TRAIN FOR THE CHALLENGE


through the military school system or civilian university system.


A significant part of the program’s value comes from the fact that we do not really build anything in Washington. Rather, every end product relies on the diligence and hard work of people across America in the organic and commercial industrial base. Our ability to thrive in the cur- rent environment of declining budgets depends on improved collaboration with industry and adoption of the lean, agile methods of the private sector.


EXEMPLARS OF EXCELLENCE


Members of the 2011 CDG/AAF gather May 19 at the Defense Acquisition University on Fort Belvoir, VA, during a graduation ceremony hosted by the Army Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) LTG Michael E. Williamson, center. Representing the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC), which administers the program, at the ceremony were Tom Evans, left, chief of USAASC’s Workforce Management Division; Giselle Whitfield, third from left, program manager; and Craig A. Spisak, right, USAASC director. (Photo by Stephanie Watson, USAASC)


to managerial techniques and industrial procedures within corporate America, with a particular emphasis on firms in the defense and information technology sectors. Te earliest students focused on training for careers in mat eriel acquisi- tion and logistics management. Today, the Army’s program supports career paths in public affairs, physical security and finance as well as acquisition. Te Army benefits from developing a cadre of Soldiers trained in state-of-the-art man- agement techniques and possessing deep knowledge of our industrial base.


Te Army Acquisition Corps offers this assignment to highly motivated and skilled officers in the ranks of major and lieutenant colonel. Each applicant for the


6 Army AL&T Magazine


125 TWI positions throughout the Army, 10 of those within the Acquisition Corps, must meet prerequisites. Candidates are awarded TWI positions after a review of their personnel records. Our Soldiers work with many of the most innovative private companies in America, includ- ing FedEx, General Dynamics, Google and Microsoft. Participants then return to acquisition and contracting roles with a deeper understanding of our industry partners and new techniques for address- ing our shared challenges. (See related articles starting on Page 128.) TWI alums interact directly with our indus- try partners and often can benchmark Army performance based on industry standards. Te training received in TWI assignments is not generally available


July–September 2014


While TWI trains young officers in Army acquisition to leverage current private-sector trends, the Competitive Development Group/Army Acquisition Fellowship (CDG/AAF) provides oppor- tunities for midcareer civilian professionals. Established in 1997, the three-year pro- gram helps to strengthen the leadership and management skills of our most prom- ising civilian Acquisition Corps members. To date, 196 civilians have completed the program. More than 100 graduates have been promoted to GS-14 or GS-15, and three now serve our country as members of the Senior Executive Service.


Civilians also have the opportunity to learn fundamentals of leading a military organization in the Defense Acquisition University’s Senior Service College Fel- lowship (SSCF). Te purpose of SSCF is to train GS-14s and GS-15s for senior lead- ership roles, including program managers, program executive officers and other key acquisition positions. After


completing


the program, each participant is assigned to a position of greater responsibility. SSCF meets a current need for increased civilian leadership training while leveraging talent already developed in the Army Acquisi- tion Corps. SSCF has been recognized for its excellence in career development and is a great example of the outstanding


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