ACC Senior leaders convene at Redstone Arsenal

By Mr. Larry D Mccaskill (Army Contracting Command)July 3, 2014

Staff Ride
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Mikhael Weitzel (right), ACC command historian, discusses contracting successes during the Battle of Chickamagua (Georgia) during a staff ride. ACC Soldiers and civilians visited various sites along the battle route to discuss contracting challenges ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Senior leader forum
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala.--The Army Contracting Command senior leadership convened here June 24-27 to discuss the state of the command and adjust the command's current strategic direction.

The theme, "ACC in Transition - State of the Command," concentrated on the way forward. The conference started with the Expeditionary Contracting Command and the Mission and Installation Contracting Command hosting separate forums, followed by a command sergeants major huddle in the afternoon with Brig. Gen. Ted Harrison, ACC commanding general.

On the second day Harrison shared his command philosophy and talked about the state of the command in general.

"I'm very pleased with how the command is operating but we can't be satisfied with the status quo," Harrison said. "We must continually assess operating procedures and make necessary adjustments so we keep pace with our ever-changing environment. Providing our senior leaders with a forum to exchange ideas and suggest ways to improve our processes and procedures ensures we'll enhance our future effectiveness."

Gen. Dennis Via, commanding general, Army Materiel Command, met with the senior leaders, encouraging them and stressing the importance of strategic planning in preparing for the Army 2025.

The senior leaders discussed a number of topics including equal opportunity, the 2105 operations contracting support joint exercise, the Army Contracting Writing System and strategic planning.

"Across the ACC, we are so focused on the important day-to-day work we do in support of our customers that it is challenging to find time to take a strategic look at ourselves," said Bryan Samson, ECC executive director.

"This week's leaders' forum gave us the opportunity to do just that. How do we remain relevant and valuable to the Army of 2025? What do we need to do, today, to posture ourselves for success and to maintain the critical capabilities we provide to the force? I am looking forward to follow-up sessions to work some of the concepts we discussed in more detail."

During the four-day event, attendees were on hand for the presentation of the ACC Best Warrior Award to Staff Sgt. Eliud Temblador, from the 413th Contracting Support Brigade at Fort Shafter, Hawaii; a dining out to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the command and a staff ride to the Chickamauga, Georgia, battlefield where they discussed contracting principles of the Civil War.