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With each passing day, every Defense Contract Management Agency team member gets one step closer to retirement. It is a stark reality. For the agency to maintain its on-time, at cost and performance goals, it must continually replenish its pool of defense acquisition professionals.
The Keystone program, designed to develop a cadre of highly qualified team members, is one agency source of new talent. Charged with administering contracts for the ambitious F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program, DCMA Lockheed Martin Fort Worth regularly explores opportunities to add to its team of topflight contributors.
To that end, the Keystone program is celebrated here. In addition to maintaining workforce levels, Air Force Col. Alex Stathopoulos, DCMA LM Fort Worth commander, appreciates the program’s ancillary benefits of utilizing intern feedback to spur innovation and sharpen leadership’s ability to develop talent.
“The Keystone program is our force multiplier,” Stathopoulos said. “It is crucial to the present and future of DCMA. In the present, getting young professionals in the door to train with us and ask ‘why?’ is a superb process improvement mechanism. It helps our mentors sharpen their skills and allows fresh perspectives continually invigorating our processes. In the future, Keystones take firsthand opportunity to train in a dynamic environment with mentors who can pass on their experiences to the future leaders of our organization.”
Bridgit Downing, DCMA LM Fort Worth Contracts director, said her Keystone managerial responsibilities include identifying new billet requirements; creating recruitment packages to fill program vacancies; serving as a selecting official; and mentoring, leading and supervising Keystones from Contracts’ on-boarding through graduation. Since joining the Fort Worth team in 2013, Downing has seen three Keystones graduate and selected six new program participants — four in Contracts and two for the Integrated Cost Analysis Team.
More than 30 years ago, Downing began her career as a Department of Defense intern. She understands the daily challenges Keystones face and the importance of strong leadership.
“It is critical that all senior leadership within a contract management office take an active role in mentoring young professionals — whether they are in a Keystone billet or not,” Downing said. “The expertise, experience, working knowledge, professionalism and lessons learned that senior leaders can share with young professionals are priceless. Senior leaders should be role models for young professionals and should show a genuine interest in their needs, their development and their successes.”
Downing said leaders and mentors should immediately establish open lines of communication and schedule regular meetings to discuss goals and expectations with new Keystones to ensure success.
One such success story graduated the program in June. Damaris Rivera-Lopez, now a DCMA LM Fort Worth contract administrator, said her Keystone experience was very rewarding and that she appreciated the opportunity to learn and support major acquisition programs.
“I was able to do internal rotations with some of our technical groups like quality assurance, manufacturing and supply chain management,” said Rivera-Lopez. “I also had the privilege to do an international rotation to DCMA Europe. Because of this, I was able to acquire knowledge on international business practices and support the F-35 program at the subcontractor level.”
During her tenure as a Keystone, she was nominated and selected for two office-level employee of the quarter awards. She was also selected as the Central Region Employee of the Quarter. Her story of success is not unique among Fort Worth Keystones as many have been selected for rotational assignments and recognition.
“The Contracts’ Keystones are continually being nominated and selected for various awards and opportunities,” Downing said.
The three graduates who have completed the program under Downing’s guidance all provided positive feedback acknowledging the advice they received, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they were presented all contributed to their experience.
As for advice to team members just beginning their Keystone journey, Rivera-Lopez suggested maintaining a professional commitment to learning is key. “Focus on your classes, but be proactive in obtaining experience in other functional areas. This will greatly enhance your understanding of individual programs and of the agency as a whole. You should remember that being part of this program is an opportunity to excel professionally. As long as you put forth the effort, you will succeed.”
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.14.2015 15:36 |
| Story ID: | 175993 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 167 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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