SETTING THE GOLD STANDARD


Development Fund, created in


the


National Defense Authorization Act, that allows the department to improve training for our workforce. As our skills are unique to the DOD acquisition system, this is incredibly important to us, and shows that we value our people and want them to succeed.


Tese funds also support initiatives that include establishing higher standards for key leadership positions, establishing stronger


professional qualification


requirements for all acquisition specialties, increasing the recognition of excellence in acquisition management and continuing to increase the cost-consciousness of the acquisition workforce—changing the culture. Qualification and higher standards will ensure mentorship and personal involvement in our workforce development, and will maintain a gold standard in our military training for mission areas that translates well to our goals of recognizing our workforce as professionals.


BRANCHING OUTWARD AND UPWARD


Q. What have been DOD’s three greatest successes in improving workforce devel- opment over the past five years?


A. Our community has demonstrated and earned its reputation of


commit-


ment to its people and their development through 1) appointing strong leaders who mentor, support and invest time and resources in our people; 2) maintaining a culture of continuous improvement across our total acquisition workforce; and 3) articulating a vision with spe- cific objectives, including establishing higher standards for key leadership posi- tions,


creating stronger


requirements such as to-qualification


program, professional


the certification- increasing


recognition for workforce performance and promoting cost-consciousness across the entire acquisition community.


12 Army AL&T Magazine


Opportunities for professional development abound in Army acquisition, within and outside of the military itself. Through the competitive Training with Industry program, for example, MAJ Matthew Bisswurm, plans and operations officer with the 903rd Contingency Contracting Battalion, began a one-year assignment with Google Inc. in August 2012. “I’m looking to bring some of the innovative processes and successful techniques that Google has used, and help integrate them into the Army,” said Bisswurm, shown in this June 6, 2012, photo. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of 21st Theater Sustainment Command)


Q. As the assistant secretary of defense for acquisition, you now have overarching responsibility for DAU as well as five offices and the Defense Contract Management Agency. Has this changed your perspective on DOD’s needs for workforce development?


A. It is an honor and privilege to serve as


the assistant secretary of defense


for acquisition. Having had a long, rewarding career in public service and as


an acquisition professional, I have been in the shoes of our acquisition professionals as an entry-level, midlevel, and senior- level civilian within the department.


When I was trained in acquisition in the Marine Corps during the 1980s, I was fortunate to have constant contact with mentors and subject-matter experts who ensured that I understood my task and was able to explain why I chose a path to take when executing a task. A mistake


July–September 2013


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