JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (May 16, 2022) -- More than 20 years following graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a contracting officer at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, unexpectedly finds herself drawing on her own experiences in the execution of contracts for her alma mater’s cadet summer training.
Angie Piekielko is a June 2001 West Point graduate who was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps. Following six years of active-duty service that included assignments in Germany, she chose to separate following the birth of her first son and spent the next 11 years as a stay-at-home mom before re-entering the workforce in December 2018 and beginning her contracting career.
“I never imagined I would become a contracting professional until I was at a job fair and saw an advertisement for a contract specialist. After reading the job description, I knew the analytical nature of this career field was something I would enjoy and excel in,” she said. “I’m excited to be back in the workforce and supporting the Army from the civilian side. It’s been three and a half years, and I’m now a contracting officer supporting my alma mater -- it doesn’t get better than this.”
A member of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Fort Campbell Mission Support Division, Piekielko is in the process of executing and administering contracts in support of Fort Campbell’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as it assists in conducting West Point’s Cadet Summer Training at Camp Natural Bridge in New York. Contract requirements call for the delivery and setup of tents, tent flooring, lighting, cots, generators, HVAC units, and tables and chairs beginning this weekend through August.
Piekielko, who was named the fiscal 2020 Army Contracting Command Outstanding Intern of the Year, said planning for contract support of the cadet summer training got underway in December 2021 with a site survey by two MICC-Fort Campbell contract specialists. A complete requirements package from the supported unit in April set in motion the solicitation process with contract award May 12 to Integrated Modular Solutions, representing multiple small business socioeconomic categories, at a value of $3.2 million.
The West Point summer cadet training cycle allows operations officers with the academy’s department of military instruction to integrate incoming cadets with the essence of warfighting and the Profession of Arms by instilling leadership, followership and the warrior ethos to develop future Army officers. Since Piekielko’s own personal experience as a 1997 incoming cadet, this is her first opportunity to directly support contracted requirements at West Point.
“As a former West Point cadet, I am excited and honored to work on a requirement in support of my alma mater,” Piekielko said. “Having participated in West Point’s cadet summer training, I understand not only the mission, but also the mountainous terrain in which the training is conducted. The terrain is certainly one of the constraints we face.”
Following her 2001 graduation from West Point with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management, Piekielko served as a brigade assistant personnel officer for the 29th Support Group, and company grade assignments manager, plans and operations officer and transformation division chief for the 21st Theater Support Command in Kaiserslautern, Germany. It was that experience while on active duty she believes led her back to serving Soldiers and surprisingly her alma mater.
“Working this requirement definitely sparks nostalgia from this old grad,” she said. “I always envisioned myself returning to serve as a DOD Civilian, but never imagined I’d have the opportunity to support a mission at West Point from Fort Campbell. It’s an honor and a privilege to support our current and future warfighters.”
About the MICC
Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,300 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.
Social Sharing