The U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) is a Direct Reporting Unit of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology responsible for providing oversight of the approximately 29,000-strong Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW). The Army Director for Acquisition Career Management (DACM) is the Army’s senior level advocate for all AAW matters. The AAW consists of civilian and military professionals residing in Army staff offices, Army commands, Army service component commands, Capability Program Executive offices, and direct reporting units.
COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Armaments Center, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Demilitarization and Experimentation Directorate
TITLE: Supervisory general engineer, acting competency manager
YEARS OF SERVICE IN AAW: 21
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Practitioner in engineering and technical management; Practitioner in test and evaluation
EDUCATION: B.S. in mechanical engineering, Wilkes University
AWARDS: Army Superior Unit Award (2024); Special Act or Service Award (2021-2024)
Aaron Rider traces the most important lesson of his engineering career to advice his father gave him years ago.
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To lead effectively in a complex role like assured munitions, it’s essential to embrace new challenges and step beyond your comfort zone. By fostering trust and encouraging collaboration, Mustafa Rawat has shown how openness to diverse perspectives can drive stronger decisions and team success. This commitment to understanding others has become a cornerstone of effective leadership. Rawat assumed the role of assured munitions lead for the Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E, formerly Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition), Directorate of Integration in September 2025. He focuses on assessing and mitigating risks within the munitions industrial base—to ensure the security of both domestic...
