COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center (HNC)
TITLE: Contract specialist
YEARS IN THE WORKFORCE: 4
YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE: 21
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Level I in contracting (expected December 2016)
EDUCATION: B.S. in liberal studies with a concentration in acquisition and contract management, Athens State University; A.S. in child development, Copiah Lincoln Community College
AWARDS: Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Deputy Commander’s Coin (2); HNC Commander’s Coin (2); HNC Commander’s Certificate of Achievement (2); Army Commendation Medal (2); Army Achievement Medal (6); Army Good Conduct Medal (5)
‘What I have been called to do’
By Susan L. Follett
Although she’s a relative newcomer to Army acquisition with just one year of contracting under her belt, Barbara Whitney is no stranger to supporting the Soldier: She spent 21 years in the Army, and returned to federal service four years ago.
TAKING CHARGE
Barbara Whitney emcees a town hall for a visiting chaplain in November 2014 at the HNC cafeteria. (Photo by Jo Anita Miley, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville)
“I enlisted many years ago as a somewhat rebellious 17-year-old,” she said. “College didn’t appeal to me at the time, so I decided on the military, and with the help of a recruiter, I convinced my parents to sign for me to enlist.”
Her primary military occupational specialty (MOS) was in transportation. As a truck master, she assisted the commander in the planning and operations aspects of getting the warfighter to the battlefield. “Transportation is a very important part of the acquisition, logistics and transportation workforce,” she said.
She retired from active duty in 2001 at the rank of sergeant first class, and joined the Army Corps of Engineers in 2012. Staying connected to the Army and the warfighter “seems to be what I have been called to do and it brings me great joy,” she said. “Continuing my association with the Army and the life I have grown to love is important to me.”
What do you do in the Army? Why is it important?
I’m a contract specialist with the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center (HNC), in Huntsville, [Alabama,] and I’m assigned to the Access Control Point (ACP) Program. The ACP Program covers contract management for maintenance and services, design/build construction and infrastructure upgrades for access points for military installations and other facilities. Being part of the team that helps to keep our warfighters and their loved ones safe by providing support to the access points on military installations is an honor. Processing service orders when repairs are needed and assisting in awarding of contracts for construction, upgrades and improvements is an important job, and I don’t take this assignment lightly.
What has your experience been like? What has surprised you the most?
My experience has been extraordinary. I started at HNC four years ago as an entry-level secretary, just to get my foot in the door while working toward my bachelor’s degree in business administration and human resources. Within the first year, I realized that acquisitions was a promising career field and quickly changed my major. A year later, I’d earned a certificate in acquisitions and contract management and began networking to let management know I was interested in being part of the acquisition workforce. Once I earned my degree, a window of opportunity opened and my military experience paid off: I qualified for an appointment through the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act as a contract specialist. What surprised me the most about working as a civilian for the Army is the level of support and encouragement I received from others in the workforce. From seasoned peers to management, I’m definitely being groomed for progression and success.
SHARING WITH CHILDREN
Barbara Whitney reads to kindergarten students at Montview Elementary School in Huntsville in March 2013 during Team Redstone’s “Read Across America” annual reading initiative. (Photo by Jo Anita Miley, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville)
How did your military experience prepare you for your work in acquisition? What skills did you acquire there that you use now?
There are some hard skills that I’ve picked up: I was in the Army when America turned to automation and had to learn how to use a computer instead of carbon paper, microfilm machines and stubby pencils. Training was a little different back then: I was given a CPU, user’s manuals and a stack of VHS tapes and told to figure it out. All of my administrative skills have been acquired on the job, except for what I learned from taking classes off-duty and from attending Army-sponsored courses related to my MOS.
Because of my military career, I think I also have some great soft skills: effective oral and written communication, flexibility, the ability to multitask and the ability to work well with others. Working my way up the ladder, functioning amicably in diverse workplaces while encouraging team cohesion and doing the work that gets passed downhill without too much complaint is what being a Soldier first has taught me to do.
“Faces of the Force” highlights members of the Army Acquisition Workforce through the power of individual stories. The series, produced by the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Communication and Support Branch in close coordination with public affairs officers, features Soldiers and DA civilians serving in a variety of AL&T disciplines. For more information, or to nominate someone, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/publications/army-alt-submissions/.
