ARMY AL&T


Agility in the Operational Environment— The Value of Army Science Advisors (51S)


to Service and Combatant Commanders LTC Rich Lonardo


T


he U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) provides agility and capability to battle


formations and staffs by managing Army acqui- sition officers in assignments titled “Science and Technology (S&T) Advisors” or 51S area of con- centration (AOC). Initially part of a few Ph.D. Soldiers labeled Uniformed Army Science Advi- sors, the 51S officer role has evolved since 2003 to meet war requirements.


Today, Army S&T Advisors fulfill critical roles at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. They provide tactical support to battlefield com- manders via focused technology insertion. The 51S officers provide operational support to joint warfighting staffs in mitigating enemy fires. At the strategic level, these Soldiers advise combat- ant command (COCOM) staffs on enabling technologies to influence defense efforts in the reality of hybrid wars waged in a flat world.


AOC 51S Soldiers were given a chance to excel at the operational level with the effective horizontal integration of additional specialized capa- bilities, such as those performed by JIEDDO. Here, SSG Scott Saenz, a 755th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, conducts security during JIED training at Kandahar Airfi eld, Afghanistan, May 5, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by SSG James L. Harper Jr.)


APRIL –JUNE 2010


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