SKILL T


SEEKERS


Annual contracting support exercise grows in participation, scope and stature


by COL Tim Strange, CSM Jesse T. Hammond Jr. and Mr. Cyprien LaPorte


he operational force’s demand for the critical expeditionary contracting capa- bilities of the U.S. Army Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC) is growing rapidly year after year. In FY13, ECC, a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, deployed 497 contingency contracting


officers to support mission requirements in more than 60 countries across the globe. In FY14, they have been programmed to support 169 critical missions across all geo- graphic combatant command (GCC) areas of responsibility (AORs).


Because of the need to mature professionals in expeditionary contracting, ECC devel- oped a training exercise to help contracting professionals ramp up before they deploy. Te first joint training exercise was in 2009, when the 410th Contracting Support Brigade took part in the multinational PANAMAX exercise sponsored by U.S. South- ern Command. Similar to what brigade combat teams and other units endure at the National Training Center in preparation for deployment, ECC’s annual operational contracting support training exercise (OCSJX) has grown from an internal training tool to one sponsored by the Joint Staff so that contracting support personnel gain the skills necessary should they be called to deploy forward.


DOD’s operational contract support readiness has improved greatly with OCSJX, which now includes several coalition partners. In January, 531 contracting profes- sionals from 40 different government agencies and coalition partners participated in OCSJX-14 at Fort Bliss, TX. Tis year was the first time the Office of the Secretary of


ASC.ARMY.MIL 73


CONTRACTING


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