Photo By Holly DeCarlo-White | Jason Pitts, center, gray shirt, ran the 2017 USAASC Turkey Trot with colleagues....... read more read more
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Many organizations are blessed with employees who are dedicated to their work, but few can boast of employees who are just as committed to the people that they work with as the job itself. Jason Pitts was one such person—tirelessly dedicated to his job, his colleagues and ultimately the Soldiers in the field. The United States Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) was proud to have him as a leader within the organization.
When he passed away on July 12, 2026, after a long battle with colon cancer, his loss was deeply felt.
Master Sgt. Pitts arrived at USAASC in 2011 from the 618th Contracting Team in Fairbanks, Alaska. After 15 years as an Infantry Solider, he was reclassified as one of the Army’s first 51C Acquisition Corps Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs), serving as the chief proponent NCO for 51Cs. In a 2013 article on 51C billets, Pitts said he was drawn to that specific military occupational specialty because he could see new geographic areas while still supporting the warfighter and making an impact. Pitts’ presence as an NCO in the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) was vital.
“Because I knew the business, I found it easier to help support [Soldiers]. I found the warfighter identified with me because I shared their experiences. I wasn’t just some guy,” he said in the article.
Pitts retired from active duty in January of 2014, but the desire to relate to the people he supported resonated throughout his civilian career.
“Jason understood that this business is about people,” said Lt. Gen. Robert M. Collins, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology. “He mentored the next generation, stood up for our workforce and left the Army Acquisition Workforce better than he found it,” he continued.
Between his military service and civilian career, Pitts had more than 30 years of total government service. He spent the last 12 years at USAASC rising through the civilian ranks—from acquisition strategic analyst to supervisory acquisition analyst, to chief of the proponency and leader development division for the Director, Acquisition Career Management Office (DACM).
“I had the distinct privilege of working both for and alongside Jason,” said Lt. Col. Laura-Jane Freeland, U.S. Army Human Resources Command. “First as one of his proponent officers and years later as the [Acquisition Management Branch] chief. In every role, Jason was the kind of leader people hoped to work for. He always put people first, investing in their growth, caring deeply about their families and ensuring they knew they mattered.”
Maj. Mitch Boatwright, FA 51 proponency officer with the DACM, only worked with Pitts for about a year, but the interaction left a lasting impression. “In the time between where I had orders bringing me to the Acquisition Support Center, but before I actually arrived, my wife was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer,” Boatwright said. “I was reaching out to attempt to sort out when I would arrive, how I could manage things, all the things that come with such a life-changing event. Jason reached out the same day and not only told me not to worry about the timeline but also shared his story—shared all of the things he had learned in his fight with cancer and made himself available for anything that he could assist with. Because that was who he was.”
“After I arrived at the Acquisition Support Center and worked directly with Jason for some time, I learned that he was almost singularly driven by two things: accomplishing the mission and taking care of people. Every decision made was assessed against those two goals,” Boatwright added. “He truly embodied compassionate leadership without compromising mission accomplishment or accountability.”
Pitts’ steady presence during times of upheaval—both personal and professional—was a blessing for the DACM Office and USAASC. The federal government, and specifically the Army acquisition community, experienced an overwhelming amount of change in the last year and a half. Organizations were mandated to streamline, resulting in a few staff reorganizations. Pitts’ division rapidly grew, and he ensured the new arrivals, from both outside the DACM Office and within it, felt heard and appreciated, even while he battled illness.
“Being part of Jason’s team meant finding unique purpose in the mission while enjoying the camaraderie and laughter he naturally fostered,” Freeland said. “His passion for the Acquisition Corps was evident in everything he did, but it was his humility, kindness and genuine care for others that left the greatest impression.”
The DACM Office and USAASC wish Pitts’ family, friends and colleagues across the acquisition community peace and comfort. “Those of us who served alongside him are better for it. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten,” Collins said.
| Date Taken: | 08.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2026 12:52 |
| Story ID: | 572560 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A LEGACY OF DEDICATION: REMEMBERING JASON PITTS, by Jacqueline Hames, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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