cquisitio ogistic xcellence - dau...cquisitio ogistic xcellence 1 defense at&l:july-august 2018...

Acquisition amp Logistics Excellence

1 Defense ATampLJuly-August 2018

Exceptional Contributions Lauded in Four 2017 Packard AwardsDEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY(MAY 1 2018)

David PackardFormer Deputy Defense

SecretaryFounder Defense Systems Management CollegeImage courtesy DAU

The 2017 winners of the premier Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition honormdashthe David Packard Excellence in Ac-quisition Awardmdashmade exceptional contributions in support of the National Defense Strategy Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M Shanahan said earlier this year

At the Feb 16 2018 Pentagon ceremony honoring the four teams that received the award Shanahan commended the teams for their hard work innovation and creative ideas He said that their efforts support performance affordability and increasing lethality ldquoYour work embodies what we want to accomplish with the National Defense Strategy [NDS] The type of work that the teams have done is exemplary of what the NDS is all aboutrdquo

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition amp Sustainment Ellen M Lord said that the teams epitomized the best in acqui-sition ldquoWe value acquisition because we are the people who need to take care of the taxpayersrsquo dollars We have roughly $19 trillion in programs of record over the next 10 years so it is significant that we take care of those dollars and spend them wellrdquo

A Brief History of the AwardThe Packard Award is named for former Deputy Defense Sec-retary David Packard and recognizes groups and teams that have demonstrated exemplary innovation in the use of best

acquisition practices that achieve acquisition excellence in DoD It was first awarded in 1997

Packard was co-founder and chairman of the Hewlett-Packard Company and chairman of the Presidentrsquos Blue Ribbon Commis-sion on Defense Management chartered by President Ronald Reagan in 1985 He was deputy secretary of defense in the Nixon administration Packard founded the Defense Systems Manage-ment College in 1971 and was a strong advocate of excellence in defense acquisition practices and a revolutionary founder in how

the DoD acquires products

The Navyrsquos Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) Program Office (PMA-290) For use of innovative contracting incentives and procurement approaches to man-age its large and diverse portfolio of airborne platforms includ-ing the P-8A Poseidon and P-3 Orion series antisubmarine aircraft and other special mission aircraft for the United States Navy and international customers and allies The Navy office developed and implemented groundbreaking agreements and contracts with prime contractors and small businesses that lowered cost and delivered improved warfighting capability to the fleet between 30 and 40 days ahead of contract schedule while leading plans to assume lead capability integrator for future P-8A incremental upgrade programs Specifically the office procured 49 P-8A aircraft at unit costs almost $60 mil-lion lower than earlier production average costs and identified cost-saving opportunities to acquire two additional aircraft under congressional authority to ldquobuy to budgetrdquo In addition the PMA-290 team quickly secured and fielded advanced air-borne signals intelligence and classified special mission re-connaissance capability systems to support combatant com-manders in theater and ensure the highest level of aircraft and mission readiness within the MPRA fleet

The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Special Programs Quick Closeout Team For innovation and creativity


Defense ATampLJuly-August 2018 2

in contract closeout Previously the rate of physically complete contracts coming due for closeout exceeded the number actu-ally being closed resulting in a 311 percent increase in overage (contract closeout backlog) further exacerbating the problem The DCMA Team piloted new quick closeout techniques that standardized risk factors and changed the paradigm in how contracts could be closed There were 4805 contracts for which quick closeout alone was used and that made possible a 328 percent improvement in reducing overage in contracts creating a positive closeout rate and reducing the overage con-tract backlog In achieving this the DCMA Team reduced the industry and governmentrsquos administrative burden and limited the DoDrsquos exposure to certain financial risks This ensured that unliquidated funds from completed contracts could be used before they could be canceled and returned to the US Trea-sury The team continued to innovate by expanding applica-tion to subcontractors opening up an additional 10 percent of contracts to quick closeout The team also deployed multiple initiatives to encourage the practice beyond DCMA and across the DoD as well as other federal agencies with potential sig-nificant improvements to the acquisition community at large in contract closeout records

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Signals Intelli-gence Systems (SIGINT) Acquisition Directorate Low Earth Orbit (LEO) System Program Office For executing a suc-cessful campaign and launching the final Block 2 SIGINT LEO spacecraft in the face of significant obstacles A catastrophe at the launch base and launch vehicle upper-stage problems resulted in a lengthy delay and put the health of the batter-ies at risk This forced a rare spacecraft de-encapsulation to allow for battery reconditioning Once this reconditioning was completed the launch proceeded without a single fault or out-of-tolerance condition During the same time as the launch activity the NRO SIGINT LEO team completed the critical resign review for Block 3 leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet evolving threats in a manner that focused on afford-ability The team cut more than $1 billion in recurring costs by distilling the mission needs to a core set and saving 57 percent of spacecraft requirements The teamrsquos actions ensured that the newest addition to the NRO SIGINT LEO architecture will provide unmatched information to the intelligence community and the warfighter while affordably meeting the tough new intelligence challenges of the future

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Agile Web Presence Program Management Office (AWP PMO) For proactive approach and data-driven decision making ef-forts in addressing and satisfying external and internal user requirements within the intelligence community DoD and NGA The AWP PMO fundamentally changed how users ac-cess search for and discover geospatial intelligence through

NGArsquos primary online Web presencemdashthe globe The AWP PMO took the NGA strategy to heart and made significant changes to the globe allowing customers from across the National System for Geospatial Intelligence to discover con-tent expertise and services Additionally the AWP team used agile methodology to deploy software releases with minimal downtime or risk that consequently resulted in an increased capacity to integrate more than 10 data sources with more than 5 million products This increased authoritative content creation service and catalogs as well as advanced search functions with location topic and event fields Metrics col-lected showed these newest capabilities are driving more customers to the globe and enhancing their experience with faster access to the geospatial intelligence data and services greatly enhancing intelligence-based decision making in sup-port of the warfighter

DoD Announces 2018 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRESS OPERATIONS (APRIL 5 2018)The Department of Defense announced today the selection of 11 distinguished faculty scientists and engineers to join the 2018 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows (VBFF) They join a cadre of 45 current Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows who are sponsored by the DoD to conduct foundational research in core science and engineering disciplines that underpin future DoD capabilities

The Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship program is sponsored by the Basic Research Office in the Office of the Under Sec-retary of Defense for Research and Engineering and adminis-tered by the Office of Naval Research This program seeks out-standing researchers to conduct transformative basic research in topic areas of interest to the DoD Through the program select university researchers and students learn about DoDrsquos current and future challenges and are introduced to some of the ongoing critical research The program fosters long-term relationships between DoD and university researchers and prepares them for possible entry into the defense and national security workforce

Fellows are currently conducting basic research in the areas of quantum information science neuroscience nanoscience novel engineered materials applied mathematics and statis-tics that could revolutionize a wide variety of DoD capabili-ties such as artificial intelligence position-navigation-timing in denied environments autonomous system design decision support tools and sensor development In addition to con-ducting this innovative ldquoblue skyrdquo research the Fellows have opportunities to directly engage with the larger DoD research enterprise and to share their knowledge and insights with DoD military and civilian leaders researchers in DoD laboratories



and the national security sci-ence and engineering com-munity

The VBFF commemorates Dr Vannevar Bush direc-tor of the Office of Scientific Research and Development during WWII Following the example set by Dr Bush DoD invests in basic re-search to probe the lsquolimits of todayrsquos technologies and discover new phenomena and know-how that ulti-mately leads to future tech-nologies and helps prevent capability surprise These investments have led to broad and game-changing capabilities such as the global positioning satellite (GPS) system magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and stealth tech-nology to name a few

DoD congratulates each of these remarkable scientists and engineers on their selection as Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows

Click here for a list by name academic institution and re-search projects of the new members of the 2018 Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows

DoD Official Highlights Value of Artificial Intelligence to Future WarfareDOD NEWS DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY (APRIL 9 2018)Air Force Tech Sgt Chuck Broadway

WASHINGTONmdashMining the advantages of artificial intelli-gence is in the best interest of national security a senior Pen-tagon official said today at the New America Future of War Conference here

Michael D Griffin undersecretary of defense for research and engineering spoke about the involvement in artificial intel-ligence in the future of warfare

The conference was part of the Future of War project between New America and Arizona State University which brought together leaders from the Defense Department academia journalism and private industry to explore issues concerning international security and defense

While conventional warfare remains an integral part of na-tional defense Griffin said there is room to expand defense strategy and adding artificial intelligence to that strategy is vital ldquoWe canrsquot lose sight of the fact that there are many di-mensions of national securityrdquo he said ldquoWe have to add a new one without losing any others This is a discipline that we have to add onrdquo

