in the Cummins Power Systems plant in Fridley, MN.

I was able to offer a tour to my class instructors who worked virtually with the AMMPS project team for over two years from various locations around the world, to include the depths of remote sites in Afghanistan.  Our Cummins team would ship parts, provide technical information and support, while the AMMPS project team unboxed the units and trained soldiers at war. Through my connection of this AMMPS class, I was able to coordinate the first face to face meeting with our Cummins and the military’s teams.”

As of today, the Minnesota Army National Guard is now issuing new AMMPS generators to the various military units.

“I am so pleased to not only server our military but also now work for the company who provides a product that I service. I know first-hand how critical power is for soldiers, and I am truly grateful to now know how much heart and soul is put into the generators by our Cummins employees. One Team, One Fight!”