Ken Stone has been in the storage business for more than three decades. If anyone knows stuff about stuff, it's Ken. Since 2004, Ken has found a niche working with military clients. After 20 years of nurturing those relationships, he has an expert handle on the state of armory storage and other military storage solutions.
We sat down with Ken to discuss his experiences, insights, and the evolving needs of military clients. From weapons racks to parachute storage, Ken shared his perspective with us on what it takes to create efficient solutions for the military.
How did you come to focus on military clients?
I can trace it to the beginning of Patterson Pope’s association with Spacesaver - we're an authorized dealer of their products. At the time, Spacesaver had a relatively new product in their weapons rack. When I started calling on military bases – Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg specifically – the innovations offered in the weapons racks were in high demand.
What made the weapons racks so appealing?
The same things that made them popular then still make them popular today. First and foremost, they're incredibly flexible. The racks the military had used before 2004 became obsolete when soldiers transitioned from M-16s to M4s. Those older storage units weren't adjustable, so they couldn't secure the newer weapons. Spacesavers' racks, however, are customizable.
It used to be you just had a rifle with a scope. Now, with all the SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modification) gear, rifles are bulkier. A Spacesaver rack allows for more flexibility. Security is another big draw — racks can be padlocked with bi-fold doors. And finally, quality is key. So, it's a combination of quality, security, and flexibility that sets these racks apart.
How is working with the military unique?
The military is constantly changing. Over the past 15 years, probably 75% of my work has been with the military. At one point, eight out of ten projects were for armory storage, but now it's the reverse.
High turnover is another challenge. Generally, very few people stay in their roles for more than two years — sometimes as little as 12 months. That level of change makes building solid relationships both more difficult and more important.
My dad used to say everyone should serve in the military for at least four years. And while I never did that, I feel I've at least been a part of it after calling on them for almost two decades. It's nice — if you do things the right way, you get to be known as "The Storage Guy."
How does the constant turnover impact projects?
It means you're usually starting over. You might start a project with a lot of people, and a year later, the people you worked with are gone. The new team may not even know who you are. So you have to reintroduce yourself all the time.
The military's fiscal year also complicates things. It runs from October 1 to September 30. If you don't get a project signed off in those 12 months, you'll have to start the whole process again, with new people, new budgets, and sometimes new expectations.
What should military clients consider when planning a storage project?
The key is flexibility. Different clients can have different ideas on how to organize their space, and with so much turnover and so many changing needs, it's important to invest in equipment that can adapt. Here's the thing — military budgets are allocated for very specific purposes. That's why, with the client's input, we try to design long-term solutions that are equal parts durable and adaptable.
I always try to suggest modular solutions. This way, if a client's needs or ideas change, or if the personnel changes, they can reconfigure their system to their liking. If they want to change their shelving setup, they can. What's important is that the bones of the system are there.
Spacesaver shares that philosophy. They try to make a lot of their armory storage solutions interchangeable and modular, so they can evolve alongside the client.
What are some of the other products you provide for military clients?
We've carved out a niche as para-rigging outfitters, offering solutions for storing parachutes. We have parachute containers for storing and shipping large quantities of chutes, and hanging racks for HALO chutes. Both can be mounted on mobile systems for added flexibility.
We've also gotten into selling packing tables — some as long as 40 feet — for folding parachutes. These come from Rousseau or with wooden tops on 4-Post shelving, and sometimes we even put them on carriages so they can slide from one side of the room to the other.
Outside of that, we provide shelving for a bunch of different things, from medical supplies to gas masks to food items in the cafeteria. A military base is like a small city, and there are all sorts of storage needs. But organization and accountability are always priorities.
What about storage cages? Don't many bases have those?
Absolutely. The three most common uses are for supplies, communication, and CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense). A lot of the existing cages in outposts are a patchwork of makeshift storage equipment.
We help standardize the layout, make it user-friendly, and provide better organization. Whether the change is prompted by a failed inspection or an organized soldier, it's a great opportunity to modernize the client's armory storage systems or other critical needs.
What should military clients know about Patterson Pope?
The military is tough on their equipment, so durability is essential. We sell value — value in the product, value in our people, and value in our work and commitment. At Patterson Pope, we've always been lucky enough to represent the best manufacturers in the business — like Spacesaver, Rousseau, and Hamilton Casework Solutions. And those are just three examples.
We sell quality gear because we believe in creating solutions that last. When you invest in quality, you don't have to worry about problems that might crop up down the line.
What's the biggest stuff challenge facing the military these days?
Outdated equipment and piecemeal solutions are their biggest challenges. They're moving people around all the time, and the constant turnover creates a cycle of changing requirements. I've done enough work with the military to say "Let me show you what works in these situations," and deliver exactly what they need.
My number one thing is to design something flexible and modular so that it can be changed or reorganized as needs evolve. Change is constant, but so is our commitment to delivering quality products and services.
