Last spring, two Logistics Management Specialists were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to switch their desks and daily duties. The first participants of the Developmental Assignment reciprocal exchange, Aaron Culver, Army Evaluation Center (AEC), and Scott Lambert, CECOM Logistics Readiness Center (LRC), were chosen due to their skills, forward thinking and desire to learn more about the other Command's processes. Their exchange at Aberdeen Proving Ground is considered a huge success, and both the AEC and CECOM believe the exchange was rewarding enough to expand the program across the LRC.
For Lambert, an Integrated Logistics Specialist Manager in the LRC's Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors Directorate, who had primarily worked on weapon systems in the sustainment stage of their lifecycle, the exchange program held a lot of appeal. Said Lambert, "It provided an opportunity to experience the earlier stages of a system's development and to gain a more hands-on understanding of all stages to target for success in sustainment. I participated to learn about the other stages of a system's life cycle and to get some on-the-ground experience around the testing community."
In contrast, AEC participant Aaron Culver, an Integrated Logistics Evaluator, "wanted to see and better understand Life Cycle Logistics from the sustainment (back end) perspective.
Developmental assignments have always been a way to broaden one's knowledge base. This is especially so when it is within your career program. So this was a golden opportunity."
Lambert and Culver contacted each other daily to remain in tune with their parent command and to mentor each other on the gaining system. The program surpassed each of their expectations. Said Lambert, "I got everything that attracted me to the exchange, and was able to get directly involved. At the testing and experiment events I was able to attend, I got to interview the Soldiers actually using the equipment we were evaluating while they were trying it out. I got to hear the opinions of our customer directly from them. It gave me a far clearer understanding of the Soldier's perspective, and how the Soldier's world impacts how they need their equipment to operate within the realms of effectiveness, suitability and survivability."
Culver now understands where he as an Evaluator can improve his approach upon his return to ATEC. He said, "I can better help with Materiel Release and Full Rate Production decisions, and to improve things on the sustainment side through recommendations, guidance and feedback to PM offices."
The benefit to both employees and their organizations has been evident. Kurt Schultz, IEW&S Branch Chief of the ASPO/NavSys/ASE (Avionics Systems Project Officer/Navigation Systems/Aircraft Survivability Equipment) Branch where Lambert is assigned and Culvert rotated, is impressed with the result of the exchange. Said Schultz, "Coworkers have been asking about their [Culver and Lambert's] opinions and experiences to gain new insight into their own daily duties. This developmental assignment was extremely successful. The benefits will be seen for years with both of these great workers applying the skills they've gained to the systems they support."
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