There is much we can’t know about the future, even as we spend tremendous energy and intellect trying to envision it. From its new operating concept to Better Buying Power 3.0, the Army is planning for what the future will look like, a task... more

There is much we can’t know about the future, even as we spend tremendous energy and intellect trying to envision it. From its new operating concept to Better Buying Power 3.0, the Army is planning for what the future will look like, a task complicated by uncertainty over potential adversaries and fiscal prospects. One thing we do know is that the future will be digital. In this issue: FROM THE AAE: Toward A More Expeditionary Army Acquisition will pave the way to Force 2025 with smart modernization, S&T innovation HACKING CYBER STOVEPIPES: To provide capabilities for Force 2025, ASA(ALT) adopts holistic approach TESTING THE WATERS: ATEC, PEO C3T explore new paradigms for testing emerging technologies ALWAYS CONNECTED: Satellite communications network enables more expeditionary Army to move beyond the FOB THE AGILE Edge: Software development methodology helps PD RCAS innovate today for tomorrow’s Army KEYED IN: Key parameter initiative improves technical data to reduce costs, improve quality ABOVE, BELOW AND AROUND: JMC looks to solar, geothermal and wind to get to net zero energy for the Army THE ENERGY CIRCUIT: A roundup of projects and efforts to power change in Army energy TOOTH to TAIL: PEO CS&CSS works to sharpen the Army’s teeth while trimming its tail HYBRID THREATS, HYBRID THINKING: Integrated sensor architecture looks to keep pace with commercial technology THE FUTURE OF AIRCRAFT SURVIVABILITY: Building an intelligent, integrated survivability suite IN THE ‘GOLDEN HOUR’: Combat Casualty Care Research drives innovation to improve survivability and reimagine future combat care ASSURED PNT: A path to resilient positioning, navigation and timing NET BENEFIT: A new way of doing business gets industry into development process earlier TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: Explaining science plainly can lead to new insight—and a challenge LEAN THINKING: Applying lean business practices to single-award task and delivery order processing ‘WIN IN A COMPLEX WORLD’—BUT HOW?: TRADOC CG GEN David G. Perkins discusses meaning and challenges of new Army Operating Concept BBP 3.0 101” With new version, better buying power is here to stay THE LONG VIEW: LIRA decision support tool enables better long-range planning and budgeting OPENING THE DOOR TO ‘OPEN’ ARCHITECTURES: AMRDEC develops new modular approach to foster competition, innovation in guided missiles PURCHASING POWER: Strategic sourcing identifies collaborative savings opportunities BAE INDUSTRY INSIGHT: Looking beyond the ‘bathtub’ toward 2025 and beyond OLD DOG, NEW NOSE: Existing chemical detector turns out to be just the solution for defeating explosives Dual roles yield twice the rewards SMALL BUSINESS in the BIG PICTURE: Kendall announces creation of new acquisition career field   less

Twenty-five years ago, then-Army Chief of Staff GEN Carl E. Vuono signed a letter formally creating the Army Acquisition Corps (AAC). With this issue, we celebrate 25 years of Army acquisition excellence, and the professionalism that the AAC... more

Twenty-five years ago, then-Army Chief of Staff GEN Carl E. Vuono signed a letter formally creating the Army Acquisition Corps (AAC). With this issue, we celebrate 25 years of Army acquisition excellence, and the professionalism that the AAC represents. Articles in this issue include: 25 years and counting Army Acquisition Corps coalesces around dedication, professionalism Spotlight: Mr. Ralph P. “ Pat” Degroodt Sailing trip benefits battlefield communications Lessons outside the lines PEO adds knowledge capture to its arsenal of acquisition tools Ground Truth Lessons Learned in the Army Acquisition Workforce Train to sustain Interactive multimedia instruction uses lifelong learning methodologies to support battlefield communication systems Spotlight: Maj. James A. “ Tony” Lindh II Combining different viewpoints for better analytics Forging New Links With Supply Chain Transformation initiative, Army Materiel Command seeks greater efficiencies, better communication Smart sustainment Tobyhanna workforce supports the current and future Army network, one idea at a time Spotlight: Mr. Jonathan Henshey Active-duty perspective benefits acquisition career Future [Work ]Force Developing the Army’s next generation of scientists and engineers ELITE Training New game-based simulation expands to teach new leaders ‘soft skills’ Adapting artillery Design change strengthens battle-worn M119A3 howitzer at less cost than new system Spotlight: Mrs. R. Colette Carrizales A winding road to Texas Skill seekers Annual contracting support exercise grows in participation, scope and stature ‘Semper gumby’ A former Marine recruiter’s job with Starbucks is all about connection Spotlight: Ms. Judy Cole Performance improvement imperative Cost is key Kendall and Gansler praise workforce, urge affordability as a requirement In it for the long haul The work done by the Army Acquisition Corps makes a difference far into the future Time to think Technology, demands of war have sharpened contracting workforce; now it’s time to reflect on what’s next Changing mission, Challenging Climate Looking back on 37 years of contracting Pulling together Collaboration drives integration, which in turn drives the future force Thinking inside the box How a shipping container became a weapon system Army acquisition: A brief history Legislation, scandal, regulation, reform Faces of the force The Army Acquisition Workforce in pictures The full treatment Medical Command conducts comprehensive overhaul of acquisition specialties   less

