UAS readiness by reducing the mean time to repair and the mishap rate, at the lowest possible cost to the program manager,” he added. “It’s a challenge that we all accept and take very seriously.”
What do you do in your position, and why is it important to the Army or the warfighter?
As a member of a government and industry team, my job is to provide subject matter expertise, oversee the technical author- ing of publications tasks and ensure that these publications are written in accordance with military standards and incorporate change requests from Soldier customers. In other words, I help to write the technical manuals that Soldiers use to operate and maintain a complex weapon system.
What one skill or ability is most important in doing your job effectively?
Listening. Simply listening to customer input and letting the customer know that their issues are important and deserve an answer is vital to solving problems. I use listening to critically think issues out in order to develop the best solution that will help the customer while considering the cost to the program.
How did you become part of the Army Acquisition Work- force, and why?
I transferred from my job as an Army civilian—I was a logistics assistance representative for the Army Aviation and Missile Com- mand. I chose this position because I knew it would allow me to manage and support the sustainment effort, which in turn sup- ports our Soldiers in the field. My background as a Soldier and my experience with developing the logistics effort for the AH-64D Longbow Apache were instrumental in my ability to provide sus- tainment support and assist with technical publications.
What’s the biggest challenge your program faces, and how do you overcome it?
Tere are several challenges that we face as the project man- ager for an Acquisition Category I weapon system, including fielding an entirely new variant of the Shadow UAS, continu- ing our support to several platoons deployed in combat theaters, and ongoing efforts to insert new technology and upgrades to improve reliability and decrease Soldier workload. I assist with overcoming these issues by ensuring that the technical publi- cations are constantly and accurately updated as the Shadow marches through its evolutionary cycle.
TEAM EFFORT
Smith, right, poses with a team from Textron Systems that supported the One System Remote Video Terminal and the Shadow Unmanned Aircraft System, during a 2013 assignment in Bagram, Afghanistan. (Photo by Richard James, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command)
What do you see as the most important points in your career with the Army Acquisition Workforce, and why?
Attaining my DAWIA Level III certification in life cycle logistics was certainly a key point in my career, because of the rigorous and fully encompassing program of instruction that the certifica- tion involves. Tis training has been helpful with executing my assigned duties, and helps me to understand the bigger picture regarding cost, schedule and performance. My deployments into combat theaters where I worked for the forward director for the ASA(ALT) have also been important in enhancing my strategic understanding of how acquisition efforts directly support Soldiers.
What advice would you give to someone who aspires to a career similar to yours?
Concentrate on and become proficient at the small things. Get out of your comfort zone and learn something new every day. Never let a day pass without being able to say that you did something for a Soldier. And get out there and serve alongside Soldiers when the opportunity arises.
If you could break the rules or make the rules, what would you change or do?
I would not break any of the current rules or processes that we use to support Soldiers. However, I would expedite some of the rules that we are currently developing, which would accelerate new capabilities to our Soldiers while incrementally decreasing cost to the program manager, such as UAS readiness reporting and completing the migration of technical skills from contracted support to a completely organic capability at the Soldier level.
—MS. SUSAN L. FOLLETT
ASC.ARMY.MIL 59
LOGISTICS
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