Growing The Desire For Public Service Among Local Teens

By Kari Hawkins, AMCOMJuly 20, 2015

ADVENTURES AT AMCOM GRADUATES
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REVERSE ENGINEERING A PILOT'S HELMET
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Tiffany Turner of the AMCOM Logistics Center, center, assists Keanna Rice and Kennedie Edwards get some assistance from an AMCOM Logistics Center employee to take in taking apart a helicopter pilot's helmet during an engineering exercise as part of A... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
UP FRONT FOR TEST
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A LANGUAGE FOR FOREIGN SALES
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HELICOPTER TEST
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Tate Stevenson tests out a paper helicopter manufactured by his group during the Adventures at AMCOM visit to the AMCOM Logistics Center. The students had to operate a manufacturing line for paper helicopters -- accepting orders; performing the cutti... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Despite the challenges faced by civilian employees in recent years -- budget cuts, sequestration and furloughs -- the Aviation and Missile Command's deputy commander told graduates of the 2015 Adventures at AMCOM Enrichment Program on July 16 that civil service remains one of the most rewarding professions for Americans.

And he invited the 25 graduates -- representing the area's high schools -- to consider civil service for themselves.

Even when times have been difficult within the Department of Defense, the "work ethic, values and patriotism of our civilian workforce has remained high, steady and unmatched," said Bill Marriott, who joined the AMCOM team in July after serving as the deputy chief of staff for Personnel and G-1 at the Army Materiel Command.

From a U.S. population of 300 million, 2.3 million are federal employees. Of those, 675,000 are Department of Defense employees and, of those, 250,000 are Department of the Army civilians.

"Less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the population are government civilians," Marriott told the students and their family members at the Adventures at AMCOM graduation ceremony in the Bob Jones Auditorium. Marriott's career includes 30 years of service in the Navy and 10 years of service as a DoD/Army civil servant.

"There have been significant contributions of Soldiers and civilians," he said. "They serve because of their calling. Perhaps some of you will hear that calling. Maybe this week has lit a spark in you that will grow into a desire for public service."

Although Adventures at AMCOM is an academic opportunity, Marriott said he also considers it a leadership prep program that builds on the students' education, training and experience, "which help mold the kind of person and leader you will become.

"But, ultimately, who you become comes down the choices you make."

Those who choose to lead, should lead with common decency and a respect for their subordinates, by doing the right thing when it's the hard thing to do, and with moral courage.

"Glossing over problems, closing ranks and staying on message" is the easy way out of confronting issues while standing up for what's right, acting against the tendency for group think or questioning decisions that seem wrong can be much more difficult, he said.

"The moral principles of leadership are timeless," Marriott said. "You can't be expected to have all the right answers. But, gaining experience and asking the right questions is something we can all do."

The AMCOM deputy commander encouraged the students to "continue to embrace opportunities, volunteer and gain experience, and always, always question assumptions."

The 2015 Adventures at AMCOM roster included Kaitlyn Abernathy, Elisia Alampi, Heaven Colquiett, Nicholas Dawson, James Dellinger, Kynnedie Edwards, Madyson Edwards, Ted "TJ" Edwards, Catherine Henderson, Zavier Jackson, Sydney Jones, Jacob Kelley, Isaiah Leslie, Alexander Lind, Douglas Marr, Zoie McIntosh, Keanna Rice, Tate Stevenson, Zachary Stewart, Brittany Toney, Sara Villanueva, Garrett Warren, Madison Watson and Allyson Williams. They were selected from about 130 applicants.

The Adventures at AMCOM Enrichment Program provides high school students with experience and exposure on how the Army technology, acquisition and sustainment activities function. During the four-day program, students work with AMCOM leaders to understand daily work tasks in small group exercises that stress problem solving, process analysis, critical thinking and practical applications in mathematics, business logistics and engineering.

The students visited several organizations at AMCOM and Redstone Arsenal, including the Army Logistics Center, Security Assistance Management Directorate, and Test, Measurement and Diagnostic Activity along with the Aviation and Missile Research, Engineering and Development Center's Software Engineering Directorate, and the Program Executive Office for Aviation's Unmanned Aircraft Systems. They learned about setting career goals and the path of a civil servant, the importance of personal security, the challenges of setting up an organization's new staff, collaboration and how to perform in a work environment, and how to appropriate government funds.

Torri West, co-program administrator for Adventures at AMCOM said she and co-program administrator Renae Murchison enjoyed getting to know the students and showing them all the different aspects of AMCOM.

"I see nothing but a bright future for all of them," West said.

Although student Jake Kelley is planning a medical career, he enjoyed "getting to see all the different things the Army has to offer, all the different opportunities."

Student Keanna Rice "loved learning what all AMCOM does to help the Army." She especially enjoyed the security briefing from AMCOM's G-6.

Some of the students -- such as Allyson Williams -- also gained experience being interviewed by the media when WAAY-TV's Redstone Report recorded a story on Adventures at AMCOM.

Being part of Adventures at AMCOM gave Allyson a glimpse of her possible future.

"My mom encouraged me to be part of this and I want to be an engineer. Maybe I will work at Redstone Arsenal some day," she said.