RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION
“I make a conscious effort to constantly learn and grow as an acquisition professional and an expert in my career field.”
She said a big part of that investment was the guidance she received from those within the JPEO Armaments and Ammu- nition community who took the time to explain what her job would entail, and the opportunities that were available to her. “People invest a lot of time in you, and since outlining these opportunities as an acquisition professional was of great bene- fit, I welcome the opportunity to pay it forward with junior staff members.”
Berg said the experience she’s gained across the entire JPEO would not have been possible without the help of her mentors.
After five years with Joint Services, where she advanced from intern to a senior program analyst, Berg had reached a pivotal point in her career and decided it was time for a change. She said Cathy Heslin, who was then the business manager, became a mentor and friend— steering her toward her next position with JPEO A&A.
“She saw things in me that I didn’t even see in myself,” Berg said, recalling how Heslin moved mountains to help her get to the next level. “I found the job I was in challenging, but I felt like I needed expo- sure to different things. I shared that with her, and she was sad that I wanted to leave, but also put me ahead of her own organi- zation, leveraged her relationship with the PEO, and said ‘Hey I have this analyst, she’s looking for a broadening experience. Would you be willing to take her on your team?’ ”
Berg said that Rich Stryker, then the JPEO G8 (finance) business director, was willing to give her a chance as a senior program analyst within his team. “I worked at the PEO level for two years, and that was probably the most valuable career experi- ence I’ve had to this point. It allowed me to interact with all the subordinate organi- zations within the PEO, and I was able to learn more about all the different products that fall under their purview—everything from towed howitzers to grenades, to small and medium caliber ammo, to the conven- tional artillery and mortar ammunition, precision ammunition, mortar weapons and mortar fire control systems that I support today.”
Berg said thanks to the efforts of Heslin and Stryker, the opportunity not only advanced her career as far as working in a high-level position relatively early on, but also made her realize the importance of being people focused. “Tey gave me a chance,” she said. “And as a result, I was able to develop more relationships because of that position—relationships that I will take into the rest of my life.”
Berg said she’s always been “people focused,” both in and out of the office, which was especially necessary at the height of the pandemic, when professional and personal life blended together. Berg said for 15 months, she and her husband, Nick, a cannon artillery engineer at DEVCOM AC, juggled their careers while caring for their now 2-year-old son, Nich- olas. “Te pandemic presented unique
challenges, but taking care of him gives me something to look forward to every day,” she said. “Spending time with him and seeing him develop and explore new things that we take for granted—it’s really opened my eyes to a whole new world.”
She said she encourages Nicholas, as well as junior personnel at work, to always keep exploring new things whenever possi- ble. “I made a commitment early on to continue learning, reading and research- ing—that’s something I apply inside and outside of work.”
“In the early stages of your acquisition career, it’s understandable to be eager to complete all the training or work toward a given level of certification and think that you’re officially ‘done,’ ” she said. But she believes it is important to contin- uously “hone one’s skills and expand one’s knowledge.”
“I make a conscious effort to constantly learn and grow as an acquisition profes- sional and an expert in my career field.”
Berg said she’s learned a lot in her career as an acquisition professional and that a combination of independent research, a great support system, and hands-on expe- rience helps her continue to advance in her career.
“I find serving as a resource manager within this fast-paced organization incred- ibly rewarding,” she said. “It is an honor to support the mission to develop, procure and field lethal armaments and ammuni- tion to the joint warfighters and allied partners, and I am proud to do so while serving as a fiscal steward to our ultimate boss, the United States taxpayer.”
—CHERYL MARINO
https://asc.ar my.mil
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