“Typically in a unit, you are limited in the impact you make, whether it be to a particular section, platoon, or company, while as a 51C, your impact can be spread across
thousands of Soldiers, Airmen,
Sailors, and Marines,” Sears explained. Te ability to work in a Joint environment was also appealing to him.
“Te job is not for everyone,” Sears cau- tioned. “A lot of people are attracted to it because historically, it has had higher promotion rates.” But it would be wrong to view the MOS 51C as just a desk job, he suggested.
“If nothing else, a Contracting NCO needs to be flexible,” Sears elaborated, cit- ing a popular saying: “You should never tell a customer no, but instead tell them how [a requirement] can be accomplished.” Te job can, in fact, be very demanding, he said, but the rewards are great. “You’re working 14-hour days, seven days a week, to get the mission accomplished.”
Contracting NCOs “need to remember their roots,” Sears said. “Te minute you forget the Soldier out in the field, you lose the ability to see the whole pic- ture, which will ultimately make you less effective.”
Being a 51C has its share of administra- tive work, of course. In his current job with the 414th CSB, which he began in September 2011, Sears is in charge of training. He makes sure that people attain the Defense Acquisition Uni- versity (DAU) certifications required by the Defense Acquisition Workforce
Improvement Act (DAWIA); pursue Con- tinuous Learning Points as
their jobs
require; and receive training mandated by Army Regulation 350.1, Army Train- ing and Leader Development. Sears also coordinates internal training on con- tracting-related issues.
AIMING HIGH Not working directly in the contracting field at the moment, Sears said, “I can’t wait for the day [in January 2013] when I can get back to a contracting position. I’d
‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’ IN AFGHANISTAN
While deployed to Herat, Afghanistan, SFC Eric Sears (right) took great satisfaction in helping commanders meet requirements that had a direct impact on Soldiers’ quality of life. Part of that effort was to host a conference for local Afghan vendors to help them understand the U.S. government’s contracting requirements. (Photo courtesy of USARAF Public Affairs)
Just as Williams did for him, Sears works to keep his colleagues on track with their training goals. While some need no prod- ding, others need friendly reminders. “It just takes a lot of sitting down with them and saying, ‘Hey, you realize that you have to do this.’ ”
Even an NCO who may have served as a 51C for five or six years needs a bach- elor’s degree to become DAWIA-certified, Sears noted. “Without the DAWIA cer- tification, their experience in the Army doesn’t translate across to the civilian world,” and both the NCO and the Army lose out on career opportunities and valu- able expertise, he said.
“You really have to push for it and make them see the long-range picture, versus,
‘It’s hard to take a class now, or I don’t really want to go TDY to take this DAU course.’ ”
like to continue the work that’s already been started to develop the field and improve the quality of life for Soldiers.”
His ultimate goal as a Soldier is to become ACC’s Command Sergeant Major. “I feel that
this position really allows an
individual to influence the growth and refinement of the 51C field,” Sears said.
Whatever the Army has in mind for him, “Right now, unless the Army kicks me out,
I’m not planning on leaving
anytime soon. I don’t see myself neces- sarily getting out at 20. It sounds kind of corny, but I just want to make the Army a better Army.”
MS.MARGARET C. ROTH is the Senior Editor of Army AL&T Magazine. She holds a B.A. in Russian language and lin- guistics from the University of Virginia. Roth has more than a decade of experience in writing about the Army and more than three decades’ experience in journalism and public relations. She is a co-author of the book “Operation Just Cause: The Storming of Panama.”
ASC.ARMY.MIL 203
SPOTLIGHT
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