DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Program. Tis program provides me with the knowledge and associated skills to perform various construction disciplines.” He said his supervisor recommended the program to him, and he would recommend it to anyone in the contracting workforce, to acquire valuable skills and knowledge necessary for advancing one’s career, or helping others become more proficient in their professional fields. “It allows me to stay competitive and focused on the fundamentals,” he said.
According to Fuller, mentoring and sharing knowledge doesn’t stop once he leaves the office. “Most of my friends know that I mentor and counsel veterans outside of work,” he said. “I share substantial knowledge with military personnel and veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] and military transition assistance; the breadth of my knowledge extends to aiding in resume writing, VA claims and the appeals process.” And accord- ing to Fuller, taking care of Soldiers and his work as a VA claims agent will continue after he retires from the federal government.
DAILY REVIEW
Fuller is reviewing his daily workload with contracting officer Sigrid Kahlert, at her office at the Regional Contracting Office in Grafenwoehr, Germany in March. (Photo courtesy of the 409th Contracting Support Brigade)
and environmental projects. Being part of the AAW has been an excellent opportunity to be supported by a team that trained and mentored me to reach my acquisition ‘aha!’ moment.”
But, according to Fuller, becoming a member of the AAW did not come easily. “Before I retired from the Army, a colleague had informed me of the acquisition program. I began applying to the program in 2011, and finally became part of the Army Acquisition Workforce in 2018, after countless times submit- ting my resume on USA Jobs,” he said. “I believe I was selected when another candidate declined a position in Grafenwohr, Germany—it goes to show the competitiveness of the AAW program.”
Fuller said that, once he was finally able to join the acquisi- tion workforce, he began taking advantage of relevant training opportunities. He earned his DAWIA Professional certifica- tion in contracting and intended to further his credentials, but COVID-19 had other plans. “I was one course shy of completing the program; however, because of the events of COVID-19 and various policy cancellations, I did not finish the program, so I recently enrolled in the new Construction Contracting Credential
Fuller said the most important lesson he’s learned is that contract- ing changes daily, and you should always be learning and improving. “Forget the process you have learned at your last duty station—when PCSing, learn your gaining unit processes,” he said. (PCS, short for “permanent change of station,” is used as a verb for the process of a military member moving to a differ- ent, permanent duty station.) “I apply it at work by supporting my leaders and contracting officer every day.”
Tere is much knowledge and guidance that Fuller has acquired from his years of experience and on-the-job training that he applies to everyday life, but he said the best and most crucial advice was from his father. “He said, ‘Stephen, listen to older people; they know.’ It took me a few years to understand it, but I caught on and I have applied this advice to mold me throughout my training and experience in the Army and Army Acquisition Workforce.” Fuller said he has also listened to and taken the advice from leaders, supervisors and subordinates. “Listening to and understanding one’s point of view has made me a notice- ably confident person.”
—CHERYL MARINO
https://asc.ar my.mil
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