WORKFORCE
position yourself to take advantage of career opportunities when presented and be in control of your own career path."
She said the only thing she didn’t do, but wished that she had, was to participate in a six-month rotation at the Pentagon when that program was available because she really thought that would have helped her to better understand the “Big Army” picture.
THIS IS JUST A TEST
Chamness and her team at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, in December 2019 for the 5th Missile Flight Test for the Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, where she was the test event manager and successfully executed a near-simultaneous engagement of two cruise missiles. (Photo courtesy of Calette Chamness)
work from multiple engineering disciplines and demonstrates the system’s capabilities and how those capabilities will help our Soldiers strengthen national defense.”
Chamness has participated in many flight tests, but she said it is still exciting to see a host of hardworking people running around onsite in the early morning hours to execute a hot mission. “I love hearing and feeling the launchers firing off some rounds and being able to step outside and see firsthand what it looks like to put a few ‘fireballs’ in the sky and appreciate all the hard work that went into making it happen.”
One of the most important points in her career, she said, was when she made the transition from systems engineering to test engineering. Chamness went from testing components in a line-replaceable unit, like a circuit card assembly, to testing a full- up Army air and missile defense system, including a command-and-control node with multiple sensors, launchers and inter- ceptors, along with other systems from the Air Force, Navy and Marines.
“Transitioning [from the component level] to test engineering allowed me to gain test experience and knowledge at the system level, which has made me a more valu- able tester to the Army, and I have a much better understanding and knowledge on how to test and integrate at the system level.”
When she moved to test engineering she became part of a mentoring program, where she has served as both mentee and mentor.
“Te program paired me with a mentor that provided guidance in technical areas and also on assignments and train- ing that I should take advantage of to better posture myself for broadening my career,” she said. She pays that forward as a mentor. Her best advice for new test engi- neers is: “Don’t let anybody outwork you, listen more than you talk and take advan- tage of every opportunity to learn new things. Tere are always career opportu- nities available if you are willing to work hard and continue your education and training. By doing these things you can
Outside of work, Chamness enjoys outdoor activities like hunting, camping and riding motorcycles with her husband. Te field test environment offsets her desk duties. “I enjoy working in the test envi- ronment because the work takes me away from the desk and allows me to be outside at a test range and working with actual hardware in a tactical environment, along- side Soldiers and materiel developers.”
Whether it’s indoors at your desk or outside in the test environment, Cham- ness stresses that one should strive to always work harder. “You will always be surrounded by people that are smarter than you, but don’t let that intimidate you; instead, use their expertise to your advan- tage and work hard to learn from those people,” she said. “Over the course of my career I have learned that growth occurs by surrounding yourself with people who challenge you and help you grow, no matter what stage you are in your career.”
—CHERYL MARINO
https://
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