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Army Materiel Command had a lot on its plate in 2024 – from looking at ways to improve how the Army feeds its Soldiers and executing projects to implementing data analytics and improving its hiring processes.
AMC has a seat at the table, along with the Department of the Army and U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command, leading efforts to drive needed change in how, when and where soldiers eat. AMC has joined other commands in completing on-site food assessments. Since August 2023, the Army has conducted 35 assessments, mapping the food ecosystem, highlighting gaps for senior commanders and soliciting Soldier feedback. Using this feedback, the Army has expanded dining options including food trucks, kiosks, bistros and more, with new options introduced to installations across the globe this year.
“This generational overhaul is necessary to bring dining expectations in line with what troops are telling the Army they want, current industry standards and, most importantly, what they deserve and what the service owes them,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, deputy commanding general and acting commander of Army Materiel Command.
This year, the Army had its first Culinary Industry Day, which allowed more than 700 Soldiers and family members to provide feedback while also learning more about meal prepping, getting advice on food security and speaking to financial readiness counselors. In addition, the Food Service Leading Change Summit took place, allowing senior leaders to view and discuss modernized food service options with industry partners.
Along with the strides in Army food, AMC also had made great strides in Organic Industrial Base modernization. As fiscal year 2024 came to an end, so did the Army’s first year of its 15-year Modernization Implementation Plan for the Organic Industrial Base. During its first year, the Army executed more than 150 projects across its depots, arsenals and ammunition plants that manufacture, reset and maintain Army equipment.
The first groundbreaking of the OIB MIP was held at Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania, where a new consolidated 50,000 square-foot shipping and receiving facility will increase efficiencies and accommodate receipt of necessary guided missile systems and ground support equipment. At Corpus Christi Army Depot in Texas, another groundbreaking started the phased construction of new powertrain facilities to house repair of rotary wing components in support of Army Signature Modernization Efforts.
As leaders across the OIB have been looking to the OIB’s future, it has provided critical readiness for the joint force this year. At any given time, the Army has between 600 to 1,000 artisans working outside of their duty stations, overseas and in unit motor pools bringing their technical expertise to help service members where they are. Mohan said Army’s ability to quickly get equipment back into the fight is crucial and the OIB’s artisan workforce will play a key role in large-scale combat operations within a contested environment.
“We already have forward mobile teams providing that on-site expertise, but now is the time to practice and codify that process also using data to make smart decisions about where people are,” said Mohan during the OIB Commander’s Summit.
In addition to sending mobile teams forward, AMC has continued to support Presidential Drawdown Directives of equipment and services in support of Ukraine and synchronize the movement of equipment from the U.S. to Europe.
The command is also making progress increasing equipment on hand readiness through Rapid Removal of Excess, or R2E. Since October 2023, R2E operations collected more than 400,000 pieces of equipment. This equipment is sent to other units and allies and partners for use, or to the Defense Logistics Agency for disposal. This year, R2E became a codified process instead of targeted events.
In addition, AMC held nine “focused window” events at specific active installations. During these windows, AMC and Army Forces Command leaders asked senior installation commanders to pause training and allow units to schedule time to inventory equipment and take excess to Modernization Displacement and Repair Sites.
AMC also continued efforts to better see itself across the enterprise, making major strides in becoming a data-centric organization. Data and analytics experts across the enterprise have virtually collaborated through the AMC Data and Analytics Communities of Interest. These communities have led to advancements in programming, dashboard development and more. Information is shared through in online knowledge management systems and community members meet through video conferencing.
This network has allowed the analytics community to follow a democratic, grass-roots approach to problem solving, in turn allowing the Army to gain cutting edge solutions in a quick amount of time, said Dr. Chris Hill, AMC’s chief data and analytics officer.
“I am amazed at how far, and quickly, we have come,” Hill said during the inaugural Army Data Summit. “That doesn’t mean we are done. We still have a lot to do to get to where we need to be, especially in the artificial intelligence space.”
Looking to the future, the AMC Analysis Group sent out a survey in August to data experts to measure where the command currently stands when it comes to the use of data and advanced analytics. The results of the survey will be used to set concrete goals and priorities to achieve necessary changes both leadership and those working in data fields want to see.
AMC also played a role in implementing changes the force wants to see in hiring and talent management. At the beginning of the year, command leadership published the AMC Civilian Implementation Plan. Covering fiscal years 2024 to 2028, the CIP aims to close gaps and capture opportunities across the civilian talent lifecycle.
In addition, the command served as the lead in several efforts, including rapid hiring. The rapid hiring method streamlines the security processes while continuing to mitigate risks. Tested during job fairs throughout the year, this method vetted talented applicants in real time, allowing AMC to make on-the-spot offers of employment. AMC also started the AMC five-page resume pilot, expanded the use of Direct Hire Authority and released a new, enterprise-wide AMC Onboarding Policy.
“The status quo and the traditional ways of acquiring, developing, employing and retaining our talent are gone,” said Christina Freese, AMC’s deputy chief of staff for personnel, G-1.
The last year was anything but status quo across the enterprise. One thing that has remained the same is AMC’s importance in supporting the Army’s mission.
“Our role and our mission has not changed – which is to be prepared and to support in a training environment, in competition, in crisis and in conflict,” Mohan said. “We are on the line at the point of the X around the world every single day, and I’m incredibly proud to be part of this organization.”
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2024 12:13 |
| Story ID: | 486998 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AMC transforms, supports Joint Force in 2024, by Samantha Tyler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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