CONTRACTING
What do you do, and why is it important to the Army or the warfighter?
I serve as an OCS instructor at ALU. Our course is designed for commissioned officers, warrant officers, noncommissioned offi- cers (NCOs) and civilians assigned to tactical unit staffs (at the brigade level through theater Army) who will be responsible for planning for and obtaining supplies, services and construction from commercial sources in support of combatant commander- directed operations through the
related contract support
integration, contracting support and contractor management functions. Army personnel who successfully complete our course are eligible to receive the “3C” additional skill identifier.
How did you become part of the Army Acquisition Work- force, and why?
It all began while I was on active duty. While deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2007 and 2008, I served as a contracting officer’s representative (COR) for 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. As Task Force Saber’s COR, I worked as a liaison for organizational requirements across various OCS stakeholders within the joint operational area. Our contracts employed more than 850 local nationals on seven coalition bases, at an annual cost of $5.4 million. I had spent almost 12 months in that role when the Army announced the creation of the new 51C mili- tary occupational specialty, the contracting NCO. At the behest
of my brigade S-4, I applied and, within a few months, I was selected. Seven years later, upon my retirement from active duty, I applied for a position to serve as ALU’s OCS instructor.
Can you name a particular mentor or mentors who helped you in your career? How did they help you?
Tere are several. Without a doubt, each and every member of the 410th Contracting Support Brigade (circa 2009 to 2012); Contracting Officers Brenda Johnson (Mission and Installa- tion Contracting Command at Fort Sam Houston, Texas), and Rajni Anderson (Regional Contracting Center in Kuwait); the 802d Contracting Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, which provided so many of us with our Level I tutelage; and, of course, the Acquisition, Logistics and Technology-Integration Office in the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Lee, Virginia, whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with personally and professionally.
People say that OCS is complex, and that it requires a multi- functional, multidisciplinary capability. Tanks to the people I’ve named here, I’m more capable of meeting these challenges.
What’s the greatest satisfaction you have in being a part of the Army Acquisition Workforce?
Knowing that what I do makes a difference. Te work we do is by no means easy. You have to stay abreast of changes across doctrine, organization, tactics, materiel and logistics, and to do so requires dedication not only to your craft, but to those we support. I think it was [legendary college basketball coach] John Wooden who said, “It is what we learn after we know it all that really counts.” Te great thing about this job is that we never really stop learning. I learn as much from my students as I hope they do from me.
What’s something that most people don’t know about your job?
HEAD OF HIS CLASS Formerly a COR while on active duty, Anthony Hicks now teaches a course on operational contracting support at ALU. (Photo by Coty Boyd, ALU)
Since its pilot session in 2009, ALU’s two-week OCS course has trained roughly 4,200 students. But it’s the number of wait- listed students who don’t get in that’s more noteworthy. My recommendation for anyone who’s considering this course is this: apply now. Ninety to 120 days out is ideal. If you’re hop- ing to attend in 30 to 60 days and you haven’t signed up, you’ve waited too long.
—MS. SUSAN L. FOLLETT
ASC.ARMY.MIL 95
CONTRACTING
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184
