Woods, who spent a 37-year career at OTC, died May 6.
Col. (promotable) Curtis D. Potts, commander of the Operational Test Command, assisted Woods’ widow, Bitsy, in unveiling a steel-engraved plaque honoring her husband as her two grown sons, Walter and William, looked on.
The steel engraving, which will hang inside headquarters building, describes Woods as an innovative executive who was a pillar and elder statesman of the organization and one of the founding members of the United States Army Operational Test Command.
Addressing a crowd of about 175-200, Potts said for the better part of 37 years Woods was the centerpiece of OTC’s workforce.
“Although I did not have the privilege of knowing and working with Art, I feel as though I did,” Potts said. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t hear a story about him or have someone quote him to me, or read a document that mentions him.”
Potts said that simply asking ‘what does Art think?’ often helped solve many issues over the years.
Some described Woods as a Renaissance man because he never stopped learning, Potts said.
“Yet another co-worker told me Art had a wicked, irreverent sense of humor,” said Potts to laughter from the crowd.
“I later learned that Art was an avid Washington Redskins fan - so that would explain why he would need a sense of humor living in the middle of Dallas Cowboy country.”
Woods’ work as a senior leader in the test community helped improve every major system from the Abrams tank to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle to the Apache Helicopter just to name a few, said Potts.
“Art loved Copperas Cove, his home of nearly 40 years, his church - Saint Martin’s Episcopal - his family, his friends and the operational testing organization he helped create and establish,” Potts said.
After unveiling the steel engraving, Potts presented Mrs. Woods with a miniature replica to hang in her home along with a blown glass trophy commemorating Woods’ induction into the OTC Hall of Fame.
Mrs. Woods was asked what her husband would have said if he had been alive to witness the event.
“Probably, ‘It’s about time,’” she said laughing.
Mrs. Woods was asked how they met.
“I worked for a doctor and the doctor’s daughter worked for Arthur,” said Mrs. Woods. “The doctor said, ‘these two have got to meet.’”
She said that meeting almost didn’t’ happen. But one day they finally came together.
“He walked in the door and it was love at first sight,” she said. “The next 43 years were so exciting.”
William Woods said the family was overwhelmed at the honor.