COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition, Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems, Conventional Ammunition Division
TITLE: Project officer M119A2 155 mm Artillery Propulsion Charge
YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 24
YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE: 8
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Practitioner in engineering and technical management, Practitioner in program management
EDUCATION: B.S. in mechanical engineering, City College of New York

Ken Schulters

by Holly Comanse

Ken Schulters’ 24-year-long career as U.S. Army civil servant has flown by: “Life moves faster than I expected. I can remember when retirement was a distant dream that wasn’t getting closer. Now I’m less than eight years away from eligibility and now it seems to be coming quickly,” Schulters reflected. He has worked on a wide variety of programs throughout his career, the most recent of which is serving as a project management officer (PMO) for Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems (PM CAS) in the Conventional Ammunition Division of the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A).

Schulters manages the production of the M119A2 propelling charge, which is a 155 mm artillery charge for 155 mm howitzer systems, though it’s been out of production for nearly 40 years. According to Schulters, the Army is restarting its production because it relies on a separate supply chain than the current modular artillery propellant charges. His team is also working to modify the design to be more environmentally friendly and reduce the need for chemicals that are no longer produced in the U.S. “Each new program brings new challenges. Each manager and team member are sources of knowledge and insight that I get excited to learn from,” Schulters explained.

It’s not far from where he started, as his first job in the Army entailed removing lead from primary explosives. This program lit a fire in him, he recalled, because it involved both theoretical work and hands-on experimentation and allowed him to collaborate with other professionals and provide lessons learned to his peers.

Schulters joined the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) fresh out of college. “Throughout my career, the most important lesson for me is to just keep learning. There’s so much to gain from each new office and opportunity,” he said.

His greatest satisfaction as a member of the AAW is delivering combat power to the warfighter. He feels a level of accomplishment knowing that the items that he helped to produce and develop are improving the safety and survivability of those who rely on them. “And as my career progresses, I apply what I’ve learned to help the programs entrusted in me to be successful,” Schulters said.

Outside of work, Schulters enjoys photography. It helps him express his creative side, focus on something other than work and meet new and interesting people. “What I find interesting is that I use my creativity on the job to overcome challenges.” he said. Working with photography clients has taught Schulters the importance of effective planning, asking the right questions and using his experience to assist a client on choosing what they really want. “Setting and managing expectations ensures that the client is happy at the end and that they continue to come to me for future photography needs.” Schulters said.

His willingness to continually learn has been critical to his career success. Schulters completed the Civilian Education System – Intermediate course in November 2022 and highly recommends the program to everyone seeking to improve themselves. He came out of it with additional motivation to further ensure the success of the programs assigned to him, that in turn helps ensure the success of Soldiers. The course, he said, reminded him to always uphold the Army Values as he faces challenges.

“My duty as an Army civilian is to go above and beyond what is asked or required,” Schulters said. “For example, I led my team to two contract awards in nine months, which led to the start of production within one year after award. Typically, these activities can take as much as three to four years to achieve.” Contractors on those awards have already started delivering end items to meet the Army’s mission.

For a long and successful career, his advice to junior acquisition personnel has always been to challenge themselves to be brave and bold enough to work on as many programs as they can. He also believes that work and creativity go hand in hand. “Bring those experiences to the office. You’d be surprised at how much overlap there is.” Embracing creativity from projects outside of work also helps the time pass in the blink of an eye.