an equipment concentration site in Waco, TX, as an aircraft production controller with an aviation support facility at Fort Hood, and as a supply technician with the Corps of Engineers in Fort Worth. I joined the Tank-Automotive and Arma- ments Command [now the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command] in early 2010 as a materiel fielding manager, and then transferred to PM UAS in 2011.
What do you see as the most important points in your career with the Army AL&T Workforce, and why? Is there a program or opportunity you wish you had pursued but didn’t?
My most important career move was in 2011: I accepted a position on a materiel fielding team at TACOM that required me to relocate from Texas to Michigan. Tat position required me to focus on logistical approaches from a higher level and also to incorporate my real-world experiences, and eventually led me to my current position here at PM UAS.
I would have loved to work in the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) program. DCMA professionals serve as
“information brokers” and in-plant repre- sentatives for the military.
All of my career moves have pushed me out of my comfort zone, challenging me and making me think outside the box. Additionally, I’ve been fortunate to have great mentors who challenged me along
FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE
During a 2006 deployment to Afghanistan, Salinas served as the NCO in charge of the Joint Robotic Repair Detachment. Salinas counts that experience among the most satisfying of her logistics career, as it allowed her to talk with warfighters in theater who were putting the capabilities she worked on to the test. (Photos courtesy of PM UAS)
the way and encouraged me to pursue other positions within the logistics field.
What’s the greatest satisfaction you have in being a part of the AL&T Workforce?
Tere are a handful of things I’m proud of. As a supply sergeant, I was in charge of receiving new equipment and phasing out obsolete materiel. I often wondered who was testing and approving that equipment before it was added to the Army’s inventory. Now that I’m on the other side of the process, I make sure I can identify and recommend solutions to concerns
that a warfighter might
have. For example, I know from my own deployments what Soldiers might not have access to, and can better antici- pate what supplies they might need even though they’re not sure exactly how long they’ll be gone.
When I worked with TACOM, our team fielded 15 skid-steer loaders (SSLs) to a unit in Louisiana. Two weeks later, the unit commander called to thank our team for their new equipment. Shortly after their new equipment training and fielding, the unit used the SSLs to pre- vent a levee from breaking. I’m glad we had a hand in that.
In Afghanistan, I had a great opportu- nity to be part of a team supporting the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office in
the counter-IED [improvised explosive device] fight. I enjoyed talking with the warfighters who were putting our capabil- ities to the test; they provided invaluable feedback for possible improvements.
Acquisition is a very broad term encom- passing a lot of different job specialties, with many career tools available to all of them. What advice would you give to someone who wants to get where you are today?
It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and personal sacrifice to progress in this field. Seek out a supply chain and logis- tics management degree if you don’t have any military experience. Te Logistics Management Intern Program at Fort Lee, VA, offers permanent positions with the federal government with opportunity for upward mobility. Also, don’t hesitate to try a new position: Tere is always some- thing else to learn in logistics. Finally, seek out a mentor and soak in all the knowledge you can. Logistics is con- stantly evolving.
What’s something that most people don’t know about your job? What sur- prises outsiders most when you tell them about your job?
Most people are amazed that logisticians provide support in so many different areas across the life cycle—we’re able to collaborate with acquisition, engi- neers and contracting experts to address various concerns. Here at PEO Aviation, we’re all under one umbrella, so we can see a problem all the way through: from when it’s initially reported from the field to when a solution—in the form of a new part, maybe, or a modification to a train- ing requirement or a manual—goes out to the warfighter.
—MS. SUSAN L. FOLLETT
ASC.ARMY.MIL 153
WORKFORCE
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