In June 1976, the House Appropriations Committee criticized the management of Department of Defense (DOD) physical security and directed improvement. In December 1976, DOD Directive 3224.3, Physical Security Equipment, specifically mandated each military Service "Establish a program management office structure to discharge its responsibilities and interface with other military Services and agencies." In April 1977, as a result of physical security equipment (PSE) becoming a special area of interest to Congress and DOD, Headquarters, Department of the Army, responded with the establishment of a Project Officer for PSE under the command of the US Army Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM)..
In October 1981, the Office of the Product Manager, Physical Security Equipment (PM-PSE), was established to manage the joint Service responsibilities assigned by DOD and Army regulations. In August 1982, PM-PSE was formally chartered by DARCOM.
In May 1987, PM-PSE was delegated the full line authority of the US Army Materiel Command (AMC) Commander, as delegated to the US Army Troop Support and Aviation Materiel Readiness Command (TROSCOM). In this capacity, PM-PSE was responsible for centralized management of assigned PSE resources for US Army users and joint Service applications and action required to type classify items of PSE developed by other Services or Federal agencies for an existing, formally stated Army requirement
In 1989, the PEO eliminated all the military positions (including
the PM) and reduced the authorized civilian strength to seven
(plus three research and development-funded over hires). By
1991, with all military personnel reassigned, the office would
become a civilian project office.
In May 1987, the PM-PSE was delegated the full line authority of the AMC Commanding General, as delegated to the US Army Troop Support and Aviation Materiel Readiness Command (TROSCOM). In this capacity, the PM-PSE was responsible for centralized management of assigned physical security equipment (PSE) resources for US Army users and joint Service applications and action required to type classify items of PSE developed by other Services or Federal agencies for an existing, formally stated Army requirement
In 1990, the Troop Support PEO also was disestablished, which accelerated transition of the PM Office. On 1 October 1990, PM-PSE became the Project Office, Physical Security Equipment (PO-PSE), under TROSCOM 91 reorganization, but continued to be headed by the board-selected PM-PSE. However, AMC believed the effort to forcefully execute the PSE mission and function should continue. Consequently, the AMC Deputy Chief of Staff for Development, Engineering, and Acquisition requested TROSCOM reconsider the possibility of retaining the lieutenant colonel (LTC) position and consolidating management responsibility for traditional facility PSE with tactical force protection (TFP) and other PSE-related programs. While TROSCOM concurred with the consolidation of PSE research, development, and acquisition (RDA) management, it lacked the resources to reestablish and fill the military position. .
In January 1991, AMC identified a required Officer Distribution Plan (ODP) which supported the LTC position within its organization for transfer to TROSCOM. With the identification of this military position, AMC requested TROSCOM implement the PSE RDA management consolidation. Because of SARDA policies, the manager could not retain the title of PM. However, once the consolidation took place, AMC requested TROSCOM petition SARDA for the reestablishment of a PM chartered by TROSCOM. With these events in place, the task of consolidation, as described in the ODP, was to reorganize from a project office, headed by an outgoing Product Manager, to a PSE Management Office, headed by a military PSE Manager, to centrally manage all PSE and TFP low intensity conflict/rear area protection RDA programs.
In December 1991, TROSCOM approved the transfer of the LTC
position and the consolidation of PSE RDA and designated
a Physical Security Equipment Manager (PSEM) for the US Army
Physical Security Equipment Management Office (PSEMO), which
reported to TROSCOM.
In March 1993, TROSCOM was reorganized, and the PSEM was
redesignated the Weapon Systems Manager-Physical Security
Equipment (WSMPSE) for PSEMO reporting to the US Army Aviation
and Troop Command.
As a result of the base realignment and closure actions,
WSM-PSE was redesignated the Product Manager, Physical Security
Equipment (PM-PSE), in October 1997. PM-PSE reported to the
US Army Communications-Electronics Command Systems Management
Center (CECOM SMC), Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
In 2002, PM-PSE was transferred from CECOM SMC to the Program
Executive Office, Combat Support, Combat Service Support
(PEO CS&CSS), Tank Automotive Command, Warren, Michigan.
On 14 October 2003, the Acquisition Support Center renamed
PM-PSE as the Product Manager, Force Protection System (PM-FPS).
On 11 June 2004, concurrent with the PM-FPS Change of Charter,
the Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army
approved the transfer of the PM-FPS from PEO CS&CSS to
the Joint PEO for Chemical and Biological Defense.
