able to gain insight into what other groups are facing relative to training, education and recruitment, and get ideas from how they’re responding to the issues they face.”
What do you do, and why is it important to the Army or the warfighter?
I work on pre-award actions for the EAGLE Program for main- tenance, supply and transportation services across the globe. Tis entails an extensive source selection process. We ensure that the warfighters are receiving the goods and services they need to accomplish their missions. Our command strives for the best value in our contracts, and procuring services at a fair and reasonable price means that any saved dollars can be applied to other Army programs and assist other Soldiers in need.
What’s the most challenging part of your work?
Te document review process is the biggest challenge, in terms of the time, people and revisions that are involved. But by antici- pating the changes that leadership might make before we even submit the documentation, we’re able to make that process go more smoothly. Most of my documents are reviewed by the same people, so I have an idea of what revisions they will request and can make those changes before sending it up the chain. Being proactive reduces the amount of time and the number of changes needed during reviews.
What do you see as the most important points in your career with the Army Acquisition Workforce, and why?
One important point was to successfully administer a multimillion-dollar contract by myself. Tis meant I had the knowledge and skill set to independently handle various issues as they arose. Another important point was being able to train new hires on the procurement process. Tis meant I knew enough to pass my knowledge to others. From an educational perspective, I took a class on management and organization as part of the coursework for my MBA. It helped me take a look at my own strengths and weaknesses and allowed me to figure out how I can be more effective at work by understanding how I react to certain situations and people. Overall, the course made me a better leader and showed me how to leverage the skills and experiences of the people I work with to help our team be more productive.
Can you name a particular mentor or mentors who helped you in your career? How did they help you? Have you been a mentor?
Christopher Dake, my current branch chief, has taught me to focus on the bigger picture during stressful situations. Tis has greatly helped because instead of falling apart during a crisis, I can remain calm and think from a broader perspective. Tis is a great leadership skill that I can use for the rest of my career. Susan Phares, my current division chief, has also been a mentor during my career. Sue was my branch chief when I was new to the source selection process, and was able to help me learn what I needed to address the complexities of the source selection pro- cess. Tis created the foundation I needed to become successful at future source selections and other contracting tasks. Chris and Sue continue to help guide me in my career.
I enjoy training and sharing any insights I have about acquisi- tion with others. I have been a mentor in the sense that I help train interns on my team. I have found that I learn best through teaching others. Terefore, the process is mutually beneficial.
What can you tell us about your involvement with the AAWAB?
I can’t go into the specifics—to maintain open communication among participants, we’re prohibited from discussing the pro- ceedings with anyone outside the board. Essentially, all of the participants have provided feedback on actions we’ve taken in regard to attracting, training and retaining personnel. We dis- cussed what works well and what needs some improvement. We started with a long list of ideas and narrowed that down to a few initiatives that we’re developing now. I have also given input on all of the training programs and tools and how well they work in our organization—the Acquisition Tuition Assistance Program, for example, and the Student Loan Repayment Program and DAU training.
What advice would you give to someone who aspires to a career similar to yours?
Be proactive, and take on as many challenging tasks as you can. You might struggle along the way, but one of the best ways to learn is through a challenge. I also recommend being proactive from a strategic perspective in your daily workload. Tere are many things that can go wrong or hold up the acquisition pro- cess. Tus, the more you can anticipate and plan for, the better position you will be in for your acquisition and your career.
—MS. SUSAN L. FOLLETT
ASC.ARMY.MIL
155
WORKFORCE
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