Photo By Edvin Hernandez | Four students from Virginia Tech (VT) University pose for a photo at Portfolio...... read more read more
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Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) hosted four promising Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC) scholars at headquarters in Washington D.C., between May and July 2026.
DCTC, a congressionally-mandated talent development program, is in its pilot year and is designed to recruit, educate, and prepare exceptional undergraduate students for future civilian careers within the Department of War (DoW). The program, which is led by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, provides scholars with a multidisciplinary, active-learning curriculum with summer internship projects at DoW organizations.
Four partner universities are participating in DCTC’s first year: Virginia Tech, Purdue University, the University of Arizona, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Four students from Virginia Tech supported PAE SSP across various, mission-critical branches.
“This partnership bridges the gap between academic theory and national defense, cultivating a strong multidisciplinary talent pool that strengthens the broader defense industrial base,” Kathleen Cushman said, a human resource specialist at PAE SSP HQ. “The program focuses on disciplines essential to SSP, such as advanced engineering, digital/critical technologies, and finance. Our engagement with DCTC creates a mutually beneficial ecosystem; by providing project-based internships, SSP gives these scholars vital, hands-on experience in high-stakes military engineering and strategic mission environments.”
PAE SSP is the Navy command responsible for sustaining and maintaining the Navy’s premier strategic weapon system (SWS): the Trident II D5 Life Extension missile. In the future, PAE SSP will support the transition of the SWS aboard Columbia-class submarines. The command is also pioneering regional deterrence capabilities through the Conventional Prompt Strike program and Nuclear-Armed Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile program.
DCTC interns at PAE SSP onboarded in May 2026 and shadowed engineers, cyber security professionals, and accounting experts for more than two months, gaining a better understanding of how an acquisition command like PAE SSP operates within the Department of Navy (DoN) and supports the nation’s strategic deterrence mission. Isabelle Elmore, who is studying accounting, said her classroom experience provided valuable context about the job, but pointed to the hands-on experience at PAE SSP that allowed her to make the connection between classroom and real-world application.
“In our DCTC class, we always work in teams,” she said. “One of our scenario-driven assignments was focused on how to build a cost-effective drone package for the government. These scenarios forced us to think about multiple things like the types of devices, appendages, and other resources that come into play when making purchases or recommendations.”
At the end of these scenarios, DCTC scholars are required to present their research projects, including final recommendations, to other DCTC cohorts and explain their decision-making process. The scenarios, created by retired Army and Air Force colonels, are centered around mimicking interactions and collaboration (technical and non-technical) federal employees may encounter with industry partners on the job.
“The DCTC classes that we have throughout the year helped us in our intern role,” Marissa Munoz said. “At SSP, one of the most impactful things about my experience was having a mentor that always wanted to help me learn. My mentor broke things down for me on a white board and walked me through his thinking process, so it gave me the opportunity to see how he approached specific problems and understand new perspectives.”
For Aiden Furey, whose family has strong ties to military service, this internship experience confirmed his desire to work in support of national defense.
“Coming from a Navy family, I have always wanted to get involved in any capacity,” he said. “This environment was not only supportive to my career growth, but it also solidified my interest in working for the military.” Munoz and Nathaniel Ahwee-Marrah added that the networking opportunities at PAE SSP provided them with a golden opportunity to learn more about the program and the different branches that support the strategic deterrence mission at the command.
“My mentor encouraged me to voice my opinion and thoughts on some of the projects we were completing, which made this experience feel like I’m contributing something to the program,” Ahwee-Marrah said. “We received a lot of foundational knowledge about the acquisition side of the house for government work that supports DoW. That knowledge makes an impact – it allows us to hit the ground running for future government work.”
Though PAE SSP boasts a world-class workforce, the mission to prepare the next-generation never stops. Programs like DCTC support the command in maintaining a pulse on the most talented young professionals coming out of college across the country, providing opportunities for the best-of-the-best to join a Navy organization rooted in a legacy of success. To be the caretakers and innovators of such critically important weapon systems requires PAE SSP to recruit top talent; and the DCTC scholars program, in collaboration with DoW organizations, not only ensures that, but also ensures the Sailors and Marines of today and tomorrow are equipped with the nation’s best experts supporting them on their mission.
“Until you’re in it or learn first-hand, you won’t know how it truly works,” Furey said. “Here at SSP, we do unique acquisition. This experience gives us a good foundation to take back to the classroom and leverage it in the future.”
PAE SSP Executive Directory Kelley Lee hosted a roundtable discussion with the DCTC scholars as the internship came to an end.
“There are a lot of opportunities to leverage your engineering background, your finance background – there are a lot of opportunities to grow here at SSP,” she said. “If you come back as SSP developmental employees, there will be more opportunities to expand your horizons, travel to our facilities, and you’ll get to see what the Trident weapon system is all about. We are proud to have a pipeline from summer interns to developmental employees to full positions after you graduate.”
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.03.2026 08:05 |
| Story ID: | 571225 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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