COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications – Tactical
TITLE: Assistant product manager
YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 7
YEARS OF SERVICE IN MILITARY: 16
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Level II in program management and in engineering
EDUCATION: M.S. in modeling and simulation, University of Central Florida; master’s of public administration in national security affairs, Troy University; B.S. in environmental science, Creighton University
AWARDS: Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Meritorious Unit Award; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 campaign star); Iraq Campaign Medal (3 campaign stars); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; NATO Medal
Cultivating connections
By Mary Kate Aylward
Maj. Shawn Chu-Quinn keeps a Hawaiian proverb in mind: “ ‘A’ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho’okahi,’ which means, all knowledge is not learned in just one school.” When she transitioned from quartermaster to the acquisition functional area, she found that the leadership practices that were the most useful in her new field were “providing an ear to listen” and building relationships with personnel within and outside of the organization. “If you do not listen, then you cannot learn and make informed decisions,” she explained. Without relationships, “you have no solid foundation.” So cultivate those connections. “Smile!” she added. And don’t burn bridges.
She chose acquisition with the help and input of military peers and mentors after reaching a fork in her career path. “I was thinking about a few things at that turning point in my career after company command: expiration of time in service, stay in quartermaster or transition to a functional area. There were two functional areas that I was interested in: comptroller and acquisition.” One of her colleagues, Maj. Susan Styer, was very influential in her decision, pointing out the variety of areas in which acquisition workforce members gain experience—contracting, program management, science and technology—and the advantage that range of experience provides when it’s time to find a career after the military.
Maj. Shawn Chu-Quinn is an assistant product manager within the Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications – Tactical, part of a team tasked with providing radio communication tools for forward-deployed Soldiers. (Photo by Barbara Schirloff, Project Manager for Tactical Radios, PEO C3T)
Since making the transition, relationships with colleagues have continued to influence her experience of the acquisition field. Chu-Quinn is assistant product manager on an integrated team made up of technical, readiness, business and contract subject matter experts. The team is tasked with acquiring and fielding software-based tactical handheld radios that provide communication to the forward edge of the battlefield. What does she find satisfying in her new career path? “Daily interaction with co-workers with a plethora of expertise and backgrounds who all have one goal: to ensure that our Soldiers are equipped with the necessary tools for mission success,” she said. “The most important points in my career are the opportunities afforded to me to bridge differences and develop long-lasting and memorable relationships. This includes mentorship from senior military and civilian leaders and fellow colleagues,” including retired Lt. Gen. Daniel Bolger, who provided advice and supported her decision to transition to the acquisition workforce. Another important mentor was Col. Ernest Dunlap Jr., who provided an acquisition officer’s perspective and “insight to the steps towards advancing not only my military career, but preparation for a successful civilian career.”
Though happy with the opportunity to broaden her career and support the acquisition mission, there are a few things Chu-Quinn would change if she were briefly in charge of the acquisition enterprise. Mostly they have to do with recognizing and developing people—no surprise, given the emphasis she places on relationships as the foundation of good leadership. (She also would like to see documents approved in fewer than 21 days at each authority level, but who wouldn’t?) Given the opportunity, she would improve promotion opportunities and incentives for civilians and “modify rules for recognizing contractor support personnel who make up the majority of PM [program manager] shops so that they receive the recognition that they rightly deserve from their immediate supervisors and military senior leadership.” Also on her to-do list is “introducing functional areas early in the career of officers and enlisted so that they are informed of future military career opportunities.”
“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 serving in various AL&T disciplines. For more information, or to nominate someone, please contact 703-664-5635.
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