For more than a decade, the U.S. Army has had serious on-the-job training in theater. As that comes to an end, the Army still needs to train and prepare for the conflicts of the future, even as budgets are slated for decline. To meet the needs of... more

For more than a decade, the U.S. Army has had serious on-the-job training in theater. As that comes to an end, the Army still needs to train and prepare for the conflicts of the future, even as budgets are slated for decline. To meet the needs of future missions, the Army is beefing up its capabilities in virtual, simulated and constructive training, and integrating those capabilities with live training. Articles in this issue include: Training Boom - Suite of trainers for towed artillery systems blends realism, modularity All Together Now - Tactical Network training before more holistic and more versatile with every capability set fielding Training on The Virtual Net - Video game-like approach reduces classroom time, increases engagement Ground Truth - Lessons learned on training and readiness Soldier-Based Training - C4ISR Field Support Vision 2020: Preparing the self-sufficient force Seeking Synchronization - Army Sustainment Command’s Distribution Management Center marks major gain in evolution of materiel management Rotational Readiness - AMC supports regional shift with European Activity Set A Modesta Proposal - CERDEC is building a holistic modeling and simulation environment ‘Digital Dirt’ - With too many boots for too little ground, training system expands units’ options Training as a Service - PEO STRI is working to make the Common Operating Environment truly common for training A Contract For The Future - Leaders see progress, challenges in growing critical Army contracting professionals Picture This - A creative contracting solution helps DOD catalog mountains of still and motion imagery Many Tasks, One Tool - PM CCS seeks maximum efficiency, affordability with Consolidated Contractor Logistics Support The Other Acquisition Phase - Focusing on better buying power and value engineering efforts Promises to Keep - Lasting bonds based on trust, respect and confidence are the foundation of the future Shaping Systems To The Soldier - Army needs more adaptive training to match the diversity of Soldiers, missions A Leg Up - Wounded warrior develops first-of-a-kind leg prosthesis   less

The new issue of Army AL&T magazine, with the Army’s 30-year modernization planning strategy as its theme, is online now. The Army does not use tea leaves, Ouija boards or crystal balls to do its 30-year planning. Instead, it has lots of... more

