FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii -- Senior contracting leaders from the Army and Air Force visited Hawaii during a command visit to the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility that included stops in Alaska, Korea and Japan.
They were conducting a command circulation of key leaders to check on units and engage with critical warfighter customers.
Harry Hallock, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for procurement, Brig. Gen. Michael Hoskin, commanding general, Expeditionary Contracting Command, and Brig. Gen. Cameron Holt, commander, Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, spent seven days in Oahu visiting commands across the island.
The visit of the senior procurement executive for the Army, combined with the visit of the senior expeditionary contracting officers from the Army and Air Force is a testament to the integration and importance of Army contracting to U.S. Army Pacific and U.S. Pacific Command," said Col. Kevin M. Nash, commander of 413th Contracting Support Brigade here. "It also shows the recognized need for a joint approach to contracting solutions across geographic combatant commands to address encountered issues. The relationship between the Army and Air Force in the Pacific sets the standard for other theaters."
The highlight of the trip for the trio was getting a chance to talk to Soldiers and airmen during two town hall sessions held at Schofield Barracks and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. During the town halls, each leader spoke on the future of contracting and answered questions from the audience. At the end of the town halls, several Soldiers and airmen were recognized for excellence in contracting support.
The visit to Hawaii was the longest leg of the command circulation, they also visited Camp Smith and participated in a United States Pacific Command round table. They also met with senior leaders from U.S. Army Pacific and Installation Management Command - Pacific at Fort Shafter. Additionally, they spoke with senior leadership from Pacific Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The common theme from these senior leader engagements was the critical importance of contracting as an enabler to the warfighter in both garrison and expeditionary environments.
The overall importance of this trip was twofold. First, it was Hallock's first overseas visit of Army contracting organizations, allowing him to see and understand the importance of contracting to geographic combatant commands in supporting the readiness of Army units in garrison while also supporting applied readiness in theater security cooperation engagements. He also received briefings on how contracting would support Army and joint forces in contingency environments. Secondly, the fact that the Army and Air Force expeditionary contracting leadership traveled together signified the importance of leveraging joint approaches to contracting support, especially in an era of declining resources and the unique teaming relationship between the Army and Air Force that has been fostered in the Pacific.
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