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BUFFALO, N.Y. – My DCMA showcases the Defense Contract Management Agency’s experienced and diverse workforce and highlights what being a part of the national defense team means to them. Today, Desiree Cruz-Nevilles shares her story.
My name is Desiree Cruz-Nevilles, and I am a DCMA Northeast contract administrator, and my duty station is in Buffalo, New York.
My typical job duties include performing contract receipt and review, monitoring payments and financing, issuing modifications, tracking lifecycle funds, closing out contracts, as well as, collaborating with fellow colleagues, stakeholders, and mission partners.
I've been a member of the DCMA Northeast team in Buffalo for 13 years. I started my DCMA journey back in 2011 as a summer hire in the Workforce Recruitment Program. At the completion of that summer detail, I successfully applied to the Student Career Experience Program —now known as the Pathways Internship Program. The conclusion of my student internship segued into a procurement technician opportunity that lasted 8 years. In 2022, I decided to try my hand at contract administration and was accepted into DCMA’s Keystone program. Currently, I am a Year-3 Keystone with an anticipated graduation set for early 2025.
I like working at DCMA because the work pushes me to dig deep, think big and be better. Every day presents new challenges. Yet, despite the growing pains of transitioning into a new role and adopting new processes, I get to be a part of something bigger than myself. My contributions invigorate the local economy, support America’s warfighters and drive projects that serve the American people.
Truthfully, I never set out to have a career in federal acquisitions. Life has a funny way of putting you where you need to be for reasons that may not always be obvious to you in the moment. The summer assignment I thought would be a footnote in my overall work history was, actually, the impetus to a federal career that is still unfolding. It’s funny. All those years ago, I thought I chose DCMA just to make ends meet. In reality, I believe DCMA chose me to serve family, God and country.
I feel that DCMA is important to America's warfighters because its workforce is dedicated to ensuring service men and women are supplied with the quality equipment needed to protect our country, its citizen’s, and its allies.
My future career goals include having the honor of being a Keystone Program alumnus, mastering my new contract administrator role and making space for limitless possibilities.
In my youth — so many years ago — I lived in the Caribbean for seven straight summers! One summer included a drive down the extraterrestrial highway. Not a UFO in sight, but the moonlight over the ocean was sure pretty.
Some of the great things about working at my location include our resilience, collaboration and camaraderie. Our team has evolved, and our team dynamic has shifted to accommodate both advancement, integration of new hires, and a major agency restructure. Donning cloaks of resilience, my fellow teammates have continued to lend an assist when needed and provide levity when things get too tense —all without sacrificing the mission.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2024 11:24 |
| Story ID: | 479023 |
| Location: | BUFFALO, NEW YORK, US |
| Hometown: | BUFFALO, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, My DCMA: Desiree Cruz-Nevilles, contract administrator, by Jason Kaneshiro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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