JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Nov. 25, 2014) -- The current operational role of contingency contracting Soldiers was the subject of a briefing provided by Mission and Installation Contracting Command officials to the deputy commanding general for the Army Materiel Command during a Nov. 21 visit here.
Lt. Gen. Patricia McQuistion met with MICC contracting leaders for an operational briefing on the command's support for Operation United Assistance in West Africa and Operation Inherent Resolve in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Gabbert, the MICC commanding general, led the operational update. Briefing by teleconference were Lt. Col. Robert McDonald, the 922nd Contingency Contracting Battalion commander who is deployed with the Expeditionary Contracting Command's 414th Contracting Support Brigade to Monrovia, Liberia, and Capt. Daphne Austin, 614th Contingency Contracting Team at Fort Benning, Georgia, who is deployed with the 408th CSB as a contracting team leader deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
MICC Soldiers began deploying forward in support of combatant commanders this summer. The 614th CCT and the 735th CCT from MICC-Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, are in the CENTCOM area of responsibility in support of forward operations. Members of the 922nd CCBn at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, are deployed to West Africa in support of the U.S. government's response to the Ebola epidemic. Once MICC Soldiers are deployed forward, they fall under operational control of the ECC.
Responsible for the professional development of uniformed contingency contracting offcers in the 51C contracting military occupational specialty, McQuistion praised the efforts by the MICC as force providers to the 408th CSB, 414th CSB, ECC and partners in the fight.
"Tremendous effort went into this work," McQuistion said. "You are part of that developmental process and have to feel good because you see that hard work paying off."
Also, a number of CCTs falling under the MICC Field Directorate Office at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, as well as a team from the 410th CSB at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston are supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Operation Inherent Resolve involves fighter and bomber airstrikes by U.S. and coalition nations on targets in Islamic State of Iraq and Syria controlled areas in Iraq and Syria.
Austin briefed that the buildup in support of Operation Inherent Resolve entails a surge of competing requirements. The AMC deputy commanding general emphasized that contingency contracting officers deployed forward need the backing of their leaders in prioritizing those requirements.
"When there is nothing, everyone wants something," Austin said, in regard to being deployed to an austere environment.
McQuistion replied. "Prioritization is critical when requirements exceed capability."
McQuistion also had a chance to hear about innovative solutions driving contracting operations at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, via video conference. Pam Munoz, the director of MICC-JBLM, discussed the metrics employed by her office to prepare, manage and execute its mission that is resulting success.
While at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, McQuistion also met with leaders from the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, U.S. Army Installation Management Command, U.S. Army North, 410th CSB, and Medical Education and Training Campus.
Headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, AMC is responsible for ensuring the Army's materiel readiness through technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection and sustainment to the total force. As a subordinate command, the Army Contracting Command serves as the contracting arm for AMC. The MICC is one of two subordinate ACC commands responsible for providing contracting support for the warfighter at Army commands, installations and activities located throughout the continental United States and Puerto Rico.
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