POSITION AND UNIT: Force Project and Sustainment Portfolio Lead; Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center
YEARS OF SERVICE: 12
AWARDS: 2014 Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene Award for Acquisition Writing; Honorable Mention, Lessons Learned
EDUCATION: M.S. in systems engineering in material science; Worcester Polytechnic Institute; M.S. in chemical engineering and B.S. in chemical engineering, Tufts University
Swapping a lab coat for a spreadsheet
By Susan L. Follett
Chenxi Dong-O’Malley began her Army civilian career a dozen years ago, working on protective clothing and equipment for Soldiers at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC). “Most people are unaware of the amount of technology development that’s behind the gear our Soldiers use,” she noted. “They see the end product, but not the trial and error that eventually led to it, or all the early research or the options that were eliminated because they weren’t feasible to meet a requirement.”
She hung up her lab coat a few years ago, and now works as a portfolio manager, a position she started in November 2014. “Portfolio management is a relatively new concept for the government S&T community,” she said, “and implementing a new concept requires a culture shift. Some people are resistant to that change or don’t understand the need for it. But we’re overcoming that by demonstrating the value and impact that the portfolio management approach brings—what it can bring to an organization that wasn’t there before.”
What do you do in the Army? Why is it important?
I lead the management of science and technology (S&T) investment in the areas of aerial delivery, including personnel and cargo aerial delivery, combat feeding and expeditionary basing and collective protection. My job requires S&T collaborations with the requirement and acquisition communities to develop and provide a technology development plan in near, mid and far terms spanning 30-plus years. It enables state-of-the-art technologies in these three areas to mature and deliver the cutting-edge solution sets to the acquisition community to evaluate, procure and field to the Soldier. Technologies in these capability areas help to plan, deploy, protect, supply/resupply and sustain our deployed warfighters through precision aerial delivery, energy-efficient expeditionary base camps, and nutrient-dense rations tailored to enhance a Soldier’s mission performance. The goal is to improve energy efficiency, reduce Soldier load and decrease fuel and water consumption and waste generation to reduce the logistics tail, resulting in lower logistics and sustainment costs for the Army.
What has your experience been like? What has surprised you the most?
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much training and developmental programs and opportunities there are within the Army Acquisition Corps. Based on what an individual seeks, one can choose to either focus on excellence in a specific career field or broaden one’s horizons over a spectrum of career experiences through training and developmental assignments. I made a decision to apply for the Competitive Development Group (CDG) Army Acquisition Fellowship to expand my experiences in different career fields. Through the leadership training and the developmental assignments that program affords, not only I have come to understand how the Army operates, but I have actually been part of the process—from supporting and executing budget planning and development for S&T investment that would fulfill capability needs in the requirement documents, to product development, procurement and fielding through the acquisition process.
Why did you join the Army? What is your greatest satisfaction in being part of the Army?
I joined the Army civilian workforce right after graduate school for the opportunity to work on S&T development tied to innovative membrane material development for chemical and biological (CB) protective clothing and equipment. I chose to work for the government over private sector because it seemed that my graduate research on membrane development for fuel cells was similar to technologies developed in CB area and I wanted to apply what I learned from school to a job that can make a difference. Also, the responsibilities of the job were much more dynamic, challenging and complex for an entry-level employee than I might have found in other positions. Thus, I saw potential in developing myself and most importantly, I was able to tell family and friends that my job would help save people’s lives. Over the past 12 years of working in the government, the greatest satisfaction I have felt—and the thing that keeps me motivated and focused—is that although I’m working for a small component of the entire Army, the work I have done directly and indirectly makes an impact on saving Soldiers’ lives and giving them the best equipment possible to serve our country.
You recently received an honorable mention in the Lessons Learned category of the Maj. Gen. Harold J. Green Award for Acquisition Writing. What was your reaction to the news that you’d won? What prompted you to enter?
I was very proud and excited to learn about the results of the contest, and also a little shocked that I’d been named one of the winners! My entry was about my experience during the CDG fellowship, and the team development lessons I learned from it—work lessons as well as life lessons—motivated me to enter the contest. I think the area of teaming is one where the government needs to improve, and I’ve mentioned the program to a lot of the people I work with. I thought that writing about my experiences with the class could get the message out to a wider audience, and the fact that I received an honorable mention was a nice bonus.
- “Faces of the Force” is an online series highlighting members of the Army Acquisition Workforce through the power of individual stories. Profiles are produced by the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Communication and Support Branch, working closely with public affairs officers to feature Soldiers and Civilians currently serving in a variety of AL&T disciplines. For more information, or to nominate someone, please contact 703-805-1006.
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