Staying Ahead of AdversariesGriffin said that given the desires of different nations to pre-vail over others cyberattacks and artificial intelligence will naturally occur as nations seek for new ways to conquer their adversaries He said the United States must stay ahead of its adversaries in the newly developed realm of artificial intel-ligence

ldquoWe donrsquot have a mature adult in front of us in [artificial intel-ligence] we have an infantrdquo he said ldquoBut we can conclude that there might be some real advantages and we canrsquot let others be the only one to mine those advantagesrdquo

According to information outlined in the National Defense Strategy Griffin said he feels the United States can modernize in more than 10 areas of national security including artificial intelligence to remain prepared for the future of war in the

Air Force Staff Sgt Ashlie Robledo and Air Force Senior Airman Thao Bui 11th Special Opera-tions Intelligence Squadron analysts participate in a data-tagging training event at Hurlburt Field Fla Aug 24 2017 Data-tagging is an artificial intelligence effort designed to assist them with analyzing imagery US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M Rolen



cyber realm ldquoIn an advanced society the number of different ways to be vulnerable increases greatlyrdquo he said ldquoArtificial intelligence and cyber and some of these newer realms offer possibilities to our adversaries to do that We must see to it that we cannot be surprisedrdquo

Service Members Seeing First Fruits of Army Acquisition ChangesDOD NEWS DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY (APRIL 18 2018)Jim Garamone

FORT BELVOIR VamdashArmy Undersecretary Ryan D McCarthy visited here yesterday to see the results of the Servicersquos new modernization strategy

Three leaders of the Armyrsquos cross-functional teams accompa-nied McCarthy Program Executive Office Soldier sponsored the visit

All of this is in support of the Defense Departmentrsquos priority of building a more lethal force Much of the equipment that was on display outside the Night Vision Lab is also part of the

Army Capt Josh Redmond of Program Executive Office Soldier shows off the new enhanced binocular night-vision goggles helmet during a demonstration at Fort Belvoir Va April 17 2018 DoD photo by Jim Garamone

Close-Combat Lethality Task Force established by Defense Secretary James N Mattis

McCarthy said he wanted to meet the scientists engineers and subject matter experts

ldquoNormally you are in the Pentagon and you are making deci-sions based on whatrsquos on a Power Point sliderdquo he told report-ers at the event ldquoNow I have experience in this but nothing is better than going out and talking to the people involved in the project hellip I was in the infantry and a lot of this stuff will be the next generation of stuff we will userdquo

McCarthy saw three of the investment projects related to the cross-functional teams ldquoIrsquom very encouragedrdquo he said ldquoI think the rigor behind the investment decisions is better because the requirements community is much closer to the acquisi-tion folksrdquo



The smaller teams also mean better products and products that feed off each other and the teams are synchronizing these capabilities he said This will improve the products and make it easier to see how the projects land on the technological roadmap for future upgrades

Synthetic Training EnvironmentThe undersecretary used the example of building a synthetic training environment This will allow service members to run through an operation in the virtual world long before they board a helicopter for insertion into combat ldquoItrsquos bringing a lot of what we learned in the aviation community to the in-fantry and the armor and it is much more cost-effective as wellrdquo he said

Enhanced binocular night-vision goggles not only will allow soldiers Marines and special operators to perform better at night but also will be integral to the synthetic training experi-ence McCarthy said The system will fuse synthetic training into the goggles so service members will train on systems they will take to combat

ldquoIt will also be able to capture information so we can evaluate a soldierrsquos performance in training and when they are actually out there firing live bulletsrdquo he added ldquoIt will give commanders more information and help soldiers improverdquo

The bottom line is the Army wants to pull more capability as soon as possible and a lot of the information must come from practical application ldquoWe need to put these things out there and test them and see how they really workrdquo the undersec-retary said If the equipment marries together an operational and technological concept the Service will fight for the capa-bility McCarthy said

Faster ProcessThe process is moving faster The enhanced binocular night-vision goggles will be in the hands of infantry Marines and special operators beginning a year after being first proposed an official with PEO Soldier said This is lightning fast in the DoD acquisition world

ldquoFor the restructuring effort at the macro level of the Army we tried to bring organizations closer togetherrdquo McCarthy said The organization brought tasks and requirements under one roof

ldquoThatrsquos how we are reducing how long it takes to make a deci-sionrdquo he said Allowing the cross-functional team leaders to make decisions brings responsibility down three layers

ldquoThe challenge we have had is all the people involved in the decisionrdquo he said ldquoThat is why it takes years between each milestone because you are just passing information back and forth If there are 50 inputs do they all have to be in there If not then reduce the number of inputs required and leave the risk with senior leadership where it belongsrdquo

The department needs to trust leaders to make hard choices McCarthy said ldquoWe canrsquot afford to spend seven years think-ing about a requirementrdquo he added ldquoIf it is going to take that long you are probably not going to get it So we need to get these capabilities soonerrdquo

With the larger projects in particular this one change has the potential to take years off the decision cycle with more ac-countability he said

ldquoThe environment we created allows for more sharing of ideasrdquo the undersecretary said ldquoIt is a big cultural issue for us and the best is that everyone is embracing itrdquo

Marines Use 3-D Printer to Make Replacement Part for F-35 Fighter31ST MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT (APRIL 19 2018)Marine Cpl Stormy Mendez

PACIFIC OCEANmdashMarines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are now capable of additive manufacturing also known as 3-D printing

This innovative process uses 3-D printing software to break down a digital model into layers that can be reproduced by the printer The printer then builds the model from the ground up layer by layer creating a tangible object

Marine Corps Sgt Adrian Willis a computer and telephone technician said he was thrilled to be selected by his command to work with a 3-D printer

3-D Printing is the FutureldquoI think 3-D printing is definitely the futuremdashitrsquos absolutely the direction the Marine Corps needs to be goingrdquo Willis said

The Marine Corps is all about mission accomplishment and self-reliance In boot camp Marine recruits are taught to have a ldquofigure-it-outrdquo mindset and 3-D printing is the next step for a Corps that prides itself on its self-sufficiency

ldquoFinding innovative solutions to complex problems really does hearken back to our core principles as Marinesrdquo Willis said ldquoIrsquom proud to be a part of a new program that could be a game-changer for the Marine Corpsrdquo



The Marines deployed here use their 3-D printer as an alterna-tive temporary source for parts As a permanently forward-deployed unit itrsquos crucial for the 31st MEU to have access to the replacement parts it needs for sustained operations The 31st MEUrsquos missionmdashto deploy at a momentrsquos notice when the nation callsmdashis not conducive to waiting for replacement parts shipped from halfway around the world So 3-D printing capabilities dovetail with the MEUrsquos expeditionary mandate

lsquoFix it ForwardrsquoldquoWhile afloat our motto is lsquoFix it forwardrsquordquo said Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Rodriguez CLB-31rsquos mainte-nance officer ldquo3-D printing is a great tool to make that happen CLB-31 can now bring that capability to bear exactly where itrsquos needed mostmdashon a forward-deployed MEUrdquo

Proving this concept April 16 Marine Fighter Attack Squad-ron 121 successfully flew an F-35B Lightning II aircraft with

a part that was supplied by CLB-31rsquos 3-D printer The F-35B had a plastic bumper on a landing gear door wear out during a recent training mission Though a small and simple part the only conventional means of replacing the bumper was to order the entire door assemblymdasha process thatrsquos time-consuming and expensive

Using a newly released process from Naval Air Systems Com-mand for 3-D printed parts the squadron was able to have the bumper printed approved for use and installed within a matter of daysmdashmuch faster than waiting for a replacement part to arrive from the United States

lsquoMy Most Important Commodity is TimersquoldquoAs a commander my most important commodity is timerdquo said Marine Lt Col Richard Rusnok the squadronrsquos command-ing officer ldquoAlthough our supply personnel and logisticians do

Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Rodriguez a maintenance officer with Combat Logistics Battalion 31 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit holds a 3-D printed plastic bumper for an F-35B Lightning II landing gear door aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp while underway in the Pacific Ocean April 19 2018 Marines with CLB-31 are now capable of ldquoadditive manufacturingrdquo also known as 3-D printing which is the technique of replicating digital 3-D models as tangible objects US Marine Corps photo by Cpl Stormy Mendez



an outstanding job getting us parts being able to rapidly make our own parts is a huge advantagerdquo

VMFA-121 also made history in March as the first F-35B squad-ron to deploy in support of an MEU

Making further use of the MEUrsquos 3-D printing capability the MEUrsquos explosive ordnance disposal team requested a modi-fication part that acts as a lens cap for a camera on an iRobot 310 small unmanned ground vehiclemdasha part that did not exist at the time CLB-31rsquos 3-D printing team designed and produced the part which is now operational and is protecting the dronersquos fragile lenses

