WORKFORCE
at the SOF AT&L headquarters level, allowed the workforce to learn and grow weekly as acquisition professionals.
Whenever problems arose at SOF AT&L, acquisition leaders pulled together their team members and key stakeholders at the lowest level, analyzed the situation, developed their courses of action and worked quickly to put the mechanisms in place to implement a fix. Although SOF AT&L had the processes and tools in place to allow for agility, I ultimately observed the “people” who came together to drive rapid acquisition within the programs.
Involving operators early and often throughout touch points and test events was a key theme I observed at SOF AT&L. During my participation in three different events—a tactical handheld biometrics capture equipment operational test and evaluation, satellite communications on-the-move operational test and eval- uation and Lightweight Machine Gun - Medium preliminary assessment—I observed that capability sponsors and test and evaluation personnel were always involved in programmatic events and focused on delivering the best capability for the end user. At these events, end users, who were usually operators from the USSOCOM service components, provided valuable feed- back at touch points and test events to ensure that the program manager knew if the capability would enable their organiza- tion to “win.”
A PECULIAR KIND OF ACQUISITION DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE Te majority of my time during the summer of 2023 was spent supporting programs and efforts that were located under the Program Executive Office for Tactical Information Systems (PEO-TIS) and primarily consisted of tactical transport and tacti- cal communications. SOF AT&L’s selective placement aligned the unique acquisition backgrounds of myself and other SPADE members so we could all get the most out of our experience. Tere also were many opportunities to attend and participate in programmatic events across the other PEOs. Troughout my time in PEO-TIS, I was the only U.S. Army uniformed member in the organization, which gave me a unique perspective to share my Army knowledge and experiences while also learning from service members and acquisition professionals across the other services.
Te SPADE program allowed multiple opportunities for travel. During my time in the program, I traveled to facilities in three different states, experienced materiel touch points with SOF oper- ators, various test and evaluation events, team building events and numerous engagements with industry. I also interacted with
end users across all USSOCOM component commands and Teater Special Operations Commands.
I came into SOF AT&L with an acquisition background that was primarily satellite communications, but through my participa- tion in integrated product team meetings, programmatic events, conferences, test and evaluation events and SOF Week within PEO-TIS and PEO SW, I left with hands-on experience with and acquisition knowledge of tactical radios, networks, weap- ons systems, biometrics and vehicles.
Walking out the door of the SOF AT&L headquarters on my last day of training in Tampa, Florida, I left with a general under- standing of SOF rapid acquisition (and a tan), but I also had a new mindset that will keep me constantly asking, “How can I propel my future programs and teams at the speed and efficiency I experienced at SOF AT&L?”
CONCLUSION Te SPADE program is accepting applications and has flexible start dates throughout the fiscal year. Te program selects high- performing acquisition professionals with two to four years of acquisition experience. If you are selected, your command will incur no cost, as the program is funded through the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account.
For those interested, I recommend reaching out early on and beginning the conversation with SOF AT&L. Although SPADE is only 90 days long, you will return with a diverse knowledge and experience that will enable you to be a better asset to the acquisition workforce and to the Army.
SOF AT&L is currently working with the Army Director Acqui- sition Career Management (DACM) Office to create a new link for additional information on the fiscal year 2025 SPADE program, which will be released in a future monthly email for Army DACM’s “Hot Topics” newsletter.
For more information on the USSOCOM SPADE program, contact Maj. Christian T. Ray at
christian.t.ray.mil@
socom.mil.
MAJ. DALLAS BALABAN is a branch chief at Army Capability Manager – Mission Command and Command Posts. He holds an MBA and B.S. in finance from the University of South Florida. He is a DAWIA Certified Practitioner in program management.
https://
asc.ar my.mil
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