The U.S. Army Operational Test Command hosted its 23rd annual Operational Testers’ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Sept. 29, honoring a late field artillery officer and civilian operational tester.

Laurence Alston Womack, the 37th HOF inductee, served in support of operational testing for more than 24 years.

He was nominated by OTC’s Fires Test Directorate at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Womack retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1992, and remained with FTD as a Department of the Army civilian employee until his passing on Feb. 1, 2013.

His widow, Louise Womack from Lawton, Oklahoma, and two daughters, Arlene Womack, from Arlington, and Chontell Rhodes from Mansfield, all traveled to attend the ceremony honoring Laurence.

“I am on adrenaline, and amazed, impressed and proud,” Louise said. “I kind of feel bad because Laurence bragged a lot,” she added to an audience of laughter.

“But today, I am so proud of his accomplishments – I had no idea – of his contribution, and I thank you all so much for recognizing that, and letting me know he really was as awesome as he said was.”

Including his service up to his military retirement, Womack continued as a Department of the Army civilian for more than 41 years in service to our nation.

“Laurence Womack was a problem solver; dedicated and innovative, and always focused on ways to improve our test methods through instrumentation,” said Col. John Ulrich, OTC commander.

Louise said, “Laurence was driven to do his best from the day I met him. He was a true gentleman, loved his Family and his work as a Soldier, and then as a civilian.

“I know that he was proud of his accomplishments and his ability to bring positive recognition to his organization,” she continued. “He always made sure those who assisted him shared in the spotlight and were equally rewarded for their contributions.”

During her ceremony remarks, Louise said she finally figured out how she was going to keep her memories of Laurence alive.

“It’s hard to continue trying to move on when you have so many wonderful memories you want to keep,” she explained, “And, so I thought, ‘How do I keep this man’s memory alive for everybody, for what he was for me?’

“And I realize that this is it,” she said of the HOF ceremony. “I love to write poetry, so when I considered what I wanted to say … I thought about the ocean, and the beach and how the sand and the tides change when the tide comes in and washes the footprints away of people who have been there. And for me, this is Laurence’s footprints forever in the sand.”

Louise thanked everyone, saying she feels she has a room full of friends. “I know names now. I didn’t meet many of you, but I heard so much about all of you – I feel like I know you. I thank you all so much, for me and my girls, for the wonderful ceremony. I’m still amazed.”

Part of Womack’s contribution to operational testing was the development and continual enhancement of the Extensible Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Information Instrumentation Suite.

The instrumentation, considered to be Womack’s “baby,” eventually became the integrated software program that won two Army Modeling and Simulation Awards in 2008 and 2011, and is now used not only across the Army, but across the Department of Defense and with our coalition partner nations as the fire support simulation model.

Womack was also the proponent for the Geometric Automated Video Enhanced Location System which continues to be used as well, for tracking and monitoring of systems under test.

The Operational Testers’ Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class during October 1994, has served to honor Soldiers and civilians who have been recognized for their commitment to putting the best possible equipment and systems into the hands of Soldiers in both training and combat conditions.

As the Army’s only independent operational tester, OTC tests and assesses Army, joint and multi-service warfighting systems in realistic operational environments, using typical Soldiers to determine whether the systems are effective, suitable and survivable. OTC is required by public law to test major systems before they are fielded to its ultimate customer – the American Soldier.