COMMUNICATIONS READINESS: ‘CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?’


the communications payload on these satellite constellations, and the payload ensures that Soldiers have dedicated com- munications coverage wherever they go out on a mission.


As the PM for DCATS, Col. Charles M. Stein had a lot to do with making this happen. Te systems he managed enhance the readiness of virtually all of the military’s wideband SATCOM capacity, which supports U.S. combat forces deployed around the globe. Te PM’s objective: to ensure that the DOD wideband satellite constellation con- tinuously provides support to peacetime, contingency, surge and crisis action plans. It


is the very definition of SATCOM readiness.


A SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS AND PEOPLE Gen. George S. Patton said, “If everyone is


thinking alike,


ONLY CONNECT then somebody isn’t


thinking.” Tat is a good encapsula- tion of how Stein manages PM DCATS’ collective brainpower. Te team’s diver- sity—in background, personality


and


perspective—includes satellite engineers, contract specialists, logistics personnel and program managers, all assembled under one roof at Fort Belvoir. Each member brings a distinct skill set and expertise to the organization, and bring- ing them all to the same table has its own value.


Stein’s three-year tenure as PM DCATS started and ended with people, he said. His first goal at DCATS was to address morale. “When I arrived, we launched a climate survey, which revealed clear places for improvement,” he said. One such area was Stein’s effort to help make people feel safe to voice unpopular or critical opinions. “We followed up the cli- mate survey with a series of small-group, non-attribution ‘sensing sessions’ where


120


Stein thanks Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard,” Alabama National Guard and Arizona National Guard for their work verifying the preparedness of the CSS VSAT system for transition to Soldier sustainment from contractor logistics support, March 3, at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Stein’s first move as PM was to assess morale through a survey and smaller sensing sessions, and then to act on the feedback gathered with policy and personnel changes. (Photo by James Christophersen, PM DCATS)


five to 10 people met with me at a time to air their grievances. Te sensing sessions in particular really opened the floodgates, revealing some major issues,” he said.


More important to Stein, PM DCATS then followed up on the survey and sensing sessions, changing policies and personnel where necessary and instituting a number of training and team-building efforts. Tat Stein took concrete action to make real changes driven by those opin- ions reinforced that he was taking people seriously and affirmed the trust they had placed in him. Another climate survey in July 2017 showed a 40 percent improve- ment in morale.


Although Stein’s background is in teach- ing and acquisition, which are not even distant relatives of the signal or SATCOM professions, a PM doesn’t have to be the


expert on every aspect of their program.


“I rely on our satellite experts to guide the Army toward smart decisions,” said Stein.


“Tey rely on me for the acquisition acu- men to navigate the treacherous waters of Army acquisition. Only together does DCATS succeed. It’s all about getting everyone to see the benefit of all of us rowing together.”


A VARIETY OF CUSTOMERS PM DCATS’ stakeholders, especially its customers, “are as varied and diverse as our workforce and portfolio,” said Stein. Te office serves more than 45 differ- ent customer organizations as diverse as major commands, HQDA and special operations forces, not to mention joint force partners and international allies. (See “PM DCATS Programs and Depen- dencies,” Page 124.)


Army AL&T Magazine


October-December 2017


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