NEW AND EMERGING SUPERVISORS AND LEADERS: THE INSPIRING AND DEVELOPING EXCELLENCE IN ACQUISITION LEADERS PROGRAM OPENS ON MAY 18
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Mark your calendar; starting May 18, the Inspiring and Developing Excellence in Acquisition Leaders (IDEAL) program will be accepting applications.
Designed for civilian GS-12 and GS-13/equivalent Army Acquisition Workforce members that are in the new and emerging supervisor career stage, IDEAL focuses on the development of supervisor/leader skills for participants with clearly documented potential in such positions. Training and equipping supervisors to lead across the workforce leads to increased retention and higher productivity. The development of Army leaders and supervisors is critical in managing the talents of our personnel. IDEAL is centered on self-development, interpersonal relationships and strategic management to meet our multi-domain operations-capable force objectives.
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There will be one fiscal year 2027 cohort that meets in Huntsville, Alabama, for three one-week resident sessions held over a period of approximately four months. In between sessions, participants will return to their workplaces where they will use newly learned skills and put into practice the concepts and competencies they studied and examined during the resident sessions. Applications will be accepted through July 31.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO THE ACQUISITION TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Coming soon! On June 2, the application window will open for the Acquisition Tuition Assistance Program (ATAP).
+NEW for FY27, funding limits are increasing! + Courses towards a master’s degree will be covered up to $3,000 per course including laboratory and technology fees, with a maximum allowance of $15,000 per FY. Courses towards a bachelor’s degree will be covered up to $2,500 per course including laboratory and technology fees, with a maximum allowance of $12,500 per FY. Additional details to follow. A reminder that the ATAP application window will open June 2.
Open to both civilian Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) members and military occupational specialty 51 Contracting noncommissioned officers, ATAP provides tuition assistance, including laboratory and technology fees, to eligible Army acquisition workforce members pursuing acquisition, technical and business-related courses towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an acquisition, technical and business-related discipline. ATAP will also fund courses that are acquisition, technical or business related that are not towards a degree or a declared discipline.
MAJORS AND LIEUTENANT COLONELS – TRAINING WITH INDUSTRY OPENS ON JUNE 8
The application window period for the Training With Industry (TWI) program will be June 8 – Aug. 7.
TWI is a year-long work experience program intended to give top-performing officers extended exposure to industry management techniques, best practices and technological innovations. Gain new insights and experience by actively learning and implementing industry practices and procedures within modern corporate America.
Your prior experience and background will be matched up with the desired and required skills of the program’s host companies. The training you receive is not typically available either through the military school system or civilian university system. Following tenure at the company, TWI participants are placed in a validated utilization assignment.
SCHEDULE RELEASE – FISCAL YEAR 2027 COURSES AVAILABLE ON JUNE 18
Warfighting University (WarU) will release its fiscal year 2027 schedule of classes on June 18. WarU provides instructor-led and self-paced courses that are designed to meet the acquisition workforce’s professional training needs. Before registering for a course, be sure your Army learner profile is up to date in the Army Internet Training Application System (AITAS).
Here, you’ll get updates about policy, memos, tools and resources relevant to your acquisition functional area and beyond.
UPDATED POLICY – DEFENSE ACQUISITION WORKFORCE IMPROVEMENT ACT CERTIFICATION FOR THE AAW
An updated policy on Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification was signed on April 16. The policy covers changes regarding experience standards, records, terminology and more. This memo provides guidance to ensure certification-related processes are applied consistently across the Army acquisition community and are performed in accordance with applicable Department of War issuances and other requirements. This policy applies to military Active Component, Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve and civilian AAW professionals, as well as U.S. Army Medical Department officers with the additional skill identifier “8X” who are seeking DAWIA certification at any level.
ACCOUNTABLE PROGRAM LEADERSHIP AND PERSONNEL POLICIES IN THE WARFIGHTING ACQUISITION SYSTEM
The Under Secretary of War (USW) for Acquisition and Sustainment and USW for Personnel and Readiness Memorandum is now available in our Policy library. The memo provides guidance on program leadership tenure and hiring top talent from industry and government.
NEW RFO LEARNING CYCLE
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS – ARMY ACQUISITION HALL OF FAME
The Army DACM Office is pleased to announce we are now accepting nominations for the Army Acquisition Hall of Fame. The AAHoF award recognizes and honors former members of the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) who have made significant and enduring contributions in support of the Army acquisition community. The program’s intent is to preserve the legacy of the acquisition community and inspire a sense of heritage, honor, and pride throughout the workforce. The DACM Office of the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center is the official collection point for Army nominations. The submission deadline is June 8, 2026.
NAME CHANGE: DAU IS NOW WarU – WARFIGHTING ACQUISTION UNIVERSITY
Defense Acquisition University (DAU) is now Warfighting Acquisition University (WarU). As part of the change, the web and email addresses are changing. WarU, at https://www.waru.edu, is the new web address and email messages received from WarU will be from @WarU.edu. Please update any DAU.edu bookmarks and links you use to WarU.edu.
UPDATED CONTENT – NEW HIRE ONBOARDING COURSE
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The new hire Welcome to the Army Acquisition Workforce onboarding course has been refreshed to better support new Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) members during the start of their career journey. Designed to be completed in approximately one hour, this course provides a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the AAW. Employees are encouraged to complete the course within their first three months of entry into your position to ensure a strong foundational understanding of your acquisition position’s statutory requirements and opportunities for growth.
While the refreshed content was developed prior to the Acquisition Transformation initiative, it still delivers critical insights and guidance.
Relevant updates include training requirement changes, the latest civilian and military officer career models, and education and leader development programs. You’ll learn how to manage your career and be equipped with knowledge of opportunities, tools and resources that support you as you perform your acquisition duties. Be sure to take advantage of this course and all it provides early in your onboarding experience.
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The course offers an overview of:
- The Army Acquisition Workforce.
- Training and DAWIA certification standards.
- Tools and resources.
- Career models.
- Development and leadership opportunities.
- Staying connected.
To access and begin taking the course, navigate to the Army Training Information System Learning home page at https://learn.atis.army.mil/moodle.
