by Sarah Aubouin
Meet Byron Kight, an acquisition policy specialist with the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Strategy and Acquisition Reform (ODASA(SAR)) in Arlington, Va. With over nine years as a member of the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW), Byron recently graduated from the FY24 DoD Public Private Talent Experience (PPTE) program. DoD PPTE provides selected DoD acquisition workforce employees the opportunity to obtain a professional experience with industry by serving a six-month assignment at a private sector organization. PPTE promotes increased communication between government and industry, enables participants to gain a better understanding of industry’s business operations and challenges, and facilitates the sharing of innovative best practices. Byron holds two DAWIA certifications; Practitioner level in Program Management (PM) and Foundational level in Life Cycle Logistics and a bachelor’s degree in business. He shared his PPTE experience and insights with us, let’s have a look:
How do you think participating in this program helped or will help your acquisition career?
Anytime an acquisition professional is afforded the opportunity to participate in meaningful training environments, an instantaneous release of excitement and curiosity begins to challenge the status quo. Let’s face it, due to past experiences we each maintain durable perceptions (of reality) responsible for shaping current beliefs. Participating in this program provided viable alternatives to my current beliefs, unreachable in Department of Defense spaces. From an acquisition perspective one must be flexible, adaptable and be more than ok with constant change. To truly thrive in an acquisition environment, change must remain constant. This program challenged me by hitting a reset button I didn’t even know I had. This program equipped me with the innovation economy’s perspective, drastically strengthening my ability to forward think, communicate and understand areas of digital engineering more effectively!
Did it make an immediate difference in how you approach your daily work interactions?
Oh, absolutely, without a doubt! There are several key policy initiatives here within ASA(ALT) that require an innovation economy perspective. Using the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF) as an example, its purpose is to enable acquisition professionals to tailor acquisition strategies leading to the delivery of game-changing solutions more efficiently. Emerging tech is dynamic in nature and is undergoing a chaotic revolution. Army acquisition policies, including how critical information is disseminated, requires consistent reform. The policies that become guidance must be relevant to how business is conducted within the innovation economy. Satisfying this will aid the enabling of greater success when utilizing the AAF. I currently do my best to consider this as our team manages the shaping Army acquisition policy.
November 2024 at the Pensacola Beach Resort in Pensacola Beach, Fla. – Byron, 3rd from left, attends an FY24 DoD PPTE Teambuilding event.
Why did you choose to participate in this program?
I chose to participate because our society appears to be heading towards an artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) revolution! Understanding that our Army stands to benefit immensely from the advancement of these technologies, they’re not operationally (commonly) understood by those within the Army workforce. An effective way to immerse yourself in AI/ML, is to partner with the innovation economy. Across our Army, specifically the acquisition community, there’s “dramatic wide-reaching change in the way things work or in people’s ideas about it.” Since much of this change is being initiated by the innovation economy, its critical to experience the socialization and development of this technology from their perspective. I’m choosing to do my part to make certain that as the Army partners to develop game changing technology, acquisition professionals are able to contribute without the haziness of poor communication and/or lack of understanding.
Do you have a specific activity, lesson learned or key takeaway that particularly resonated with you? Why?
Yes, a key takeaway. I thought it was imperative to better understand the challenges faced by a segment of the innovation economy not accustomed to supporting DoD, specifically the Army. Within the digital engineering landscape, there’s tremendous value for our Army for those willing to partner with companies that do not view us as an attractive venture. Over the next 15-20 years, or so, opportunities will continue to flourish. To take full advantage of what the innovation economy has to offer, here are a few of questions we may want to ask ourselves when engaging with emerging tech: Are we attracting companies that are truly innovative? How significant is past performance when the tech is brand new (AI/ML)? Are our requirements clear and concise to those we’re offering these opportunities to?
When you hear the phrase ‘lead by example’, is there a particular time in your professional life in which this idea loudly resonated?
Yes, absolutely! As I near my 15th year as a Dept of the Army civilian, there have been several instances throughout my career where leading by example has loudly resonated. Most recently, since early 2019, I’ve had the absolute privilege of serving within HQDA as part of ASA(ALT). Just to name a few examples of stellar leadership, we’ve collectively spearheaded rapid COVID-19 responses, provided key capabilities to support Ukraine’s most urgent battlefield needs and acquired overmatched material (capabilities) for the delivery of modernization efforts to the warfighter. ASA(ALT) [which also] includes our PEOs/JPEOs, has this culture of leadership at all levels, which is truly inspiring!
How did what you learned in the program prepare you to be a more successful leader?
In many ways successful leadership hinges on one’s ability to continuously see and hear a variety of active leadership styles in different environments. In other words, one must try to remain near admirable leaders performing in different places under different circumstances. Huron’s Public Sector Team, via the PPTE, afforded me a rare opportunity to be a part of an uncommon brand of leadership, coaching leadership. Coming from a bureaucratic style of leadership, I learned how to better recognize talent, motivations, take the long-term view, actively listen, emphasize team performance, and encourage collaboration. I’m positioned to be a more successful leader because I’m better able to recognize the importance of making connections while establishing an empowered confident team.
Open to GS-12 through GS-15/equivalent payband civilian Army Acquisition Workforce members and some DoD Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories (STRLs) employees, PPTE participants are provided a chance to broaden their career through hands-on experience with private industry partners. PPTE typically opens for applications in the fall of each year. For more details, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/career-development/programs/dod-ppte/.
