CONTROL YOUR DESTINY


As an international logistical specialist, Erika Curry supports the military by provid- ing “everything from beans to bullets”—specifically, training, services and people for tasks. “Most people are not aware that you can support the Army and not be in the Army .… You can support as a civilian within the government and not just as a contrac- tor,” Curry said.


ERIKA CURRY


COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Project Manager Strategic and Operational Rockets and Missiles, Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space


TITLE: Logistics management specialist YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 15


DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Foundational in life cycle logistics; Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management Level II; Security Co- operation Workforce Basic-level certification


EDUCATION: MBA in logistics management and a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in logistics from Alabama A&M University


AWARDS: Army Achievement Medal for Civil- ian Service (March 2014)


Curry provides logistical expertise to the missile weapon systems for the Project Manager Strategic and Operational Rockets and Missiles within the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space. She ensures that requested assets are provided at the right time for the right price. Specifically, she manages the contractor logistics support contract for weapon system sustainment, which ensures that assets are repaired and returned, adequate spares are available, and training is sufficient for the ongoing tasks.


She began her career in the Army Acquisition Workforce through the Army Intern Program at the Army Aviation and Missile Command Logistics Center, Blackhawk Utility Directorate at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. “It was very appealing because the position of the logistics management specialist aligned with my degrees in logistics,” Curry said. Her father was a logistician in the Marines, so she wanted to provide the same support that others provided to him.


“Within my tenure, I have taken full advantage of every opportunity provided to me,” she said, the most valuable opportunity being mentorship. “I have had both formal and informal mentorships which have allowed a different insight on how I could accomplish my goals.” In September, Curry completed the Inspiring and Developing Excellence in Acquisition Leaders (IDEAL) program. “All these experiences and exposure allowed me to see the Army from a different lens. I have gained knowledge that I have immediately applied to my current position. Bonds that have been built with individuals cannot be broken,” she said.


“You can support the Army and not be in the Army.”


“As a federal employee of 15 years, I have witnessed the retirement tsunami. A clear indi- cation of the generation gap within the workforce,” she said in her submission for the program. “Although there have been many attempts to bridge the gap, the fact remains that knowledge has left and there must be a way to replace it. Te solution is to provide the tools that will allow the upcoming generations to thrive. … One of those essential tools is training, which will allow those that lack the experience to become exposed to elements that would otherwise not be available.”


Curry said the IDEAL program helped her to change her mindset, infusing leader- ship doctrine and principals with real work situations, like techniques to work with the


74


Army AL&T Magazine


Fall 2023


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