The new issue of Army AL&T magazine, with the Army’s 30-year modernization planning strategy as its theme, is online now. The Army does not use tea leaves, Ouija boards or crystal balls to do its 30-year planning. Instead, it has lots of smart people making plans—and, as no plan survives contact with the enemy, making more plans. Teasing out what the future may look like—and what the Army will need to look like to meet its responsibilities—is hard work, part art but mostly science. Indeed, in many ways, the Army is developing this science and working to create the future even as it tries to predict it. In reading the April-June issue of Army AL&T, you may be surprised to learn that out of the budget austerity that followed the Vietnam War came what are now bedrock warfighting systems. In “Critical Thinking,” we sat down with “futurists” from the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC), which supports the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in, developing concepts, capabilities and requirements and evaluates proposed modernization solutions, to learn just how ARCIC helps translate the ifs, ands, buts and whethers of a future 30 years out into planning that results in acquisition, logistics and technology. You also may be surprised, in an entirely different way, by the new, vastly improved interactive online version of Army AL&T magazine, and the new versions of its Android and iOS apps. You can read the entire issue online now at http://usaasc.armyalt.com. The new Android app is available at Google Play. The app for Apple devices is available through iTunes or the App Store. Featured Articles: Even as it closes the books on the longest war in U.S. history, the Army must plan, in difficult circumstances, for what is to come Soldier Modernization Process is potential model for organization, collaboration in 30-year strategic planning PEO Missiles and Space takes visual approach to strategic modernization planning Modernization planning for the commander’s freedom of action must blend current, future capabilities Lessons learned in S&T transition and sustainment LRAS3 program blazes new path in sustaining ‘core’ support capabilities Future network must make it easier for Soldiers to train, plan, operate from garrison to foxhole Advancing the Common Operating Environment to support current and future Soldiers USAMRMC harnesses partnerships, lessons learned to prepare for Asia-Pacific missions Assessment methodology helps examine effects on schedule for better acquisition decisions Three simple rules to guide the planning of complex multiservice operations Army aviation seeks big-picture approach to curb life-cycle costs A new look at fostering cutting-edge thinking in Army science and technology In post-conflict Army, technologies of the future take on greater importance Leveraging students’ engineering expertise to bridge the gap between Soldier and system New design tools provide insights to enhance Soldier equipping Changing expeditionary contracting models can add value if it brings success ARDEC and JMC aim to simplify procurement and reduce cost of conventional ammo with new contract clause Planning 30 years out requires a vision of the future. That’s where ARCIC comes in. PEO Ammunition – JMC tiger team looks to reduce costs in ammunition organic industrial base Parting thoughts on a world-class workforce delivering world-class capabilities Taking the long view of Army modernization means constantly staying ahead of technology Thirty-year plans may not foretell the future, but we need them SPOTLIGHT: ELLIE, VIRTUAL HUMAN   less

MoBs and FaCs, STEM and FMS—these are just a few of the ways that the U.S. Army, along with DOD and others, is working to preserve the knowledge, skills and capabilities that make up its industrial base. Keeping the industrial base... more

MoBs and FaCs, STEM and FMS—these are just a few of the ways that the U.S. Army, along with DOD and others, is working to preserve the knowledge, skills and capabilities that make up its industrial base. Keeping the industrial base healthy—the theme of the January – March issue of Army AL&T magazine—is crucial to keeping the Army healthy: maintaining its superiority, its overmatch, its edge. You can read about them all in the new edition of Army AL&T magazine, available online now at http://armyalt.va.newsmemory.com/.  less

RETROGRADE, RESET, REDEPLOYMENT, REDISTRIBUTION, AND DISPOSAL (R4D) Robots, medical supplies, UAVs, wheeled and tracked vehicles—the effort to scale down our materiel in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 is a monumental task, and it has already... more

RETROGRADE, RESET, REDEPLOYMENT, REDISTRIBUTION, AND DISPOSAL (R4D) Robots, medical supplies, UAVs, wheeled and tracked vehicles—the effort to scale down our materiel in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 is a monumental task, and it has already started. The Army AL&T Workforce is doing one of the most challenging missions ever faced by the U.S. Army Network footprint in Afghanistan changes with retrograde mission while preserving critical capabilities Capability Set 13 fills the gap as other communication systems leave Afghanistan How Product Manager Radars is converting a quick-reaction capability radar to a program of record Acquisition Lessons Learned Portal is trusted source for relevant, timely best practices Reserve component IT installations set precedents for efficiency AMC uniquely positioned to support R4D Retrograde though automation How SDDC is working to overcome political and other obstacles to get materiel out of Afghanistan SDDC works toward best-value transportation Army AL&T magazine talks with Army G-8 about its role in R4D Finding efficiencies in complex Stryker retrograde Only certain robots can be retrograded cost-efficiently From beds to bandages, millions of dollars worth of materiel move through medical sort point ARDEC’s IDEA program takes systematic approach to encouraging innovation Standardized Measures of Performance Framework enables consistent assessment of Army network capability Conducting reviews electronically saves operational dollars while providing a clear picture of contracting risks Understanding who has the authority to spend taxpayers’ dollars, and when, is critical to your financial well-being The Army has a lot of stuff to move. Amazon moves a lot of stuff. How the Army Acquisition Workforce is making Better Buying Power 2.0 work As operations wind down in Afghanistan, opportunity arises for agile acquisition of UAS technology PEO Soldier leverages arsenals to provide Soldiers the equipment they need, when and where they need it, at less cost Achieving greater capabilities in Manned/Unmanned Teaming while finding greater efficiencies How the Army reduced a six-person, two-vehicle system to software In pivotal R4D mission, Army Acquisition continues to support the Soldier After 33 years in the field, new DASA(P) takes the long view of where the Army needs to be Language for tracking efficiencies calls for greater precision, consistency Researchers create cool, collapsible water containers for Soldiers in the field How optimizing Lean Six Sigma instruction can increase efficiency, save money Spotlight: Rr. Tom Reynolds   less