The templates for both the plastic bumper and lens cover will be uploaded to a Marine Corps-wide 3-D printing database to make them accessible to any unit with the same needs

The 31st MEU continues to brainstorm new opportunities for its 3-D printer such as aviation parts and mechanical devices that can be used to fix everyday problems Though only in the beginning stages of development officials said the 31st MEU will continue to push the envelope of what 3-D printing can do in the continued effort to make the MEU a more lethal and self-sufficient unit

Small Business Acquisition Professionals Share SuccessesDEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY PUBLIC AFFAIRS (APRIL 19 2018)Dianne Ryder

Fort Belvoir VirginiamdashMembers of the Defense Logistics Agencyrsquos Office of Small Business Programs joined their con-tracting counterparts to promote one of the agencyrsquos highest priority initiatives during a Small Business and Acquisition Broadcast April 10

Christopher Hall acting director of DLA Small Business Pro-grams facilitated the town hall forum The session included a history of the agencyrsquos small-business achievements small-business initiatives highlighted in the recently released Stra-tegic Plan Implementation Guidance and a panel discussion featuring Defense Acquisition University Learning Director for Small Business Kevin Linden

ldquoDLA has contracts with more than 9000 small businesses every yearmdashabout 70 percent of all suppliers are small busi-nessrdquo Hall said ldquo[Last year] was especially notable because the value of DLArsquos contracts with small businesses exceeded 10 billion for the first timerdquo

Matthew Beebe DLA Acquisition director said the numbers serve as a testament to the acquisition workforce that culti-

vates small-business relationships and provides contracting expertise

ldquoWhy do we need this big stable of industry So small busi-nesses that bring out the innovation [provide] us the supply chain resiliency that we needrdquo Beebe said ldquoWe might look at dollars and percentages as an indicator but it is really about that supply chain resiliency and innovation that makes us a stronger supporter for the warfighterrdquo

The federal government has a collective small-business goal of 23 percent established by law The Small Business Ad-ministration works with each agency to set their individual small-business goals For the Department of Defense SBA only establishes a goal at the department level

DLArsquos goal is assigned by the Office of the Secretary of De-fense not SBA For fiscal year 2018 DoD reassessed its goal-setting process Hall said

ldquoThis year we have six small-business goals including our 30frac12 percent small business goal separate goals for each of the four socioeconomic programs and a goal for contracts at or below the simplified acquisition threshold which is $150Krdquo he said ldquoDoD is accountable to SBA for meeting its goal and DLA is accountable to DoD Last year the department met its small business goal for the fourth year in a row but only met two out of its four goals for the socioeconomic programsrdquo

Socioeconomic programs are Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Historically Underutilized Business Zone or HUB-Zone Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Busi-ness Programs

Hall used the broadcast to direct focus to the areas where DLA needs help from requirements acquisition and small-business professionals to strengthen numbers in various socioeconomic programs such as the Woman-Owned and HUBZone Pro-grams

ldquoWhen DoD set the DLA goals this year they intentionally challenged us to do better They looked at how we had been doing historically and added 10 percentrdquo Hall said ldquoStatus quo will not cut itrdquo

He stressed the importance of collaboration between DLArsquos acquisition and small-business professionals in meeting these benchmarks

Beebe noted how he and leaders including Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord are



taking on the challenge to increase business within various socioeconomic groups

ldquoMs Lord also speaks about the importance of bringing in more nontraditional companies because itrsquos through them that we get those new innovationsrdquo Beebe said ldquoIrsquom going to challenge all of you to look to those lsquounusual suspectsrsquo that we want to bring in to do business with DLArdquo

Beebe closed the session by encouraging further collaboration between small business and acquisition professionals

ldquoAs a community wersquore hitting it out of the park but we canrsquot rest thererdquo he said noting that both communities needed to explore new opportunities relationships and contacts to fur-ther the success ldquoWe are showing tremendous results [but] itrsquos not just about meeting a percentage goal Itrsquos important be-cause that very robust industry base is extremely [vital] to usrdquo

Beebe stressed that expectations are high among the acquisi-tion community in terms of increasing competition and con-ducting market research to reach small business goals

ldquoWersquore putting new solutions in place all the time that are in-creasing the performance that we deliver to the warfighterrdquo he said ldquoIt is only because we deal on such scale and we put a strategy in place across that scale that we can accomplish it allrdquo

Department of Defense Announces Winners of the 2018 Secretary of Defense Environmental AwardsDEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRESS OPERATIONS (APRIL 20 2018) The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the 2018 Sec-retary of Defense Environmental Awards winners The awards recognize individuals teams and installations for their excep-tional environmental achievements and innovative cost-effec-tive environmental practices

ldquoBy safeguarding the long-term sustainability of our nationrsquos vital resources DoD is improving the capabilities of our forcesrdquo said Ellen Lord under secretary of defense for acqui-sition and sustainment

For more than half a century the Secretary of Defense Environ-mental Awards have annually recognized the extraordinary ef-forts of service members and civilians across the Department of Defense to protect the environment human health and the nationrsquos natural and cultural resources Environmental stew-ardship enables the Department to enhance military readiness capabilities strengthen alliances and increase efficiencies for greater performance and affordability

A diverse panel of 63 judges from federal and state agencies academia and the private sector evaluated nominations from the DoD Components to help determine the winners

In 2018 DoD selected the following nine winners from 35 nomineesbull Natural Resources Conservation Small Installation Ha-

waii Army National GuardmdashImplemented a multifaceted invasive species management program to increase acreage available for training and conserve a unique tropical ecosys-tem For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Natural Resources Conservation IndividualTeam Natural Resources Conservation Team Naval Base Ventura County CaliforniamdashEstablished programs to support coastal resilience conserve habitat and species and reduce costs at its three primary operating facilities For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Environmental Quality Non-Industrial Installation Fort Hood TexasmdashExceeded Qualified Recycling Program goals by selling 272 million pounds of recyclable materials and surpassed water and energy reduction goals by installing a solar photovoltaic array wind turbines and water conser-vation systems For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Environmental Quality IndividualTeam Frederick A Javier 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron Hurlburt Field FloridamdashProvided outstanding leadership by training installation staff on environmental management and engaging with the local community to promote the DoDrsquos mission and science education For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Sustainability Industrial Installation Marine Corps Lo-gistics Base Barstow CaliforniamdashAchieved reductions in electricity and water consumption while partnering with local government to gain cost savings For more informa-tion visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Environmental Restoration Installation Vandenberg Air Force Base CaliforniamdashCompleted a 10-year performance-based restoration initiative resulting in response complete or site closure for 44 environmental restoration sites ahead of schedule and maintained accelerated or on-time closure for 55 additional sites For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Environmental Restoration IndividualTeam Vieques En-vironmental Restoration Team Puerto RicomdashImplemented successful restoration projects to remove unexploded ord-nances and cleanup contaminants while engaging with local partners For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef



bull Cultural Resources Management Large Installation Camp Ripley Minnesota Army National GuardmdashCompleted an installation-wide record of all archaeological sites that will benefit cultural resources management and reduce impact to critical military operations For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

bull Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition Large Program Combat Rescue Helicopter Program Envi-ronment Safety and Occupational Health Team Wright-Patterson Air Force Base OhiomdashImplemented programs to eliminate or reduce exposure to hazardous materials like hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) For more information visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards2018secdef

For more information about the Secretary of Defense Environ-mental Awards Program including past winners please visit httpswwwdenixosdmilawards

ONR Global-Sponsored Researcher Wins Israel PrizeOFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH CORPORATE STRATEGIC COMMUNI-CATIONS (APRIL 24 2018)Sierra Jones

ARLINGTON VamdashOn April 19 the state of Israel celebrated its 70th Independence Day As part of the celebration the countryrsquos highest cultural honormdashthe Israel Prizemdashwas awarded to Dr Shlomo Havlin a physics professor at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan Israel for his Office of Naval Re-search (ONR) Global-sponsored work in physics

According to the prize committee Havlin was selected be-cause he is ldquoa pioneer of a number of fields in statistical phys-icsrdquo which uses probability theory statistics and math for dealing with large populations and approximations

ldquoThe Israel Prize represents recognition by the Israeli govern-ment and scientific community that our novel theories and applications of statistical physics to real-world technological systems such as critical infrastructure have led to a better understanding of the resilience and functioning of these sys-temsrdquo said Havlin

Throughout his nearly 50-year career Havlinrsquos physics work has produced several notable accomplishments which have impacted fields of research ranging from social technological and economic networks to physiological systems and DNA function

Included in that body of work was the discovery of specific pat-terns in DNA sequences that led to a better understanding of ldquojunk DNArdquo which was previously considered non-functional the development of the first mathematical theory for evaluat-ing the stability of complex networks (eg the internet) and

the publishing of a theoretical framework for understanding and predicting the effects of interactions between networks

