FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- The Army has passed another plateau toward its goal of improving Army contracting with the promotions of two general officers.
The promotions of Stephen B. Leisenring and Joseph L. Bass are important steps in adhering to the recommendations made in the Gansler Commission Report of the Commission on Army Acquisition and Program Management in Expeditionary Operations. Leisenring is the commander of the Mission and Installation Command, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. Bass is the commander of the U.S. Army Expeditionary Contracting Command, Fort Belvoir, Va. The ECC and the MICC are subordinate commands of the Army Contracting Command, a major subordinate command of the Army Materiel Command. ACC has two out of three of its general officer positions that were recommended as part of the Gansler Commission findings in place.
On September 12, 2007, the Army Secretary Pete Geren chartered former Under Secretary of Defense Dr. Jacques Gansler, to provide a comprehensive review of the Army\'s acquisition system.
The Commission was given a broad charter to examine current operations as well as to ensure future contracting operations are more effective, efficient and transparent. on October 31, 2007, the Gansler Commission issued its report on Army contracting, provided a series of recommendations to correct serious problems in expeditionary contracting and get Army contracting back on track.
The report stated "the Army needs general officers who know contracting. The Army needs general officers who can serve as functional advocates for expeditionary operations and avoid the problems that are being experienced in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait."
The Army's selection of contracting officers to the general officer corps demonstrates its commitment to follow through on the Gansler Commission recommendation to restore credibility in Army contracting. As the Gansler Commission noted, operational commanders in the field need to know and appreciate the capability contracting personnel bring to the fight, and contracting general officers will ensure this happens in their support to expeditionary operations
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