UNI’s STAR4D Program Making an Impact on the Military

With soldiers serving in extreme climates all over the globe, corrosion to military vehicles and equipment costs our nation’s military an estimated $20 billion per year. Since corrosion causes parts to fail, the military invests in solutions to keep assets working and to protect the safety of soldiers in the field. One of those solutions is the development of Chemical Agent Resistant Coatings (CARC)—a liquid-based paint that is applied to military assets—that are designed to prevent rust and extend the life of military equipment.

he University of Northern Iowa partners with the military to train its painters to effectively apply CARC coatings to vehicles and other equipment. UNI’s Spray Technique Analysis and Research for Defense (STAR4D) program, created in 2002, has prepared 3,500 military painters at more than 230 bases, depots, and arsenals nationwide.

“Through our curriculum, aided by the 3D VirtualPaint program, we find that painters typically improve their efficiency by 12-15 percentage points,” said Chris Lampe, STAR4D Program Manager. That improvement in efficiency translates into huge cost savings for the military. A third party analysis by Southwest Research Institute found, for example, that STAR4D helped Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania save an estimated $567,000 per year by using less paint in the booth.

The impact on readiness and cost savings has captured the attention of the United States Congress. “We are proud to be working with a bipartisan coalition comprised of Iowa’s federal delegation, and Senators and Representatives from 13 other states, to ensure military painter training remains a priority for corrosion prevention and control,” said Andrew Morse, Assistant to the President for Board and Governmental Relations at UNI. With the support of Iowa’s Congressional delegation, UNI has built support for additional appropriations for military painter training.

UNI is also working to establish a competitive bidding process for a National Center for Military Painter Training and Applied Research. “We are working closely with Iowa’s delegation to build bipartisan, bicameral support for this effort,” said Morse. “Thanks to the leadership of Senators Ernst and Grassley, as well as Representatives Finkenauer and Loebsack, we were able to secure language in the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) calling for a report by the Department of Defense to inform the development of a national center.” In support of the effort, UNI and Rep. Finkenauer developed H.R. 3181—The Military Readiness and Cost Savings Act, and are using the legislation as a vehicle to build support with members across the nation ahead of the FY21 NDAA process.

The STAR4D program is one of the many examples of the real world difference UNI is making in partnership with the people, industries, and communities we serve. To learn more about STAR4D, visit the program webpage here.