ACQUISITION CHECKPOINT


ON THE SCENE


President Joe Biden walks with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, left, Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, center right, and Vice President Kamala Harris at the Pentagon on Feb. 10. (Photo by Lisa Ferdinando, Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs)


improvements and tweaks to the efforts that were started in previous administra- tions, rather than the wholescale reform seen in recent years,” including expanded efforts in rapid prototyping and exper- imentation. “The biggest change in priorities between administrations


initiatives will have significant implica- tions for defense acquisition.


is


likely to be how the Biden adminis- tration uses the acquisition system to achieve its domestic policy goals, largely focused around Biden’s initiatives to increase ‘Made in America,’ combat climate change, and achieve socioeco- nomic changes,” McCormick wrote. He noted that DOD accounts for nearly half of all federal acquisitions, and that in the 2019 fiscal year, defense spending on green products totaled $30.8 billion, suggest- ing that these two major White House


IN THE LEAD The Pentagon’s new senior leadership began to take shape immediately after President Joe Biden’s swearing-in as the 46th president of the United States. Secre- tary of Defense Austin received quick Senate confirmation on Jan. 22 and was sworn in at the Pentagon that same day. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Austin served 41 years in uniform, retiring as a four-star general after three years as commander of U.S. Central Command.


Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks was confirmed Feb. 8 and sworn in


the next day. Hicks comes to the deputy secretary’s job after serving as the senior vice president and Henry A. Kissinger Chair at CSIS. She served in Defense Department policy offices during the Obama administration, including as principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy and deputy undersecretary of defense for strategy, plans and forces.


As DOD’s de facto chief operating officer, Hicks bears the frontline responsibility of translating strategy into day-to-day programming and budgeting, modern- ization and reform.


Just who the permanent leadership will be in Army acquisition was not certain as this issue of Army AL&T went to press.


8


Army AL&T Magazine


Spring 2021


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