ARMY AL&T
and schedule perspective,” he said. Noting that it was also key to figure out how to work the acquisition system, requirements process, and use his vast network of friends across DOD, the intelligence community, Army and other services.
It was based on everything he had learned through his career, starting back to his early days at Fort Monmouth, that enabled him to have the knowledge to pitch the idea for Project Linch- pin, by “understanding the role of S&T, innovation, integration into acquisition strategies, working on early concepts informed by operational users and requirements owners, transitioning to a civilian managing millions of dollars to accelerate innovative technologies into the Army, working with major non-traditional defense partners and learning the challenges operationalizing AI,” he said.
“Te fun has only begun!” he said. IDEAS IN FLIGHT
Patel, center, on a military plane briefing an update on Project Linchpin to Young Bang, left, principal deputy of ASA(ALT), and Dr. Alexander Miller, chief technology officer for the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army in 2022 flying to the Army’s AI Integration Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo courtesy of Bharat Patel)
LIRA [long-range investment requirements analysis] and SPAR [strategic portfolio analysis review]).” Within four months he was presenting to leaders across the portfolio, explaining the role of science and technology in their acquisition strategy and process, identifying technology needs, how to leverage S&T to acceler- ate technology and the basics of S&T integration. “I became the ‘MITRE technology guy’ at the PEO,” he said.
Patel transitioned to an Army civilian in 2016 to Project Manager (PM) for Distributed Common Ground System – Army (DCGS-A), today known as PM IS&A. “I was hired to take on the technology manager, chief technology advisor, industry lead, lead engineer … whatever the PM needed,” he said, adding that he learned not only about major source selection and process, but a lot about acquisition law. In 2017, when the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security initiated the Algorithmic Warfare Cross Functional Teams, known as Proj- ect Maven, a major DOD initiative to accelerate AI adoption, DCGS-A was assigned. “I ended up being the Army’s technical manager for various AI operational pilots. I learned a lot about operationalizing AI and all of the challenges from technical, cost
Trough it all, the most important point in his career has been “working with some of the best people,” Patel said. “I learned so much with every interaction.” He also has enjoyed being assigned projects with little-to-no direction which have challenged him to just “figure it out.” How he goes about figuring it out is one thing people typically find interesting about his career, he said. In his role, Patel has the flexibility to be creative and he can use anything available in the “acquisition toolbox” to get something done. Tat includes being able to interact and engage with major technology hubs across the United States, “being able to find my own path and network,” he said.
Te most important lesson he has learned is, “No one has the right to tell you ‘no, that’s not a good idea’ or ‘no, you can’t do that.’ ” Patel said. “I just need to figure out how to work within the system and continue moving the conversation forward … I will find a way if there is a way.”
—HOLLY DECARLO-WHITE
https://asc.ar my.mil
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