Day in and day out, year in and year out, the Army Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Workforce performs feats that superheroes might only dream of. Articles include: FROM THE AAE: A workforce to be reckoned with, Army Acquisition must... more

Day in and day out, year in and year out, the Army Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Workforce performs feats that superheroes might only dream of. Articles include: FROM THE AAE: A workforce to be reckoned with, Army Acquisition must continue to set the standard for DOD in professional certification setting the gold standard, The Hon. Katrina G. McFarland talks about DOD’s acquisition workforce and concrete steps being taken to improve it learning by doing, Outcomes-based instruction promises to modernize network training back to basics, Returning C4ISR field support capabilities to the Soldier Ready for change, Ushering in the Global Combat Support System – Army is a complex and careful process that promises sweeping benefits Great skot! PEO CS&CSS product manager introduces a system-of systems approach to maintenance support Growing greatness, AMRDEC develops world-class engineers for the missile enterprise by putting them to work Science meets acquisition, Medical materiel acquisition workforce represents unique skill sets in support of the warfighter Bridge building, Intermediate Medical Acquisition Course supports both product and workforce development cloud seeding, CERDEC’s Systems Integration Laboratory fosters competition while strengthening the Distributed Common Ground Station – Army production baseline The Methods Behind the mystique, Google’s chief workforce manager discusses the hiring, retention and professional development philosophies that set the company apart Making it official, Kendall describes his vision of professionalism in launching Better Buying Power 2.0 Revising the rulebook, PEO AMMO helps bolster the Better Buying Power goal of reducing nonproductive processes and bureacracy Agile information, PM AcqBusiness identifies innovative data capabilities to serve the Army Acquisition Workforce Engine of efficiency, Applying better buying power principles eliminates redundancy in vehicle testing for tomorrow’s Army Acquisition and the army profession, Values, continuous development set workforce apart Decisive execution, Managing the scope and challenges of a retrograde operation: an acquisition officer’s insights Remaking American security, Supply chain vulnerabilities and national security risk across the U.S. defense industrial base A boar is born, Supply chain vulnerabilities and national security risk across the U.S. defense industrial base Faces of the force, The men and women of the Army Acquisition Workforce, at work It takes a Team, Forward-deployed Army materiel enterprise pools diverse skills to execute multifaceted mission in Afghanistan New heights in education, Army’s first civilian-only senior service college program receives military accreditation Maintaining critical skills, AMC cultivates depot and arsenal leaders to help preserve the defense organic industrial base A SCEP in the right direction, How an Army intern program trained one of its future leaders to support the acquisition workforce and Soldier community Pathway to leadership, Setting goals and building skills help grow careers and the Army AL&T workforce Fresh faces, The Pathways and other intern programs help PEO EIS train future civilian leaders  less

The Power Of Better Buying; Riding Out The Storm; BBP In Focus; Kick These Tires; Better Waveforms, Better Value; More Capability For Less; Looking Ahead With JLTV; Beyond QRC; Avoiding Environmental Risk; Fielding Made Simpler; Same Standards,... more

The Power Of Better Buying; Riding Out The Storm; BBP In Focus; Kick These Tires; Better Waveforms, Better Value; More Capability For Less; Looking Ahead With JLTV; Beyond QRC; Avoiding Environmental Risk; Fielding Made Simpler; Same Standards, Different Methods; Beyond A Common Operating Environment; A New World View; Saving On Services; Competition Case Study; One-Stop Efficiency; Safer And Smarter; The Genius Of Simplicity; Making The Numbers Work; Economies Of Scale Chess; Better Buying Power; Driving Competition; Force Multiplier; Garbage To Fuel  less

Maintaining The Edge; Planning Ahead; Taking ‘Agile’ To The Next Level; Beyond JTRS; Evolving The Network; Aiming For ‘Agile’; Intel At The Tactical Edge; Adaptive Electronic Warfare; Quick-Response Mission; A Fast-Moving Cloud; Safety... more

