Spray Technique Analysis and Research for Defense (STAR4D®)

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MIARGN Recognized for Environmental Stewardship

STAR4D is proud to announce the Michigan Army National Guard (MIARGN) Joint Forces Headquarters and its Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) and Environmental Division have been recognized for their environmental stewardship and sustainability in the region. MIARGN has been working with STAR4D to implement training and improve operations.

CARC Training with Sherwin Williams (Oct. 2009)

For years, STAR4Defense and Sherwin Williams have worked together on research and training methods to improve the coatings industry. Recently, coating formulators from Sherwin Williams Military Coatings Division in Chicago visited the STAR4Defense facility to discuss preparation and application procedures for Sherwin Williams’ experimental CARC materials. The two day visit involved mutual learning for those involved. STAR4Defense was able to learn more about the CARC system straight from the chemists that formulate the coatings and Sherwin Williams went through a modified STAR4Defense course consisting of hands-on and virtual training.

MarkWytiaz, Sherwin Williams Technical Director Military Coatings, had been to the STAR4Defense training facility in the past but always enjoys a return visit. According to Mark, the STAR4Defense training and facility setup is “how it should be done.” Sherwin Williams staff received a LaserPaint demonstration, hands-on in-booth application, and participated in a VirtualPaint competition during their visit. Their favorite part about training was the in-booth application; they enjoyed being able to see results and also participate in a little friendly competition. Mark liked the hands-on training best because “it’s fun to see how to improve and to compare your skills versus someone else’s.”

After their visit to Cedar Falls, Sherwin Williams will be looking into purchasing the VirtualPaint system for their own facility to train their employees on-site. Mark says, “[the VirtualPaint] teaches old people new tricks or teaches new employees the proper way to paint.”

Working with Sherwin Williams gives STAR4Defense the chance to provide the most recent information regarding coatings to training courses meeting training objectives.

STAR4D is part of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, a program at the University of Northern Iowa. For more information about STAR4D, please contact Rick Klein at 319-277-4668 or rick.klein@uni.edu.

STAR4D now offers CEU's (Jan. 2009)

The Spray Technique Analysis and Research for Defense (STAR4D�) program has been training military painters since 2003. Rick Klein, STAR4D program manager, has recently announced the STAR4D course will now be awarding Continuing Education Units (CEU) for uniformed service personnel who have successfully completed training.

The three-day course which focuses on hands-on, classroom, and virtual reality training equates to 1.6 CEU's. STAR4D program works on improving painter's techniques in order to reduce rework and environmental hazards creating sustainable and protected military assets. Only painters who successfully complete the course at the Cedar Falls facility are able to receive CEU's; painters will not receive CEU's at STAR4D satellite training sites or through any other base.

STAR4D is part of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, a program at the University of Northern Iowa. For more information about STAR4D, please contact Rick Klein at 319-277-4668 or rick.klein@uni.edu.

Certification Efforts Continue

The STAR4D program is continuing efforts to create a certification course for military spray painters. STAR4D has been working with Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) in Corpus Christi, TX to create a more formalized training course with added measures to ensure the enhancement of expertise and professional development.

The CARC certification course will satisfy the new military National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant (NESHAP) once they are implemented. Aside from meeting governmental regulation, the certification will also meet the goal of producing a standardized method to classify military painters. This will allow paint facilities to know the experience of those they hire and have an ease of mind that they were properly trained based on the expertise of the STAR4D techniques and training.