REDSTONE ARESENAL, Ala. -- The U.S. Army Materiel Command gathered to honor and farewell its first Chief Technology Officer at a formal ceremony here, Sept. 18.
Dr. Grace Bochenek served as AMC's chief technology officer since 2012, when the headquarters first created the position. She led all aspects of AMC's science and technology development and set the S&T strategic direction for a full range of sophisticated weapon systems and cutting-edge technology. Additionally, Bochenek provided AMC with a "Synchronization Agent" for research, technology development, innovation and integration. She also serves as the Army's Career Program Functional Manager for 22,000 engineers, scientist and technical workforce.
Gen. Dennis L. Via, AMC commanding general, hosted the ceremony. "Today is a bitter-sweet day as we farewell one of our best and brightest senior executive servants," said Via explaining that one of his first tasks on the job was to find and hire a chief technology officer.
"She built a staff from the ground up, she forged relationships with our strategic partners and it became quickly evident after hiring her that she was the right person for the job," said Via.
For her work in establishing this office within AMC, she was awarded the Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service.
"For me and my family, today is personally an important day because it represents a culmination of a wonderful career with the Department of Army and AMC," Bochenek said. "It truly is a bitter-sweet moment."
Bochenek shared her personal journey and the people and experiences that shaped her Army career.
"I do this not to reminisce about my past but to share with you a wonderful Army Civilian career in the hopes that it inspires a few and demonstrates the power of the Army Materiel Command because I am a product of this great organization," Bochenek said.
She began her journey as an intern working for the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, a major subordinate command of AMC.
"I was given opportunities, I was given challenges and I was given training," she said. "Ironically enough, the person who said, 'Grace you will go get a Ph.D,' was the same person who sat in the seat I sit in today."
During her tenure, Bochenek played a significant role in many initiatives such as:
-setting up TACOM's first Software Engineering Center
- designing and shooting the Mobile Gun System,
- creating the Army's Advanced Collaborative Environment and the use of 3D immersive virtual environments
-delivering the first prototypes for robotic convoys, to up-armoring HMMWVs, and delivering MRAPs to the joint warfighter
"I can humbly say, I've had a blessed Army Career," Bochenek said.
She thanked Via and all the previous AMC commanders for giving her all those professional opportunities.
"AMC did to make me who I am today," she said.
Bochenek has been selected to become the director for National Energy Technology Laboratories for the Department of Energy. She promised to take all the life lessons she learned, her passion and the same strategic outlook onto her next job.
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