THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE ACQUISITION CAREER N COL. DAVID WARNICK
COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Joint Attack Munition Systems Proj- ect Office, Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space
TITLE: Project manager
YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 17 YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE: 27
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Level III in program management
EDUCATION: MBA, Naval Post- graduate School; Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College; B.S. in manage- ment and systems engineering, United States Military Academy at West Point
AWARDS: Defense Acquisition Work- force Individual Achievement Award for Program Management; Meritorious Service Medal (four oak leaf clusters); Army Commendation Medal; Army Achieve- ment Medal; Army Aviator Badge
early 20 years ago, then-Capt. David Warnick was finishing his troop command as an aviation officer and a Kiowa Warrior pilot and was “not necessarily impressed with the direction of the platform.” Research into how modernization and improvements took place led him to the Acqui-
sition Corps. “After talking with some mentors, I felt this would be a great way to apply my aviation background and ensure that future pilots had platforms that brought the greatest capability to the battlefield.”
Warnick—now a colonel—has had a dynamic career since then, starting as assis- tant program manager in the Aviation Rockets and Missiles Product Office and the Close Combat Weapon Systems Project Office within the Program Executive Office (PEO) for Missiles and Space; then serving as a warranted contracting offi- cer at Fort Drum, New York; a Department of the Army systems coordinator in Washington; as executive officer for the deputy for acquisition and systems manage- ment in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology; and eventually returning to PEO Missiles and Space in July 2016 to serve in his current role: project manager for the Joint Attack Munition Systems (JAMS) Project Office.
“Our office is responsible for designing, developing and delivering air-to-ground munition systems that over time have been adapted to be fired from a variety of platforms for employment against a wide range of target sets,” Warnick said. Te office’s Hellfire missiles and Hydra rockets, along with their associated launcher systems, have been used extensively in current overseas contingency operations, and the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) has recently been fielded for use in multidomain operations. “We are very proud of the long history of our programs and the efforts we have taken to extend that legacy, and we continue to provide safe, reliable and effective munitions,” he said.
“I am truly blessed to have the greatest job in the Army. It has given me the oppor- tunity to work with some of the most dedicated and caring professionals you will ever find,” Warnick added. “Tey are an incredibly gifted and talented group, but what separates them from other organizations is their cohesiveness and genuine concern for the warfighters they support and for each other.”
Given the number and variety of platforms that Warnick’s office oversees, it’s not surprising that he considers stakeholder management to be the most challenging aspect of his job. “I have a portfolio of products with a variety of end users from all U.S. services, numerous foreign partners, multiple platforms with unique integra- tion requirements, and our extensive supply chain of industry partners,” he said. He advocates and supports decision-making at the appropriate levels for prod- uct managers and functional leadership as a way to address that challenge. “I am
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Army AL&T Magazine
Spring 2020
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