WORKFORCE
FIRST IN 522
The first cohort of Army Acquisition Degree Curriculum 522 graduated in December with a master of science degree in systems engineering management from NPS in Monterey, California. (Photo by Javier Chagoya, NPS)
and technology pursuits, while keeping the needed methodolo- gies in contract and program management. Our end goals haven’t changed for the broader objectives of improved critical think- ing, enhanced decision-making and a larger professional network among the workforce.
Ostrowski is a 1996 alumnus of NPS, and a former student of mine. As we discussed proposed changes, he told me, “We have to recalibrate our graduate education at NPS.” He wanted NPS to focus more on product than process, emphasizing new capa- bilities over policies. “We need more technical, less managerial. Our folks already know how to lead people. What they really have to manage in acquisition is complexity,” he said. Recent stud- ies of military capacity to execute national security and defense strategies showed a shrinking technological edge over our near- peer threats.
Realizing there weren’t many officers in the ranks with highly technical or engineering undergraduate degrees, the Army’s academic advisers at NPS observed that specialized degrees like engineering management were the fastest-growing grad- uate education segments in the Army, while nonspecialized management programs were precipitously declining. Also, the Government Accountability Office specifically cited a lack of systems engineering in many high-profile weapon system program failures; large program cancellations of the past 10 years included Future Combat System, Comanche and Crusader. Everything
pointed to a need for more skills in the areas of systems engineer- ing as well as the acquisition essentials of contracting, program management, and test and evaluation. A long-standing degree at NPS was the systems engineering management degree for folks without an engineering undergraduate degree. With that as our foundation, we could easily integrate courses from across the campus.
MORE THAN BUSINESS AS USUAL Over the next year, the NPS Department of Systems Engineering had the needed courses and faculty members to modernize and satisfy our sponsor’s shifting educational needs. With a palpable sense of urgency coming from the Pentagon and global challenges on the horizon, the Army’s 18-month master’s degree program at NPS reorganized to provide Level III Defense Acquisition Work- force Improvement Act (DAWIA) training equivalencies in three different disciplines: systems engineering, program management and contract management; with Level II in test and evaluation.
Ostrowski often says of the new programs, “Tis is what right looks like!” and added, “President Rondeau understands our current national security environment and helped us forge the path to meeting our new educational requirements.” Since the first cohort, he has sent three additional groups of Army Acquisi- tion Corps officers, arriving twice per year. Tere’ll be two more groups coming in January and June 2020, so even with the depar- ture of this first large cohort, there’ll be around 80 officers on the
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