Since 2014 much of Havlinrsquos research into complex networks has been sponsored through two ONR Global basic research grants

These grants serve as a mechanism to encourage international science and technology cooperation in areas of interest to the Naval Research Enterprise by providing seed funding to re-search teams of international scientists

ldquoI believe that the academic partnership with ONR Global is unique particularly in terms of the relationship and interaction with ONR Global program officersrdquo said Havlin ldquoIn contrast to most funding agencies we actually meet face-to-face with ONR Global program officers periodically and discuss possible projects with them in order to identify challenging research questions which are of interest to both sidesrdquo

Havlinrsquos grants were co-sponsored by Dr Bill Suski ONR Global science director and Dr Mike Shlesinger a program of-ficer for ONRrsquos Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare Department

ldquoI first met Dr Havlin at a conference in 1982 and many times since at international conferences on the topic of fractalsrdquo said Shlesinger ldquoHe has worked closely with US scientists includ-ing ONR-sponsored work at Boston Universityrdquo

According to Shlesinger the most recent work being done by Havlin optimizes computer network designmdashor how comput-ers printers and other electronic devices are connected over a networkmdashto counter different types of electronic attacks from random to focused disruptions And given that cyberat-tacks are becoming more commonplace and the damage they cause can be irreparable the need for optimizing the security of networks against intentional attacks and viruses is vital not only for the Navy and Marine Corps but other government agencies and indeed individual use

Havlin has published 11 books 800 scientific journal articles and has been cited more than 73000 times ldquoDr Havlinrsquos work has had global impact across a wide range of fields as evidenced by the number of times his work has been citedrdquo said Suski ldquoThe foundational nature of his work underscores not only the importance of funding basic research but also the value of partnering with international scientistsrdquo

For more information visit httpwwwnavymil For more news from Office of Naval Research visit httpwwwnavymillocalonr



SMDC Members Earn Technology AwardsARMY NEWS SERVICE (MAY 2 2018)Jason Cutshaw

HUNTSVILLE AlabamamdashTwo US Army Space and Missile Defense CommandArmy Forces Strategic Command team members received National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Technology Awards

Gloria Harris Flowers program project manager in the US-ASMDCARSTRAT Future Warfare Center and Cain Crouch general engineer SMDC Test Execution Support Division or TESD were recognized for their contributions to the national defense of the nation at the NDIA Tennessee Valley Chapter 2018 awards dinner in Huntsville April 24

Flowers was recognized for a special project she served on as the project officer for the Army Physical Security Escort Training Video Team while on a developmental assignment at Army Materiel Command

ldquoI was very surprised and very excited to receive the awardrdquo Flowers said ldquoThe team represented a diverse group of ac-tive duty military and Army civilian professionals This effort reflects greatly on how entities within the entire Army are open to delivery of training tools from a different perspective or viewpoint

ldquoSuch innovative development and delivery of training tools provides for enhanced protection of our nationrsquos defense tech-nologies associated investments and preserves overmatch on the battlefieldrdquo she added ldquoThe teamrsquos development of this Physical Security Escort Training Video represents an op-portunity to fill a Special Education Training Awareness gap within the Armyrdquo

Crouch also said he is honored to have received the award He served as the SMDC test director for the Sabre Ballistic Missile flight tests in June and November He also led the Pathfinder Zombie and Sabre Quicklook analysis including the complex hit detection system and the Pathfinder Zombie final report development

ldquoBoth missions supported Patriot missile operational testingrdquo Crouch said ldquoAs target test director I am in charge of running the target launch countdown and am the primary interface between White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and the different elements of our missile launch team

ldquoThis was definitely 100 percent a team effortrdquo he added ldquoMy Boss Kevin Creekmore and teammates Stephanie Chrisley Rick Judy Jeff Compton and Meeda Bosse are all extremely high-character individuals who are willing to sacrifice to ac-complish our mission Our government and contractor team has the best team dynamic Irsquove seen throughout my careerrdquo

Crouch successfully led a team to develop the Zombie Ad-vanced Payload proposal and a new Central Test and Evalu-ation Investment Program technical project plan He was instrumental in obtaining the required Zombie safety docu-mentation including the standard operating procedure and the interim hazard classification in a compressed timeline required to meet the mission schedule

ldquoOur targets provide a cost-effective solution to our Depart-ment of Defense customers and we feel our mission is abso-lutely necessary for testing systems that keep our warfighters saferdquo Crouch said ldquoAs such our team works extremely hard and continually sacrifices by travelling for weeks and months at a time Therersquos literally a lot of blood sweat and tears that go into working month-long missions in the desertrdquo

Gloria Harris Flowers program project manager US Army Space and Missile Defense CommandArmy Forces Strate-gic Command Future Warfare Center receives a National Defense Industrial Association or NDIA Technology Award at the at the NDIA Tennessee Valley Chapter 2018 Awards Dinner in Huntsville April 24 Courtesy photo by Jason Cutshaw



When talking about Crouchrsquos accomplishments Creekmore said TESD has developed a suite of threat representative low-cost short-range ballistic missile targets for use in mis-sile defense testing The value that these targets bring in cost savings and performance to support Army developmental and operational missile defense testing is monumental saving up to more than $30 million per test

ldquoCain is considered one of the best engineers analysts and test directors in our commandrdquo Creekmore said ldquoThe launch of the Sabre Ballistic Missile target allowed our customer to complete an Operational Ballistic Missile Defense Test that serves as a milestone production decision point for their con-tinued development

ldquoIn receiving this technical award the determination and com-mitment of three years of effort by Cain and the entire TESD team was validated by the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Associationrdquo he added

Aviation Leader Receives Civilian of the Year AwardUS ARMY AVIATION AND MISSILE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING PUBLIC AFFAIRS (APRIL 26 2018)Nikki Ficken

NASHVILLE TennmdashA US Army Aviation and Missile Re-search Development and Engineering leader was recognized at the Army Aviation Mis-sion Solutions Summit April 26

Dr William Lewis the director for the Avia-tion Development Directorate received the Army Aviation Association of America Jo-seph P Cribbins Department of the Army Civilian of the Year Award

According to AAAA the award is presented annually to the DAC who has made an out-standing individual contribution to Army aviation during the awards period

ldquoBeing recognized by your peers for an award such as this is a huge honorrdquo said Lewis ldquoBut so much of what we do is a team sport This recognition isnrsquot about me getting an award itrsquos about acknowledging the great things my team is doing and the remark-able achievements we have made together Knowing that what wersquore doing is significant to the aviation community and to the Army is what means the most to merdquo

As the director for ADD Lewis manages and directs the ex-ecution of the Aviation Science and Technology program at AMRDEC including basic research applied research and ad-vanced technology development He provides direct leader-ship of the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate the Aero Flight Dynamics Directorate and the Aviation Systems Inte-gration Facility and is responsible for the Armyrsquos multi-million dollar aviation SampT program

He performs these duties while serving as the Office of the Secretary of Defense lead for rotorcraft technology

Keith Darrow acting director for the Aviation Engineering Di-rectorate explained that Lewis has earned a reputation as an expert in the aviation community

ldquoDr Lewis is a technical leader with the knowledge and expe-rience of an operational master Army aviatorrdquo Darrow said ldquoHe is actively involved in all aspects of the Army Aviation SampT portfolio from strategic vision through task execution Every year he leads these communities to success but this past year was particularly eventful and exciting to those who hold Army aviation most dearrdquo

Dr Bill Lewis (right) director of the Aviation Development Directorate of AMRDEC was inducted into the Gold Honorable order of St Michael by AAAA President Brig Gen (Ret) Steve Mundt during a pre-Summit meeting in Nash-ville The next day Lewis received the John P Cribbins Department of the Army Civilian of the Year award US Army photo



Lewis has built a career in the aviation field spanning more than 40 years Lewis graduated from the United States Mili-tary Academy in 1975 completing flight school in 1978 After receiving his Masterrsquos degree Lewis went through Test Pilot School He has held a variety of positions that have given him a well-rounded perspective in the field including an Army aviator and experimental test pilot an instructor and educator a chief engineer on the RAH-66 Comanche a director of the Aviation Engineering Directorate and now ADDrsquos director

His current focus has been advancing vertical flight technol-ogy ldquoWith every assignment I have always wanted to leave an organization in a better condition than what it was when I startedrdquo said Lewis ldquoMy interest in aviation has given me a unique perspective I have always tried to challenge myself with each assignment Irsquove thrived in an environment with high standards and expectations and also really enjoyed learning about advanced technologies Irsquom happy to say lsquoI really enjoy what Irsquom doingrsquo This work doesnrsquot feel like something I have to do but more I get to do thisrdquo

