“We must ensure the appropriate processes and tools are in place – particularly in the areas of recruitment, development and retention – for effective talent management.”
–Mr. Douglas Bush, Army Acquisition Executive and Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology)
“I believe that no American Soldier should ever be in a fair fight, anywhere – they should always have the advantage.”
–Mr. Ronald R. Richardson, Director, Acquisition Career Management
Acquisition Workforce Readiness Drives AAW HCSP
October 2016 marked the official launch of the AAW HCSP, led by the Army Director for Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office. An update was published in 2020 and again in 2024. The AAW HCSP supports Army readiness by investing in the development and engagement of our 33,000+ civilian and military acquisition professionals to ensure they have the skills needed to provide equipment and services to our Soldiers. Over the last four years, the DACM Office has worked to implement the AAW HCSP. During that time our strategic environment has evolved and Army policy in the Human Capital space has matured.
While the foundation of the AAW HCSP remains intact, the AAW HCSP is updated to more intentionally align with Army policy to deliberately manage the talents of our Soldiers and Civilians. The AAW HCSP continues to support Army readiness by providing a structure to ensure AAW professionals are ready, diverse, integrated, and professional.
Strategic Outcomes
The AAW HCSP leverages the four strategic outcomes identified in the Army People Strategy, tailored to the mission needs of the AAW. The strategic outcomes are:
Ready: The AAW leverages a range of technologies and data driven analytics to identify the talents of its members and the talent demands of its organizations in timely, accurate, and granular detail in order to build cohesive teams that effectively deliver capabilities.
Professional: AAW members are skilled, agile, and resilient professionals as a result of continuous, intentional development. Within the AAW, we treat one another with dignity and respect while retaining the trust and confidence of our stakeholders. “Development” will be defined as having 3 pillars: (1) training and education, (2) action learning (e.g., developmental assignments), and (3) coaching and mentoring).
Diverse: The AAW is diverse in talent, demographics, knowledge, skills, behaviors, and experiences. It is committed to equality of opportunity, providing our members with fulfilling and rewarding professional careers, where diversity of viewpoints and the complexities of merging them are valued.
Integrated: AAW members are aligned with Army acquisition missions and work in collaboration to achieve them. The acquisition community actively integrates its people, data, systems, and processes across the Army.
AAW HCSP Goals
The AAW HCSP goals are the specific, actionable areas of work that will organize, coordinate, integrate, and enable efforts across the AAW and DACM Office.
Key Priorities
- AAW Recruiting Management: the AAW process of recruiting and selecting employees, both civilian and military. It includes the complete lifecycle of recruitment on the civilian side, from developing position descriptions, to posting opportunities, to assessing candidates and selection. On the military side, it includes targeted recruiting, assessment of the AAW, and deliberate early training and education. The AAW recruiting management system aims to inform and attract high-performing Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers to enter the Acquisition Corps to support the Army’s modernization priorities. The AAW Recruiting Strategy can be viewed here.
- AAW Talent Management Systems: a strategically focused effort to align recruitment, training, development, and retention with the workforce needs and demands of a 21st century Army. The approximately 33,000 military and civilian professionals within the AAW perform a critical mission to cultivate innovation, design the impossible, and provide Soldiers with what they need to be successful. This priority will provide 21st century talent management technology to the AAW.
- AAW Strategic Workforce Development: the comprehensive series of strategic initiatives that enable and ensure the AAW can meet its mission through highly-productive professionals and retain high performing/high potential employees. When AAW employees participate in personal and professional growth activities, the AAW benefits through a workforce with increased motivation, morale, and effectiveness.
How the HCSP Impacts the AAW
People are the reason we accomplish anything—our mission to equip Soldiers is a human endeavor and requires a human capital planning process to maintain and sustain the highest quality AAW. This plan is a reflection of Army’s commitment to the AAW to develop the next generation of leaders and advance the Army acquisition profession. The HCSP goals were developed by multiple stakeholders representing various demographics within commands, organizations and acquisition career fields. Based on the workforce’s greatest challenges of today and tomorrow, the AAW HCSP addresses four key themes: workforce planning, professional development, leadership development, and employee engagement. The purpose of this plan is to support every acquisition professional’s career from recruitment-to retention-to retirement by providing strategic tools and systems, effective communication products and personnel support.
Leading the AAW HCSP
The success of the AAW HCSP and the implementation of its objectives and initiatives will depend on the commitments and contributions of the entire Army acquisition community. The governance body, comprised of key AAW leaders, is committed to the successful execution of the HCSP as demonstrated by their providing resources and leading actions needed to realize the outcomes and benefits of the HCSP.
We Want to Hear from You
We value your perspective, feedback, questions and ideas. Are you working on a pilot or initiative that supports one of the goals? Would you like to be involved with the plan? Contact us at usarmy.belvoir.usaasc.mbx.usaasc-aaw-hcsp@mail.mil.
