PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - Creativity does not necessarily mean coming up with something completely new. Sometimes it means looking at an existing problem from a different perspective.
A leader may ask, “Is there a better way to accomplish this?”
A Soldier may recognize that a repetitive task can be simplified.
A team may discover that two separate processes can be combined into one.
These seemingly small changes can create significant improvements over time.
This is where artificial intelligence (AI) can become another tool in the professional toolkit -one that can reduce routine workloads, accelerate research, organize information and give Soldiers and Civilians more time to focus on missions that require human judgment.
During a recent visit to Picatinny Arsenal, Jason Condrey, Director, U.S. Army Installation Management Command – Sustainment (ID-S), emphasized the importance of embracing AI while speaking to the U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal workforce.
“I will tell you what I believe is going to change the way we work and operate,” Condrey said about AI as he responded to a question about emerging technologies that the workforce should be looking forward to.
The director talked about the aggregation of data that will help improve processes for many of the functions that U.S. Army garrisons oversee such as project construction, infrastructure maintenance, emergency services, and community welfare programs.
Condrey, a former U.S. Army officer and garrison commander himself, oversees base operations, infrastructure, and quality-of-life programs for dozens of U.S. Army garrisons,-depots, and arsenals supporting the Army Materiel Command and other specialized commands. During his visit to Picatinny, Condrey was accompanied by Command Sgt. Maj. Nickea Harris-Scott, ID-S Command Sergeant Major.
As a leader who understands the frustrations associated with limited manpower, Condrey said the applications of AI excite him for what the future may hold. The director believes U.S. Army Garrison employees can leverage AI to significantly enhance operational efficiency, streamline administrative workflows, and improve installation services.
“It starts with somebody sitting in this audience going, ‘hey, there’s got to be a better way to do this,’” Condrey said of the data collection. “We don’t have enough people, we don’t have enough money, but if we can figure out how to give ourselves time back, that is a win. Time is honestly the most critical resource that we don’t have enough of.”
The continuous improvement of AI systems relies on iterative learning and real-time user feedback, so as more and more people use the tools, the underlying models become increasingly precise, adaptive, and effective at supporting critical mission requirements.
“Once it (the technology) is inside our systems, and we can leverage it, we are limited by our own creativity,” Condrey said as he closed out the Aug. 20 discussion with Picatinny Arsenal professionals.
Picatinny Arsenal is the Joint Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition, providing products and services to all branches of the U.S. military. The Picatinny workforce includes Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, U.S. Federal employees and contractor personnel who lead in the research, development, acquisition and lifecycle management of advanced conventional weapon systems and ammunition. The Arsenal is one of the top three employers in the County, according to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation, and the installation’s capabilities are unique and vital to the Nation, as the workforce leads the advancement of armament technologies and engineering innovation for the U.S. military.
The Picatinny Arsenal garrison supports mission partners that use unique laboratories, special facilities, and various performance measures to evaluate prototype designs, thus reducing development cycle time. Picatinny’s scope of work includes improvised explosive device (IED) defeat technologies, drones, small, medium, and large caliber conventional ammunition, precision-guided munitions, mortars, fire control systems, small-arms weapon systems, howitzers, gunner protection armor, warheads, fuzes, and insensitive munitions.