During the summit Lewis was also inducted into the Gold Honorable Order of St Michael

Investments Focus on More Lethal Force Navy Secretary Says DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY (MAY 2 2018)Lisa Ferdinando

WASHINGTONmdashThe naval enterprise is investing in its people and capabilities to build a more lethal force in the age of great power competition Navy Secretary Richard V Spencer told reporters today

ldquoWersquore building the Navy the nation needs and the Marine Corps of the futurerdquo Spencer said at a Pentagon news briefing with Chief of Naval Operations Adm John M Richardson and Marine Corps Commandant Gen Robert B Neller

The naval enterprise is investing in modernization of key ca-pabilities and new technologies to continue to provide war-fighters with everything they need to ldquofight tonightrdquo he said

ldquoAs directed by the 2018 National Defense Strategy wersquore building a model of a more lethal resilient and agile force capable of deterring and defeating any enemy in this age of as we know it renewed power competitionrdquo Spencer said

The enterprise is refining processes will use every acquisition authority given by Congress to grow the team and is working in partnership with industry to deliver maximum efficiency and value to the American taxpayers he said

ldquoWersquore building a more lethal and ready Navy-Marine Corps team by focusing on process improvementrdquo he added ldquoWersquoll ensure that our processes are value-added and efficiently sup-porting our warfighter as our core competencyrdquo

Further he underscored the importance of consistent predict-able funding and welcomed the bipartisan budget agreement signed into law in March by President Donald J Trump after years of uncertain funding

ldquoI will tell you that we will smartly walk out on allocating those resources appropriated by Congressrdquo he said

Saluting Those Who ServeInvestments in the men and women who serve are key in the effort to increase the competitive edge over adversaries Spen-cer said

He saluted the service members including 94000 sailors and Marines deployed around the globe ensuring maritime lanes of commerce remain free and open and protecting American citizens and interests abroad

ldquoOur people are the foundation of everything we do so wersquore committed absolutely committed to building the strongest foundation possiblerdquo he said

Ship Honors Medal of Honor Recipient McCoolSpencer announced the Navyrsquos newest San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship will be named after Medal of Honor recipient Navy Capt Richard M McCool Jr

McCool received the Medal of Honor in 1945 for actions that year during the Battle of Okinawa He went on to serve in the Korean and Vietnam wars before retiring from naval service He died in 2008

ldquoI believe this ship serves as a real testimony and a testament to our commitment of growing the fleet and our partnership with Americardquo Spencer said ldquoWe definitely look forward to laying keel and getting this ship out onto the high seasrdquo

McCool a native of Oklahoma graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1944 and served aboard Landing Craft Support (Large) 122 off the coast of Okinawa during World War II

On June 11 1945 three kamikaze aircraft attacked McCoolrsquos ship leaving him temporarily unconscious After regaining consciousness he began leading others in efforts to save the ship and rescue injured sailors Navy officials report



President Harry S Truman presented McCool the Medal of Honor the highest US military decoration Dec 18 1945

The ship which will be constructed in Mississippi will be 684 feet long have a beam length of 105 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 22 knots

Former AMC Leader Wins Sustainment AwardARMY MATERIEL COMMAND NEWS (MAY 3 2018)Samantha Hill

FORT LEE VamdashAn Army logistician admired for his leadership during a major reorganization earned the 2018 Lt Gen Arthur J Gregg Sustainment Leadership Award

Retired Gen Johnnie E Wilson received the award as Army Sustainment Week brought the logistics enterprise together to discuss issues insights and the future of the sustainment enterprise

The Armyrsquos senior logistician and Army Materiel Command Commander Gen Gus Perna presented the honor May 3

ldquoThe Army Materiel Command and the entire Army are still benefitting from the decisions General Wilson made and the leadership providedrdquo Perna said ldquoLike this awardrsquos namesake General Wilson led by examplerdquo

The sustainment award was established in 2016 when Gregg a decorated Army logistician received the inaugural award Gregg distinguished himself as a supply sergeant whose career traversed the socially turbulent 1950s and 1960s the Vietnam War and culminated as the Armyrsquos deputy chief of staff for logistics

Wilson served as Army Materiel Commandrsquos 13th command-ing general and its first black commander from 1996 to 1999 when the organization faced broad changes and at the time the largest reorganization in its history A Base Realignment and Closure was announced in June 1995 gained congres-sional approval in November 1995 and was fully completed in July 1997 During that timeframe and under budget curtail-ments Wilson reduced the size of the commandrsquos workforce without involuntary separations

FGS Hessen right and USS Forrest Sherman conduct a strait transit with USS Harry S Truman through the Strait of Gibraltar April 27 2018 Truman is deployed as part of an ongoing rotation of US forces supporting maritime security operations in international waters around the globe Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Swofford



The restructuring established the Aviation and Missile Com-mand the Soldier and Biologi-cal Chemical Command and moved 3000 people from St Louis to Huntsville Alabama

ldquoThis award recognizes lead-ership in operating efficiency readiness levels and fiscal responsibilityrdquo Perna said ldquoGeneral Johnnie Wilson is the embodiment of such cri-teriardquo

Wilsonrsquos military career began in 1961 when he enlisted in the Army He reached the rank of staff sergeant before attend-ing Officer Candidate School and commissioned into the Ordnance Corps in 1967

During the Vietnam War Wilson served with a supply and services company with the 173rd Airborne Brigade where he learned firsthand the power of logistics

ldquoAs soon as there is a conflict or itrsquos time to go to war it has to be logisticsrdquo Wilson said in a 2012 video highlighting his service ldquoLogistics is the ammunition transportation repair parts the clothing the foodmdasheverything you need to execute and win the war happens to be under the umbrella of logisticsrdquo

Wilson served in logistics positions throughout the country from Fort Bragg North Carolina to Fort Lewis Washington He served as the deputy commanding general of the 21st The-ater Area Army Command in Germany the Armyrsquos largest and most diverse logistics unit He also commanded the Armyrsquos first Main Support Battalion Wilson served as the Armyrsquos deputy chief of staff for logistics before he became the Army Materiel Commandrsquos commanding general in 1996

Wilson retired in 1999 He was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 1999 and the AMC Hall of Fame in 2017

Near-Peer Adversaries Work to Surpass US in Technology Official SaysDOD NEWS DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY (MAY 4 2018)Terri Moon Cronk

SOUTHBRIDGE MassmdashThe world has changed dramatically as technology capabilities have gone global and the United Statesrsquo near-peers China and Russia are advancing in the field at an alarming rate Mary Miller performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering said here May 1

ldquoPeople understand technology and that is something wersquore going to have to embrace and leveragerdquo Miller said during her remarks at the first Defense Department human capital symposium

Today adversaries of US allies and partners also have ac-cess to the latest in technology she said ldquoWersquore not the clear [technology] leaders that we used to be in the United Statesrdquo

The US has focused on insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan for nearly two decades ldquoand while we were busy taking care of

From left Gen Gustave F Perna commanding general US Army Materiel Command Lt Gen (ret) Arthur J Gregg Gen (ret) Johnnie E Wilson and Lt Gen Aundre F Piggee Depart-ment of Army G-4 after the presentation of the Gregg Award for Leadership to Wilson May 3 at the Army Logistics University Fort Lee Va The presentation was conducted during the US Army Combined Arms Support Command Sustainment Week held May 1-3US Army photo by Dani Johnson



business our near-peer adversariesmdashRussia and Chinamdashhave been investing in technologyrdquo she said

Americarsquos adversaries invested in areas of technology thought to be US weaknesses that could be exploited she said but also to ensure the US wouldnrsquot be able to use its great strengths

ldquoWe didnrsquot think it was happening so fastrdquo Miller said

Chinarsquos Tech GoalsChinarsquos 30-year strategy to become the dominant force in its area is well under way she said and the United States is con-cerned that once the Chinese have become regionally domi-nant they will look to expand their influence

ldquoMicroelectronicsrdquo she said as an example ldquowhich touches everyone is of great concern to DoD because every weapon system we have has microelectronicsrdquo

China has a deliberate strategy and itrsquos invested $150 billion to make sure they match the US capability in microelectronics

by the early 2020s Miller said And China wants to be globally dominant by 2030 she said

If China becomes the global microelectronics leader Miller said the United States will have to go to them for every microelectronics-capable chip ldquoThis is unaccept-ablerdquo she added

Having the US lose dominance in technology is a great concern Miller said ldquoCongress decided we need to focus on how we regain dominance and they call it technical su-periorityrdquo she explained adding Congress decided to separate DoDrsquos former acquisition technology and logistics entity into two organizations

Research and engineer-ing was formed as one of the entities ldquoto take risks

push hard donrsquot worry about failures along the wayrdquo Miller said

The other organization acquisition and sustainment ensures equipment is expedited to the warfighter she said