Maintaining The Edge; Planning Ahead; Taking ‘Agile’ To The Next Level; Beyond JTRS; Evolving The Network; Aiming For ‘Agile’; Intel At The Tactical Edge; Adaptive Electronic Warfare; Quick-Response Mission; A Fast-Moving Cloud; Safety In The Skies; Setting The Table For 2013; Beyond Sustainment; Global Solutions; Greatest Inventions Of 2011; Beating Bioaerosols; Agile S&T; Making Numbers Count; Path To Success; ‘Smart’ Closeout; Getting A Grip; Thinking Big On Small Business; Lessons In Leadership; Better Buying Power 2.0; Bringing Agility To Ammo; Conserving Capabilities; The Sum Of Many Successes; Back To The Basics In Logistics; From Concept To Reality; Army AL&T 182 Readership Survey 2012; Best of Army AL&T   less

Planning For The Future; The Leading Edge; Building The Network Baseline; Top–Tier Solution; Live Training Goes Mobile; Concealment Capability; Network Security, Smarter And Faster; Birth Of An Enterprise; Delivering Technology; From Concept... more

Planning For The Future; The Leading Edge; Building The Network Baseline; Top–Tier Solution; Live Training Goes Mobile; Concealment Capability; Network Security, Smarter And Faster; Birth Of An Enterprise; Delivering Technology; From Concept To Capability; Battery Power; Higher. Farther. Cheaper.; Rotorcraft Brain Trust; Innovation Marketplace; Not Just Fun And Games; Asymmetric Training; The Future Of Counter-Ram; Advanced Protective Structures; Strength Through Sustainability; World-Class Workforce; Army Refining Specs For Future Aircraft; Killing A Fly With A Sledgehammer; Build. Nurture. Sustain.; A Framework For It; Acc Governance Process Aligns Information Technology Requirements, Resources; Not Quite A Done Deal; Breaking It Down; An Anthropological Eye On The Soldier; Quality Control, Close Up; The Power Of LSS PM Its; Myth Busted PEO Stri Dispels Doubts About Industry Days To Achieve Closer Communication, More Responsive Acquisition; Getting Good Data PARCA Makes Strides In Identifying What’s Useful From Myriad Reporting Requirements; Professional To The Core; Landwarnet Synergy   less

‘Portfolio’ Perspective; Demystifying The CPR ; A Strong Lens; Maturing The Agile Process; Buying A Better Radio; JTRS Enterprise Business Model Seeks To Ensure Cutting-Edge, Interoperable Joint Equipment; The ‘New’ Acquisition... more

‘Portfolio’ Perspective; Demystifying The CPR ; A Strong Lens; Maturing The Agile Process; Buying A Better Radio; JTRS Enterprise Business Model Seeks To Ensure Cutting-Edge, Interoperable Joint Equipment; The ‘New’ Acquisition Workforce; Behind The Agile Process, Individuals Commit To Getting Dirty And Making It Work; Focus On The Industrial Base; International Sales Hold Promise As Army, DOD Look At Mitigating Risks To Industry From U.S. Spending Cuts; Chem Demil: Mission Accomplished Army Completes Destruction Of Chemical Weapon Stockpiles, Ahead Of Time And Under Budget; Mission: Medevac Recap; USAMRMC, PEO Aviation Collaborate To Upgrade Black Hawks With Lifesaving Capabilities; Logistics In Asymmetrical Conflicts; An Israeli Soldier And His Colleagues Examine Several Contemporary Operations; Flexible Communications; A Measured Solution; Hmmwv Rollover Accidents; Closing A Security Gap; Communities Of Practice; Acc Gathers Expertise, Experience To Solve Business Problems In Four Complex Areas Of Contracting; Cost Management Leaders; Cam-I Target Costing Best Practices Interest Group Provides Guidance And Support In Critical Area; Keeping The Portfolio Profitable; Lean Six Sigma Project Reaches Across Organizations For More Efficient System Support; A Hub For Lessons Learned; DOTmLPF + DotMlpf = DOTMLPF; Sharing Services, Saving Money; A Process With A Purpose; Requirement Portfolios And The Joint Warfighter; Report From Afghanistan; Flight To The Future; 130 Communication 101; Myth Busting; The Long Road Home; Readiness At Best Value; Right-Sizing  less