ARMY AL&T
Brandt worked in the private sector after graduating from college, first with Intel Corp. and then with Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI), which sells software to federal agencies. “Working with AGI gave me the opportunity to see how the government operates and how they were using the systems we were selling, and I decided I wanted to be part of that,” said Brandt, whose grandfathers served in the Army. “I wanted to support the military mission in a direct and pure way, one not clouded by corporate profit motives.”
His first federal position was as an artil- lery weapons engineer with U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, now the U.S. Army Combat Capability Development Command’s (CCDC) Armaments Center.
“Guns and ammo are not covered in any depth in standard engineering curriculum, so the nature of the work, as technically unique, was intriguing,” he said. “Plus, when you become part of the Army as a civilian, you learn about military culture and history, like the fact that artillery is known as the ‘the King of Battle,’ because historically it has caused the most casual- ties. As I took on different positions, I got to work on ammunition and other related products. I realized that every weapon and ammunition commodity has its own story, its own history and its own importance on the battlefield.”
Brandt noted that some of his most memorable training experiences were in “greening” classes about the Army and Army leadership led by Col. Kurt McNeely (USA, Ret.), chief of Warfighter Central at Picatinny Arsenal. “Te classes give civilians a look into the Soldier’s world. [McNeely] introduced us to rudi- mentary land navigation, marching, core concepts like chain of command, etc.,” said Brandt. “But, perhaps most memo- rably, he personally narrated—based on
firsthand knowledge—while we watched
‘Black Hawk Down,’ ” which details the U.S. military raid in Mogadishu in 1993 in which 19 warfighters were killed.
“Tat gave me a visceral connection to the warfighter.”
Brandt joined JPEO A&A in 2014, and his arrival marked his transition from engineering to program management—“a substantial change,” he said. “As an engi- neer, you are primarily concerned with technical details and quality. As a program manager, you have a broader scope of concern, because now you are responsi- ble and accountable for cost, schedule and performance. It’s quite a balancing act.”
He noted that he’s grateful for the support he has received from John Curran, acting deputy JPEO. “Oddly enough, after all the Army-centric leadership training I’ve done, it’s this man—who retired from the Marine Corps—who is the best example of an Army civilian leader who has been my direct supervisor,” Brandt said. “He embodies the warrior ethos, lives the military values, and is a consummate professional. I haven’t always agreed with him, but through those disagreements I have had the opportunity to learn how a senior leader thinks.”
Over the course of his acquisition career, Brandt has availed himself of opportuni- ties to earn advanced degrees in business and thermal sciences. He credits Dr. Donald Carlucci, senior research scien- tist at the CCDC Armaments Center, with helping him in those endeavors. “In an environment that sometimes felt like a degree factory, Dr. Carlucci made me earn my degree. He expected the best of us and held us accountable, and he some- times failed people in his classes, which I respected, because something was actually at stake,” Brandt said. “Dr. Carlucci is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, yet
SHARPENING HIS SKILLS
Brandt, right, trains with Matt Campbell in Sayoc Kali, a Filipino martial art known as “the art of the blade.” (Photo by Jacqueline Sayoc)
he’s incredibly humble. He’s a role model for engineers and a devoted civil servant— someone I strive to emulate.”
His advice to newcomers? “Do your DAWIA training to get your career field certification and do your mandatory train- ing. All of this takes time, but it is just part of being an acquisition workforce member. Tere are boxes that need to get checked, so check them,” he said. “Beyond that, don’t be afraid to try something new, make a move. Tere’s always an unknown when you change positions, but that’s where growth happens.”
—SUSAN L. FOLLETT
https://asc.ar my.mil
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