The US military is now focused on achieving global technol-ogy dominance Miller said

US Must Be Dominant by 2028ldquo[Defense Secretary James N Mattis] said we need to pur-sue urgent change on a significant scale This isnrsquot just one operational prototype hellip itrsquos [about] how we substantiate the technology leap ahead that we need He wants to be globally dominant by 2028rdquo Miller emphasized

She said the National Defense Strategyrsquos three lines of effortmdasha more lethal force strengthening relations with allies and making new partnerships and reforming efficiencymdashwill help DoD achieve global technology dominance by 2028

Army Maj Robert Solano with US Special Operations Command Special Operations Forces Acquisition Technology and Logistics directorate demonstrates an MH-47 Chinook helicopter virtual trainer during Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Day at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa Fla March 21 2018 The demonstration provided an opportunity to inspire future generations to pursue science technology engineering and mathematics careers US Special Operations Command photo by Air Force Master Sgt Barry Loo



Modernization is a focus of the National Defense Strategy and in the last 15 years DoD hasnrsquot modernized as much as itrsquos fo-cused on fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Miller said

The Defense Department is interested in hypersonics directed energy and fully networked command control and commu-nications she said as well as operations in spacemdashboth of-fensive and defensive

The DoD also will invest in cyberelectronic warfare artificial intelligence machine learning missile defense quantum sci-ence microelectronics and nuclear modernizationrdquo Miller said

But none of that matters if DoD doesnrsquot create a workforce to employ all that high technology she said

Talented WorkforceMiller outlined some challenges DoD faces in the hiring realm including the lack of ability to compete with industry to hire the necessary talent and an ldquoincredibly slowrdquo way to hire people at the department She added that DoD also does not pay equitably in many technological areas compared to industry

ldquoBut DoD has great opportunitiesrdquo she said citing the ability to work on programs that directly benefit the warfighter

Miller said DoD is pushing ahead with programs scholarships fellowships and working with industry to attract the talented workforce it needs to gain technological superiority by 2028

ldquoWersquore looking at influencing [people] from kindergarten on outrdquo she said ldquoWe want kids to want to be [science technol-ogy engineering and math] literaterdquo

DoD also does a lot of STEM outreach because ldquowe want kids to think the STEM workforce is interesting and exciting We want them invested in understanding what they can do [to realize] hellip their potential for the futurerdquo

The DoD needs ldquoto make sure that our workforce is always the best workforce So we invest in them hellip to create in-house expertiserdquo to drive DoD forward Miller said

Such a workforce she said ldquois criticalrdquo to DoDrsquos plans to achieve global technological dominance by 2028

ldquoWe need to capture good ideas to fundamentally change and enable this workforce to get us thererdquo she said

Air Force and NSF Announce Partnership in Science Engineering ResearchSECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS (May 9 2018) WASHINGTONmdashSecretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and National Science Foundation Director France Coacuterdova signed a letter of intent May 9 2018 creating a new partner-ship for collaboration on scientific and engineering research to bolster national security

The letter of intent initiates a strategic partnership focused on research in four areas of common interest space operations and geosciences advanced material sciences information and data sciences and workforce and processes

ldquoWe are looking forward to deepening our ties with the Na-tional Science Foundationrdquo said Wilson ldquoWe will simultane-ously benefit from the research done together with a focus on the areas most vital to the future of the US Air Force and the security of our nationrdquo

The partnership is designed to create a pathway between the basic research supported by NSF and the technologies needed to support the Air Force of tomorrow Common areas of inter-est will drive cooperation at every level of research including basic research applied research and advanced technology development

ldquoEnsuring national security through innovation in science and engineering was part of the National Science Foundationrsquos founding mission nearly seven decades ago and it remains one of our highest priorities todayrdquo said Coacuterdova ldquoWe look forward to partnering with the Air Force on this collaborative venture and using our combined resources to innovate for the benefit of the nationrdquo

This partnership reflects White House priorities including strong national security and efficient government operations

ldquoRebuilding Americarsquos defense capabilities has been a top priority of the Trump Administration since inauguration A big part of that is translating fundamental discoveries into breakthroughs that make the country safer and drive the US economyrdquo said Michael Kratsios deputy assistant to the presi-dent for technology policy at the White House Office of Sci-ence and Technology Policy ldquoThis partnership between two of Americarsquos [research and development] powerhousesmdashthe Air Force and the National Science Foundationmdashwill ensure that taxpayer funding of basic research is made more efficient ac-celerates the development of advanced technologies for both civilian and military use and fosters job creation and economic growth into the futurerdquo



The letter states that ldquoThe Air Force will benefit from greater access to NSFrsquos considerably larger basic research program and community of researchers The NSF will benefit with a direct pathway for the technical maturation of many of its re-search efforts and products with increased relevance afforded by its direct support of the nationrsquos defense posturerdquo

And in anticipation of the signing the two organizations have already had initial discussions on topics spanning from the convergence of artificial intelligence data and materials to Graduate Research Intern programs

NAVFAC EXWC Newest DoD Science and Technology Reinvention LaboratoryNAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING amp EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE CENTER PUBLIC AFFAIRS (MAY 10 2018)Palmer Pinckney II

PORT HUENEME CalifmdashNaval Facilities (NAVFAC) Engi-neering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (EXWC) contin-ues work implementing Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory authorities May 9

Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) is a designation for Department of De-fense (DoD) warfare centers and laboratories that provide responsibility authority and flexibility to maintain technical capabilities and meet critical warfighter needs

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2018 was signed on Dec 12 2017 making NAV-FAC EXWC Port Hueneme California one of the DoDrsquos newest STRLs

Planning and design of identified STRL authorities began immediately after NDAA signing Selected authorities are based on analysis of benefit and affordability and those that best help the com-mand deliver Fleet readiness aligned with current Navy priorities To align with the NAVFAC Chiefrsquos FY18 objectives before calendar year 2019 EXWC will publish a Federal Register Notice of intended STRL authorities

ldquoEXWC delivers Fleet readiness aligned with Navy priorities by syncing with the National Defense Strategy CNO Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority and the NAVFAC Strategic Designrdquo said Kail Macias EXWC technical director ldquoWith STRL authorities EXWC will increase collabora-tion with DoD and Navy warfare centers and laboratories and expand opportunities to deliver NAVFAC products and services to the Fleetrdquo

EXWC executes an annual $1 billion portfolio across 14 tech-nical capabilities supported by 1000 employees in multiple locations US and overseas EXWC supports Fleet warfight-ers specifically their readiness to deploy and win in combat

For more information visit httpwwwnavymil For more news from Naval Facilities Engineering Command visit httpwwwnavymillocalnavfachq

Air Force Science and Technology 2030 Campaign Your Ideas Will Shape the Air Force of Tomorrow88TH AIR BASE WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS (MAY 15 2018) Bryan Ripple

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE OhiomdashThe Air Force Research Laboratory continues its support of the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 initiative and joined with In-diana University to host a listening forum at the universityrsquos Bloomington Indiana campus May 10-11

Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and the National Science Foun-dation Director France Coacuterdova sign a letter of intent in Washington DC May 9 2018 The letter of intent initiates a strategic partnership focused on research in four areas of common interest space operations and geo-sciences advanced material sciences information and data sciences and workforce and processes US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt Rusty Frank



Indiana University is one of six universities to host these types of listening forums as part of the SampT campaign which is scheduled to last through September The goal is to help the Air Force review its strategy in science and technology research To do this the Service has been reaching out to the scientific community higher educa-tion and business commu-nities as well as the general public to ensure it remains at the leading edge of tech-nological advances

Those interested in sharing scientific- or technology-related ideas with the Air Force donrsquot have to attend a listening event in person in order to do so The lab has also created a website with a standing invitation to submit ideas about basic and applied research as well as innovative business practices for Air Force Science and Technology To provide your ideas visit httpwwwafresearchlabcom2030

ldquoIn a world where far more innovation is happening outside the government than inside it connecting to the broader sci-entific enterprise is vitalrdquo Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said in a statement discussing the initiative early this year ldquoOur research strategy will look broadly and draw from the best of American research universities as well as Air Force and federal laboratoriesrdquo

The forum at Indiana University offered participants a variety of technical presentation tracks covering topical areas such as Artificial Intelligence for Mission Planning and Execution Novel Sensing and Data Fusion Cyber Assurance Human Per-formance and Human Computer Interface and Next Genera-tion Propulsion and Advanced Manufacturing

ldquoThe reality of today is that many of the United States ad-versaries are advancing technology faster than we arerdquo Maj Gen William T Cooley commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory told those in attendance

ldquoTo stay ahead we must continue to push the boundaries of whatrsquos possible We must innovate smarter and faster The US Air Force is looking to youmdashour countryrsquos university sci-entific researchers and industry partnersmdashto help us invent the technologies that will keep all of us safe in the futurerdquo

