Position and Unit: U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Competitive Development Group/Army Acquisition Fellowship
Location: Aberdeen Proving Ground
DAWIA Certifications: Level III in program management
Total Years of Service: 5
Education: M.S. in molecular biology, Towson University; B.S. in biology, Boston University
Awards: Achievement Medal for Civilian Service; Commander’s Award for Civilian Service
CDG/AAF helps to fill leadership gaps
By Susan L. Follett
Looking for the best way to get the experience you need to advance your career? Consider taking a page from Lauren Johnsky’s playbook: She’s in the Competitive Development Group/Army Acquisition Fellowship (CDG/AAF), working in different positions throughout Army acquisition with an eye toward developing the experience and skills she needs to eventually become a program manager.
Lauren Johnsky, right, and Mary Doak, left, were honored by Sharon Jacobs, president of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Women in Defense, for participating in a March 24 leadership conference. Doak chairs the chapter’s Scholarship Committee. (Photo by COL Debra Daniels, Military Deputy, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center)
Johnsky got her start as a federal employee in the Genomics Laboratory at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. She served as director of sequencing operations from 2008 through 2011, overseeing day-to-day operations of the lab, developing and implementing new procedures, and identifying areas for improvement.
“I was interested in learning more about program management, and a friend recommended that I think about the career opportunities that acquisition offered. I transferred to Project Director Communications Security, which is now PL NET-E [Project Leader Network Enablers], in PEO C3T [Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications – Tactical]. My supervisor there told me about the CDG/AAF program—specifically, that it was a great way to fill gaps in my resume in a short period of time.”
She started her CDG/AAF rotations in 2014 and has held several positions, including acquisition management specialist, contracting specialist and technical planner. “I’ve had some great experiences, including the chance to row crew with an Olympic medalist to learn how to create high-performance teams.”
She added, “The biggest reward is the relationships I’ve developed with the other people in the group. We’re a pretty close-knit group, and we’re all supportive of each other.”
What do you do in the Army? Why is it important?
I’m in the CDG/AAF, a program designed to develop leaders and prepare them for challenging positions. Working for the Army has personal significance for me—my grandfather fought in Korea—and has allowed me to connect with the needs of the Soldier. The ability to rotate through positions with the CDG/AAF program has given me the chance to fill in gaps in my resume while preparing for positions of increasing leadership through amazing training opportunities.
What has your experience with the CDG/AAF been like? What assignments have you had, and what have you found to be the biggest challenge?
It has been a great experience for me. I’m currently with the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center’s (CERDEC) Command, Power and Integration Directorate at Aberdeen Proving Ground. I came to CERDEC from the U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), and before that, I was an acquisition management specialist with PEO Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors. The biggest challenge for me is deciding which opportunity to take advantage of next: There are a lot of positions that look appealing, and the people at those positions really want CDG/AAF fellows to come work with them because of their depth of experience.
Lauren Johnsky, center, takes part in a panel discussion on leadership potential held March 24 by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Women in Defense. Also on the panel were Denise Carnaggio, left, director of Community Education, Continuing Education and Training at Harford Community College; and Dr. Nina Lamba, business development manager with the Office of BioHealth and Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce. (Photo by COL Debra Daniels, Military Deputy, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center)
Is there a CDG/AAF assignment that stands out as the most memorable? The most educational?
The assignment that taught me the most also happens to be my favorite: contract specialist with Division B at ACC-APG. My boss, Danielle Moyer, gave me many opportunities to learn and empowered me to make decisions. She encouraged me to read and understand the FAR [Federal Acquisition Regulation] and held meetings where we had lengthy discussion about portions of it. She challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, and I found that the work was incredibly rewarding. Along with Anh Pena, a dedicated contracting officer, we were able to award a contract in a timely fashion and help a customer save funds. They recently gave us an award for that work. I’m so grateful for the relationships that I developed during that assignment, and the information I learned will certainly be of great help in my career in program management.
You’re also involved in a lot of outreach efforts, including the upcoming Junior Sciences and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). What do you enjoy about that involvement?
I’m a scientist at heart, and I’m always looking for ways to get kids excited about science. I have done scientific demonstrations in elementary classrooms and I’m a mentor for local high school students, and for the past few years I’ve been a judge at the JSHS. That program is sponsored by the services and promotes original research and experimentation in the STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] fields at the high school level. I’ve judged two previous competitions and will serve as a judge again this year for the finals , which are being held April 27-30 in Dayton, Ohio.
These are bright, capable kids, and they do some amazing work: Some have received patents and some are working with companies to develop their ideas. It’s a lot of fun for a science geek like me to see the students get excited about what they’re doing, and to see the pride they take in their work. And it’s a great way to ensure that we have a well-prepared and highly capable workforce in the future.
“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 a variety of AL&T disciplines. For more information, or to nominate someone, please contact 703-805-1006.
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