PdM SMS Holds Change of Charter Ceremony

Photo By Jason Amadi | Lt. Col. Melissa Johnson receives the Product Manager Soldier Maneuver Sensor Charter from Col. Copeland on Fort Belvoir, June 18.  

FORT BELVOIR, VA, UNITED STATES

06.18.2021

Story by Jason Amadi 

PEO Soldier

FORT BELVOIR, VA – Product Manager, Soldier Maneuver Sensors (PdM SMS) held a Change of
Charter ceremony on Fort Belvoir, June 18.

Lt. Col. Melissa Johnson assumed leadership as the PdM from Lt. Col. Toby Birdsell, accepting
responsibility for the total life cycle management of SMS programs. As PdM, Johnson will be
responsible for coordinating with stakeholders to ensure a system-of-systems engineering approach
necessary for seamless interoperability across the Army and Joint Enterprises.
Product Manager SMS is a product management office within the Program Executive Office, Soldier
(PEO Soldier) portfolio. Its mission is to rapidly deliver integrated sensors that enable the Soldier
system to detect and engage first against all threats.

Col. Doug Copeland, Project Manager for Soldier Maneuver and Precision Targeting (PM SMPT),
hosted the Change of Charter ceremony and thanked Birdsell for a job well done.
“None of the efforts over the past several years were easy,” said Copeland. “I really think a big part
of Toby’s success was having a positive outlook on every single challenge. He had a team-oriented
approach, applied critical thinking, and exercised sound judgment. Those things all came together to
make you a very successful leader and your team a very successful organization.”
Johnson, a native of Augusta, Georgia, previously served as part of PEO Soldier’s SMS team in
2013 alongside Birdsell. She says she’s excited to return and thanked Birdsell for preparing her to
take on the PdM role.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be back as part of the PEO Soldier family,” said Johnson. “I’m thrilled to be
back where it all started for me and to be surrounded by a group of world-class and elite
professionals. To say I’m humbled would be an absolute understatement.”
Johnson and Birdsell originally met during their time as Assistant Product Managers in PM SMPT.
“We couldn’t have even imagined that we would be sharing this moment together eight years ago.
Eight years ago, we served together in the SMS program office and eight years ago our children
played together. There is no other Army family that I’d rather share this day with. Thank you so much
for your friendship. You’re truly an inspirational leader and a tough act to follow. But I’m going to do
my best and I want to thank you for setting me up for success,” said Johnson.
Johnson closed with a message to the team she’ll be leading and assured them she would be in
their corner as their PdM.

“Team SMS, to lead is to serve; nothing more, nothing less. To whom much is given, much is
expected. I promise that you have 100% of my undivided attention and effort as we walk on this
journey together. I will be your biggest advocate, your biggest cheerleader and most of all, your best
teammate."

• Date Taken: 06.18.2021
• Date Posted: 06.30.2021 12:50
• Story ID: 400089
• Location: FORT BELVOIR, VA, US