Cooley told the audience that the stakes are too high to not work this way and that national security and the American way of life depend on the Air Forcersquos ability to innovate quickly and be on the cutting edge of science

ldquoIn the past nuclear weapons stealth technology and preci-sion guided munitions have enabled an advantage over our adversaries and secured our dominance on the battlefieldrdquo he said

ldquoThrough this study we hope to work with you and identify the next major technological breakthrough that will maintain our dominance on the battlefield Together we will lay the groundwork for the science and technology that will define the future of the US Air Force for 2030 and beyondrdquo

Maj Gen William Cooley commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Dr Michael McRobbie president Indiana University discuss partnership opportunities between higher education and the Air Force at the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 Forum held May 10 at Indiana University Indiana University photo by Chris Meyer



Indiana University officials shared their optimism about AFRLrsquos efforts with regard to the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 initiative

ldquoThe Air Force is forward-thinking Theyrsquore looking for vision-ary ideas and wersquore thrilled to partner with themrdquo said Fred H Cate IUrsquos vice president for research in an IU news release ldquoEvery idea collected either online by an individual or devel-oped by ideation teams at one of the public listening forums will be reviewed and consideredrdquo said Brian McJilton Air Force 2030 SampT program manager

AFRL has assembled a robust team of reviewers to ensure that each idea receives multiple reviews from qualified scientists and engineers The ideas that are well-endorsed will be for-warded to an external panel of experts with relevant technical expertise to evaluate and prioritize options McJilton said

ldquoThe ideas with the greatest promise for enabling the future Air Force will be considered by a panel chaired by the Chief Scientist of the Air Forcerdquo said McJilton

A number of highly enabling opportunities will be chosen to be featured as new research priorities for the Air Force These will be documented in a formal report to the Secretary of the Air Force in September and should shape Air Force research investments over the coming decade he said

The next public listening event is scheduled July 11 at the Uni-versity of Utah

Picatinny STEM Robotics Student Gets Full Scholarship to PrincetonAudra Calloway PICATINNY ARSENAL NJmdashA student at East Orange STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Academy and a former member of a Picatinny-sponsored FIRST robotics team was recently accepted to Princeton University with not one but two full scholarships

In addition to being offered a full scholarship by Princeton Uni-versity Frantzesca Barron 17 received the Gates Scholarship This scholarship was awarded to only 300 individuals out of more than 28700 applicants nationwide It covers the entire cost of attendance for a public or private four-year university or college

Barron is chief executive officer of her FIRST robotics team this year She has been a part of FIRST robotics since her fresh-man year in high school FIRST is an acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

ldquoI basically manage the operations of the teammdashmake sure everything is running smoothly make sure everything is done on timerdquo she said

During a FIRST robotics competition teams of students build robots and compete in a variety of engineering tasks

Picatinny Arsenal provides funding and mentors for dozens of FIRST robotics teams

ldquoFIRST has proven to be a great resource for talented and driven individualsrdquo said Shah Dabiri Picatinny STEM coordi-nator ldquoIts very nature of empowering students to push their understanding of all things STEM as well as pushing their own abilities further refines their instinctual capability Itrsquos no surprise that someone like Frantzesca gravitated to such a challenging activityrdquo

Picatinny has sponsored Barronrsquos robotics team for five years now

PICATINNY ARSENAL NJmdashFrantzesca Barron finds that skills acquired from FIRST robotics can transfer to other areas of her life US Army photo



Picatinny senior chemical engineer Mo Elalem who coached her teams described Barron as ldquoone of the brightest young women I have worked withrdquo

Barron knew she wanted to join FIRST robotics when she began her studies at East Orange STEM Academy ldquoI heard a lot about it online as I was researching what the school had to offerrdquo she said ldquoBut I didnrsquot know what I was getting intordquo

ldquo[FIRST] grew a passion for something I didnrsquot previously have an interest inrdquo Barron said ldquoI was really interested in math and numbers and analyzing all that But then I saw something more which is the business aspect

ldquoThe operations of the team and understanding all of that And also the robotics part of thatmdashthe building of the robot the engineering part the electrical partrdquo

Barron found that the hands-on skills she learned through FIRST could transfer into other areas of her life One day her mother was waiting on Barronrsquos father to come home and take apart a bunk bed ldquoI was like lsquoMom I know exactly what tools to use Get me the Allen keyrdquorsquo she remembers ldquoSo I took apart the bunk bed and I saved my dad some timerdquo

At Princeton Barron plans to major in math andor economics with a certificate in finance While shersquos unsure what she will do after graduation she is contemplating a job in the corporate world possibly the pharmaceutical industry

Barron advises students who apply to colleges to work hard and pay their dues needed for success now And play later ldquoIf you put in the sacrifice you put in the time now it will definitely pay laterrdquo she added

Barron also advises college applicants to trust fate and to work on extracurricular activities and seek out community involve-ment if they would like to get accepted at a college of their choice ldquoYou want to make sure yoursquore well rounded so that you stand out holistically as an applicant to collegesrdquo she said

Barron participated in extracurricular activities such as coach-ing middle school FIRST robotics varsity volleyball and the National Honor Society

She attributed part of her success to mentors such as her mom and family her first grade teacher and her middle school math teacher

Barronrsquos interest in math started when she was 3 years old ldquoBefore I started preschool my mom basically taught me at

home how to read and write and teaching me math at a sec-ond-grade level That groomed merdquo Barron said

Even if students are not interested in pursuing a math degree Barron believes that everyone can find some way to benefit from participation in FIRST ldquoI think that through STEM robot-ics yoursquore going to find your passion and yoursquore going to focus on it Because there are so many components and so much team effort that goes into the roboticsrdquo she said ldquoI have a friend thatrsquos pursuing music engineering and I told him he can use that in the video which is also included in FIRST robot-ics I think FIRST robotics incorporates every field possible If you pursue robotics yoursquoll definitely find your love and your interests for surerdquo

Barronrsquos FIRST team ranked 63 this year in the Mid-Atlantic region which includes New Jersey Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware

DoD Announces Winners of the 2018 Commander in Chiefrsquos Annual Award for Installation ExcellenceDEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRESS OPERATIONS (MAY 17 2018)Secretary of Defense James N Mattis announced the 2018 recipients of the Commander in Chiefrsquos Annual Award for In-stallation Excellence

US Army Garrison Fort Rucker AlabamaSenior Commander Maj Gen William K Gayler US ArmyGarrison Commander Col Brian E Walsh US Army

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar CaliforniaCommanding Officer Col Jason G Woodworth US Marine Corps

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island WashingtonCommanding Officer Capt Geoffrey C Moore US Navy

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Arizona Commander Col Scott C Campbell US Air Force

Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin CaliforniaCommanding Officer Col Andre T Harrell US Marine Corps

The Commander in Chiefrsquos Annual Award for Installation Ex-cellence recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain US military installa-tions The five recipients of this highly competitive presidential award were selected for their exemplary support of Depart-ment of Defense missions

Installations compete on how well they achieve departmental objectives in several areas of installation management includ-



ing mission support energy conservation quality of life and unit morale environmental stewardship real property man-agement safety health and security communications and public relations

Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the working and living conditions for military men and women DoD civilians and their families Each of the winning installations succeeded at being the best in achieving excel-lence in performing installation management within their mili-tary service and the Defense Logistics Agency

Each winning installation will receive a commemorative Com-mander in Chiefrsquos Award trophy and flag and a congratulatory letter from the President

For information about each winning installationrsquos accomplish-ments visit httpwwwacqosdmileie

Army Contracting Command Announces Annual Award WinnersARMY CONTRACTING COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (MAY 18 2018)

REDSTONE ARSENAL AlamdashDozens of people across Army Contracting Command are celebrating after the command an-nounced its fiscal year 2017 Award Program winners May 18

The command selected 35 individuals and teams for its annual honors from 116 nominations

ldquoBoth individual and team winners exemplify the highest qual-ity of performance and service excellence in the acquisition non-acquisition contracting workforce development and small business award categoriesrdquo Maj Gen James E Simp-son ACC commander said in the announcement memo

