LIFE AS A GHOST
Tis joint environment fosters a powerful network of relationships connecting SOF AT&L and the service components. Additionally, acquisition leaders will now have more ties to the special opera- tions community, and those connections will pay dividends over time as the network continues to grow and as more organizations across the services adopt rapid acquisition practices following SOCOM’s lead. Better teamwork across the DOD acquisition community benefits the warfighter, who is the focal point for everything we do.
BUILT FOR SPEED Approximately 92 percent of the programs in SOF AT&L are in Acquisition Category (ACAT) III, meaning the total program cost is less than that of the larger ACAT I and II programs. Te lower-dollar ACAT status pushes the decision authority down to the lowest level possible, which facilitates speed—and speed, as one can imagine at SOCOM, is critical.
Another structural component that lends itself to speed is the accessibility of decision-makers and approval authorities through- out the SOF AT&L organization. In most cases, the PEO is down the hall, while the acquisition executive is upstairs and the commander of SOCOM is next door. Each program incorporates end users throughout its life cycle, including user representatives and current SOF operators, who work throughout the organiza- tion. Tey are readily available to hold, touch, see, feel and use the gear and equipment that SOF AT&L is engineering and to provide feedback early and often.
MY EXPERIENCE About 75 percent of my time was allocated to tackling a complex problem set that revolved around command-and-control tools used by the community. Tis challenge fit my background and experience with Agile software development (an intentional pair- ing), which allowed me to engage stakeholders in every service component and every field across the SOF enterprise—engineer- ing, contracting, finance and testing, among others—to help define and prioritize requirements. Approaching this problem set with an Agile development methodology was critical, as it enabled the cross-functional team to make continuous progress while adapting to evolving requirements.
One guiding principle of the Ghost Program is that its partici- pants work on meaningful problems that have tangible results during their short tour at SOF AT&L. I never felt I was doing busywork; rather, I was working through the necessary actions to help warfighters get what they need. It was incredible to expe- rience rapid acquisition firsthand; it was amazing to see how fast an idea can come to life.
Te remaining 25 percent of my time was allocated to professional development, which allowed me to explore the many facets of the SOF enterprise. In this results-oriented environment, each person is tasked to be the expert in their field. I was fortunate to meet with a slew of impressive professionals: government civil- ians, military, contractors, industry teammates and leaders from partnered nations.
SUPPORTING THE FORCE
To work in SOF AT&L, directly supporting warfighters like these Special Warfare Combatant–Craft Crewmen among other operators, is a unique professional experience for acquisition personnel. The SOCOM Ghost Program provides this opportunity to junior Army acquisition professionals during a 90-day rotation at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. (Photo courtesy of SOCOM Media Relations)
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Army AL&T Magazine
Fall 2019
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