Deputy to the commanding general visits ACC-RI
By Elizabeth Urbaniak Public Affairs Assistant
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – Daniel Gallagher, the Army Contracting Command deputy to the commanding general, returned to ACC-Rock Island on April 2 to host a town hall.
Lynda Armer, ACC-RI executive director, introduced Gallagher before turning the floor over to him. During the visit, Gallagher praised the workforce for its daily performance.
"The CG and I really appreciate all the effort," Gallagher said. "It has been a journey the past year. We’ve had some fun; we lost a lot of good friends in the last year through the Deferred Resignation Program and other things, but we still performed well as we normally do, so you guys did something great."
Gallagher noted that employees have excelled at implementing more efficient acquisition techniques in response to reform directives from the new administration. He highlighted the organization's ability to maintain a high pace of operations despite staffing changes.
"We have been at a high operational tempo since 2001," Gallagher said. "We came to fruition in 2008 and the pace just steadily climbed. We’ve adapted to that by changing the way we operate and doing much better even with fewer people."
Gallagher said the onboarding of new employees has improved operations, specifically through new IT solutions and improved communication with customers and contractors.
"Things constantly change and that’s something contracting usually deals with, so we kind of adapted to change, but we’ve had to do it at light speed this past year," he said.
ACC leadership plans to expedite the development of new tools to streamline workflows, though Gallagher noted these shifts will take time. He also expressed hope to bring on more fellows during the current fiscal year.
During the session, Gallagher asked non-acquisition personnel to identify themselves, specifically thanking them for their support roles.
"Without you, the contracting organization doesn’t exist," Gallagher said. "The people that aren’t doing acquisition work, you are just as critical to making sure we can operate in the right way with the right resources."
After thanking specific directorates for recent achievements, Gallagher opened the floor for a question-and-answer session. He joked with the audience that the town hall would not conclude until they asked at least 20 questions.
Gallagher concluded by emphasizing his appreciation for the local leadership and the workforce’s dedication to the mission.
"Lynda and the leadership team do a great job," Gallagher said. "Times are changing but continue doing what you are doing to take care of the customer. Maj. Gen. Lowrey and I appreciate what you are doing every day."