ACCrsquos annual award winners are

bull Outstanding Contracting Officer (major weapons system) Kevin P Puma ACC-New Jersey Picatinny Arsenal New Jersey

bull Outstanding Contracting Officer (other than major weap-ons systems) Christopher W Fotiadis ACC-New Jersey

bull Outstanding Contracting Specialist (major weapons sys-tems) Jessica R Hubner ACC-Rock Island Rock Island Arsenal Illinois

bull Outstanding Contracting Specialist (other than major weapons systems) Eric T Eischen ACC-Rock Island Ar-senal Illinois

bull Outstanding Contingency Contracting (civilian) Steven B Piggott ACC-New Jersey

bull Outstanding Contingency Contracting (officer) Lt Col John M Cooper ACC-Warren Detroit Arsenal Michigan

bull Outstanding Price Analyst (major weapons systems) Keith A Schafer ACC-Warren Michigan

bull Outstanding Price Analyst (other than major weapons sys-tem) Burrel D Angell Mission and Installation Contract-ing Command Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Texas

bull Outstanding Procurement Analyst (major weapons sys-tems) Catherine E Miller ACC-Warren Michigan

bull Outstanding Procurement Analyst (other than major weapons system) Jeffrey D Clarr ACC-Orlando Florida

bull Outstanding Workforce Development Specialist Kristen E Barth ACC-New Jersey

bull Outstanding Intern of the Year (major weapons systems) Steven R Palmer ACC-Redstone Arsenal Alabama

bull Outstanding Intern of the Year (other than major weapons systems) James W Bond ACC-New Jersey

bull ACC Innovation Award (major weapons systems) Robert J Difazio ACC-New Jersey

bull ACC Innovation Award (other than major weapons sys-tems) Michael S Klein ACC-New Jersey

bull ACC Ability One Award Angela K Chaplinski Mission and Installation Contracting Command

bull Outstanding Mission Support Business Operations (other than major weapons systems) Michael D Ford ACC-Rock Island Arsenal Illinois

bull Outstanding Mission Support Business Operations (non-acquisition) Rose M Wiater ACC-Warren Michigan

bull Outstanding Active Duty Military OfficerNCO (major weapons systems) Capt Jeffrey C Sullivan ACC-Redstone Arsenal Alabama

bull Outstanding Active Duty Military OfficerNCO (other than major weapons systems) Maj Liliu P Moody ACC-Warren Michigan

bull Excellence in Acquisition Leadership (major weapons systems) Demetrice S Watson ACC-Redstone Arsenal Alabama

bull Excellence in Acquisition Leadership (other than major weapons systems) Melissa K Light ACC-Rock Island Il-linois

bull Acquisition Change Advocate (major weapons systems) Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium Team ACC-New Jersey consisting of Alexander Alvarez William Cool-baugh Edward Gelpke Peter Gerhard Steven Ghazi Kelly Gorman Robyn Mappa Emily Pellegrino Steven Piggott and Alexandra Trunzo

bull Acquisition Change Advocate (other than major weapons systems) Brian D Serra ACC-Orlando Florida

bull Excellence in Direct Sales Contracting Debby C Broyles ACC-Rock Island Illinois



bull Contract Professional in Support of Small Business Pro-gram (Contract Officer) Eric D Murphy ACC-Warren Michigan

bull Contract Professional in Support of Small Business Pro-gram (Contract Specialist) Karen M McElhiney ACC-Rock Island Illinois

bull Contract Professional in Support of Small Business Pro-gram (Procurement) Christopher A Heim ACC-New Jersey

bull Small Business Professional of the Year Angela R Arwood Mission and Installation Contracting Command

bull Outstanding Achievement Award (non-acquisition) Contracting Officer Representative Support Government Purchase Card Team ACC-New Jersey consisting of Jan-ice Brown Norman Davis Robert Difazio Guy Hunneyman Thomas Incera Karin Koos Patrick Morris and Dana Stan-ley

bull Customer Service Excellence Award (individual) Susan K Halvatzis ACC-Orlando Florida

bull Customer Service Excellence Award (team) Joint Manu-facturing and Technology Center Branch ACC-Rock Island Illinois consisting of Patricia Allers Lukas Darland Bette Dennison Ashley Griffin John Jacobsen Lisa Johnson-Stevens Monique Jones Samantha Keegan Megan Kirby Sabrina Lowe Amy Nissen Jessica Pearson Rachel Phelps Andrew Ritchie Lynn Rivard Wendy Streeter Debbie Trainor and Laura Vervaecke

bull Personal Development Achievement Award Morgan F Ziatyk ACC-New Jersey

bull Public Affairs Liaison of the Year Elizabeth A Glenn ACC-Rock Island

bull Outstanding Officer Soldier or Civilian of the Year (in-dividual or team) Resource Management Group ACC-Warren Michigan consisting of James Gamble Gregory Guest Mark Hildebrand Kathleen Krafft Rachel Leuffgen Kathryn McCarthy Carolyn McClain and Phyllis Withers



in contract closeout Previously the rate of physically complete contracts coming due for closeout exceeded the number actu-ally being closed resulting in a 311 percent increase in overage (contract closeout backlog) further exacerbating the problem The DCMA Team piloted new quick closeout techniques that standardized risk factors and changed the paradigm in how contracts could be closed There were 4805 contracts for which quick closeout alone was used and that made possible a 328 percent improvement in reducing overage in contracts creating a positive closeout rate and reducing the overage con-tract backlog In achieving this the DCMA Team reduced the industry and governmentrsquos administrative burden and limited the DoDrsquos exposure to certain financial risks This ensured that unliquidated funds from completed contracts could be used before they could be canceled and returned to the US Trea-sury The team continued to innovate by expanding applica-tion to subcontractors opening up an additional 10 percent of contracts to quick closeout The team also deployed multiple initiatives to encourage the practice beyond DCMA and across the DoD as well as other federal agencies with potential sig-nificant improvements to the acquisition community at large in contract closeout records

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Signals Intelli-gence Systems (SIGINT) Acquisition Directorate Low Earth Orbit (LEO) System Program Office For executing a suc-cessful campaign and launching the final Block 2 SIGINT LEO spacecraft in the face of significant obstacles A catastrophe at the launch base and launch vehicle upper-stage problems resulted in a lengthy delay and put the health of the batter-ies at risk This forced a rare spacecraft de-encapsulation to allow for battery reconditioning Once this reconditioning was completed the launch proceeded without a single fault or out-of-tolerance condition During the same time as the launch activity the NRO SIGINT LEO team completed the critical resign review for Block 3 leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet evolving threats in a manner that focused on afford-ability The team cut more than $1 billion in recurring costs by distilling the mission needs to a core set and saving 57 percent of spacecraft requirements The teamrsquos actions ensured that the newest addition to the NRO SIGINT LEO architecture will provide unmatched information to the intelligence community and the warfighter while affordably meeting the tough new intelligence challenges of the future

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Agile Web Presence Program Management Office (AWP PMO) For proactive approach and data-driven decision making ef-forts in addressing and satisfying external and internal user requirements within the intelligence community DoD and NGA The AWP PMO fundamentally changed how users ac-cess search for and discover geospatial intelligence through

NGArsquos primary online Web presencemdashthe globe The AWP PMO took the NGA strategy to heart and made significant changes to the globe allowing customers from across the National System for Geospatial Intelligence to discover con-tent expertise and services Additionally the AWP team used agile methodology to deploy software releases with minimal downtime or risk that consequently resulted in an increased capacity to integrate more than 10 data sources with more than 5 million products This increased authoritative content creation service and catalogs as well as advanced search functions with location topic and event fields Metrics col-lected showed these newest capabilities are driving more customers to the globe and enhancing their experience with faster access to the geospatial intelligence data and services greatly enhancing intelligence-based decision making in sup-port of the warfighter

DoD Announces 2018 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRESS OPERATIONS (APRIL 5 2018)The Department of Defense announced today the selection of 11 distinguished faculty scientists and engineers to join the 2018 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows (VBFF) They join a cadre of 45 current Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows who are sponsored by the DoD to conduct foundational research in core science and engineering disciplines that underpin future DoD capabilities

The Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship program is sponsored by the Basic Research Office in the Office of the Under Sec-retary of Defense for Research and Engineering and adminis-tered by the Office of Naval Research This program seeks out-standing researchers to conduct transformative basic research in topic areas of interest to the DoD Through the program select university researchers and students learn about DoDrsquos current and future challenges and are introduced to some of the ongoing critical research The program fosters long-term relationships between DoD and university researchers and prepares them for possible entry into the defense and national security workforce

Fellows are currently conducting basic research in the areas of quantum information science neuroscience nanoscience novel engineered materials applied mathematics and statis-tics that could revolutionize a wide variety of DoD capabili-ties such as artificial intelligence position-navigation-timing in denied environments autonomous system design decision support tools and sensor development In addition to con-ducting this innovative ldquoblue skyrdquo research the Fellows have opportunities to directly engage with the larger DoD research enterprise and to share their knowledge and insights with DoD military and civilian leaders researchers in DoD laboratories

































































































































































































































































































































































cquisitio ogistic xcellence - dau...cquisitio ogistic xcellence 1 defense at&l:july-august 2018...

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