COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition
TITLE: G-4 director of logistics
YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 16
YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE: 26
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Advanced in life cycle logistics and Practitioner in program management
EDUCATION: B.S. in human resources management, Upper Iowa University; M.A. in educational psychology, Troy University
AWARDS: Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Good Conduct Medal; and National Defense Service Medal

Wanda J. Dunn

by Holly DeCarlo-White

The best opportunities for growth come through change.

So is the experience of Wanda Dunn, G-4 director of logistics for the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A) and a 26-year Army veteran. To grow in the Army Acquisition Workforce, “one must be willing to seek potential by risking change to another PEO, project or product for acquisition knowledge,” she said. “No two programs or products bring the same learning curve.”

“It takes great courage to change projects, from what is known and comfortable to that which is unknown. Often in my career, these changes have brought the best opportunity for growth,” she added. And if a change in assignment is not possible, Dunn strongly encourages participation in developmental assignments either within or outside of a person’s career field.

The best-ever career development program for her was working with Department of the Army Headquarters G-3/5/7 for U.S. Army Munitions. “This was an opportunity to witness how the G-3/5/7 [plans and operations], G-4 [sustainment] and G-8 [programming] work in unison in the procurement, management planning, testing, [moving to depots] and allocation of munition,” she said. “I was able to utilize the knowledge immediately from this assignment to execute my first munition MR.” An MR, or military munitions rule, federally defines when a military munition becomes waste and how to manage it.

Dunn initially became aware of acquisition while working in a term position at the Logistics Readiness Center for mobilization at Fort Dix, New Jersey. This was her first Army civilian position following active-duty retirement as a logistician, military occupational specialty 92Y Army unit supply specialist.

“I often had to coordinate the timely movement of PM [project manager] fielding assets to collaborate with unit movement into the AOR [area of responsibility]. PEO Soldier was active in the rapid fielding initiative of individual equipment to the warfighter and other PEOs with specialized equipment for specific units’ mission,” Dunn said. “The PEO acquisition implementation and execution to enhance the capability of the warfighter became a beacon to all my military training as a logistician.” 

After a year and a half, Dunn started applying for permanent positions through USAJobs, and in 2007, accepted her first acquisition position as a product support integrator (PSI) working with Ground Torch, TASER and Mine Roller Systems, part of Project Manager for Close Combat Systems within JPEO A&A. Mine rollers are designed to detect and detonate improvised explosive devices before the warfighter’s tactical vehicle does.

“This position appealed to me due to the daily interaction with highly skilled and professional staff within the direct reporting unit to include project managers, engineers, quality assurance, provisioners, deputy product managers and a variety of other special skills from the OEM [Office of Emergency Management] to outside agencies,” she said. These interactions connected the dots to how a product is given birth, grows and develops from a drawing to a complex program. “This is the highest echelon of opportunities—to be able to contribute my military experience and influence milestone decisions during product development.”

Today, as the U.S. Army G-4 director of logistics, Dunn is responsible for taking JPEO A&A objectives, mission and vision into the development of plans and execution—the “how, when, who and where”—to accomplish the life cycle and acquisition logistics mission goal for the organization. She serves as the liaison between Army Futures Command, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, Army Materiel Command Life Cycle Management and other external agencies. “I maintain oversight supporting seven project management offices to include Headquarters staff,” Dunn said. These responsibilities are important to the warfighter, she explained, because they include command aspects of life cycle logistics supportability management for materiel release (supply chain risk management), transition to sustainment, Army Equipping Enterprise System and OP-9 (divesture of project manager-owned stock).

People are usually surprised by the scope of external and internal support that JPEO A&A provides, including both Class VII (major items such as military combat vehicles) and Class V (ammunition). Dunn engages in cross-functional teams, working with DOD and government agencies such as Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Logistics Command, Combined Arms Support Command, Training and Doctrine Command capability managers, Army Contracting Command, Army Sustainment Command, the deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for cost and economics, U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Command, Special Operations Command and others for continuous improvements of both classes of supplies.

“I ensure all supportable requirements, to include life cycle sustainment plans, are complete and provide detailed product support strategies from cradle to grave.”

Dunn gained a deep insight of knowledge on collaboration across agencies and the impact to the mission during an assignment as Program Manager Towed Artillery Systems (PM TAS) product support manager (PSM) of the M777A2 and M119 howitzers. “M777A2 is a joint program with the U.S. Marine Corps and Army as the lead services,” Dunn said. “The knowledge of how both services operate through their specific logistics supply channel and capability managers allows me as the G-4 to provide rapid support to PM TAS-assigned PSMs and product support integrators in delivery of fully mission capable systems and requisition of class IX (parts) supporting Ukraine.”

The greatest satisfaction for Dunn in being a part of the Army Acquisition Workforce is to be able to build relationships with other people. She displays her personal values as they relate to the Army values and engages in day-to-day acquisition logistics team building with project managers, PSMs and product support integrators. As director of logistics, she also enjoys executing problem-solving and decision-making skills and being able to demonstrate a maturity of knowledge with feedback and recommendation on life cycle logistics tasked-related inquires and requests.

“The most important lesson I’ve learned on and off the job is to keep faith and never lose hope,” Dunn said. “Hope is my endurance through the uncomfortable and comfortable moments of my life at work and home.” As one of her former senior leaders once said: “You must get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Outside of work, Dunn is known for working with community outreach programs and being a collector of books. “Community work enhances my interaction with a diverse group of people at different levels in life,” she said. “In acquisition, the workload is performed by a diverse group of people from all different backgrounds with a unified goal for success.”