401st AFSB employee completes doctorate's while deployed in Afghanistan

By Summer BarkleyNovember 9, 2012

Maggie Rivers completes Doctor of Philosophy requirements while deployed
Dr. Maggie Rivers, a supervisory logistics management specialist deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom with the 401st Army Field Support Brigade, successfully defended her doctoral dissertation Nov. 2 and was awarded a doctorate in philosoph... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Maggie Rivers, a supervisory logistics management specialist deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom with 401st Army Field Support Brigade, defended her doctoral dissertation at 4:30 a.m. Nov. 2,. to a doctoral committee.

The committee members consisted of Dr. Susan Gibbon, Phoenix Arizona, Dr. Timothy White, Huntsville. Ala. and Dr. Robert Hockin, Washington, D.C. At the conclusion of the 75-minute defense, the committee approved Maggie Rivers as having completed all requirements to become a doctor of philosophy in organizational management at Capella University, Minneapolis, Minn.

Rivers began her program while working for Joint Munitions Command in Rock Island, Ill. in March 2006.

The title of the Dissertation is "Bridging the Knowledge gap between the Baby Boomers and the Multigenerations." The primary purpose of the study was to understand whether formal (explicit) or informal (tacit) knowledge was perceived as the most effective method of knowledge transfer from the Baby Boomers to the multi-generations.

The results of the study laid a theoretical foundation for future research by aiding the U.S. Department of Defense in developing better contingency plans for the transfer of knowledge across the generations.

Rivers was previously deployed for one year with the 402nd AFSB as a contract specialist and deputy of the Business Management/Contract Management Office. She completed course work by "getting up really early, staying up late, then completing the chapters while on my previous two R & R's." She said she had to complete 16 milestones to complete her dissertation.

Rivers said she deployed to the 401st AFSB to "to enhance my career by serving as a supervisory logistics management specialist."

"My next goal is to continue adding to the body of knowledge by researching and publishing knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer methodologies in the Department of Defense," she said.

Rivers completed her doctoral program with a 3.75 grade point average.

When not deployed, Rivers works for the Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

Rivers is also a college professor at the University of Phoenix Campus in Birmingham, Ala., and Athens State University in Athens, Ala.

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