ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command leadership held the last town hall of the year in the Myer Auditorium Dec. 12, 2023. The event was also broadcast virtually for the workforce unable to attend. The quarterly meeting featured remarks from leadership and directors, results from the annual Federal Employment Viewpoint Survey, winter safety, and awards.
The host, Maj. Gen. Robert L. Edmonson II, senior commander of CECOM, highlighted some CECOM accomplishments from the past year. He said leadership routinely hears “good news” when they travel throughout the command.
CECOM’s year highlights include:
- Tobyhanna Army Depot was awarded the FY23 Chief of Staff, Army, Logistics Excellence Award in the Depot Category. Tobyhanna celebrated its 70th anniversary this year.
- The Central Technical Support Facility, in Fort Cavazos, Texas, “has led the way for interoperability testing for our Army,” Edmonson said.
- The Software Engineering Center established the Software Readiness Cell to operationalize software and support unit readiness which reduced the number of reported cyber non-compliant pieces of fielded equipment by 32,000, a 46% reduction in six months, improving Army readiness and protecting Soldiers from cyber attack.
- The Integrated Logistics Support Center successfully implemented one of the largest reorganization efforts in support of headquarters Army Materiel Command’s Supply Chain Organization initiative.
- The Army Medical Logistics Command executed more than $200 million in foreign military sales in support of European operations. These sales support the Army and the Department of Defense.
- The Information Systems Engineering Command, headquartered in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, modernized information technology systems in more than 150 Defense Health Agency medical treatment facilities, replacing more than 200 wireless access points.
Across the G staff, G-6 developed more than 3500 new laptops and desktop computers.
“That brings to mind, we have been hiring people through the last year,” Edmonson said. “We have been working closely with the G-1 and the G-6 to issue the desktops and laptops to our new employees that we brought into the organization.
Additionally, this spring the G-9 welcomed more than 10,000 members of the local community to the installation for Demonstration Day and Future Forces Day.
Providing feedback
Edmonson said one of the reasons CECOM continues to be successful is due to the feedback given through the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. FEVS helps create a snapshot of the trends over time. It helps leadership determine areas that need improvement, he said.
“Continue to provide that feedback, we only want to get better,” he said.
CECOM Human Resources Director Pamela Delaine said this year CECOM achieved almost 33% participation in the FEVS. Delaine said she would like participation to be even higher next year.
“In order for CECOM to be better, it takes all of us, not one person,” she said. “We all have to come together to make the organization we report to every day the best that it can be.”
The survey includes four categories: employee engagement, intrinsic work experience, supervisor and leaders lead. The supervisor category received the highest score.
Delaine said culture change takes time, but the results of the survey indicate that CECOM is moving in the right direction. She suggested employees contribute to the overall health of the organization by getting involved and regularly communicating with supervisors.
“We are all responsible for the culture we want to have, in any work environment,” she said.
Some initiatives that started due to feedback from previous FEVS include updates to telework policy, mentoring programs, new supervisor orientation, supervisor handbook and Teams channel, more training opportunities and the Health and Fitness Program.
Edmonson said CECOM leadership will continue to look at ways to improve the organization.
Winter safety
CECOM Safety Director Craig Goldberg discussed winter safety. He said it is critical to routinely think about safety and conduct personal risk assessments. Because safety is such a constant part of our lives, we must always be vigilant.
“We all have an intrinsic obligation to ourselves, to our battle buddies, to our co-workers, [and to] our family member to manage risks and reduce it as much as possible,” Goldberg said.
He covered topics like preparing your home for harsh temperatures, checking smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, preparing your vehicle for winter weather, staying informed of potentially hazardous driving conditions, and reducing the risk of respiratory viruses and influenza.
For walking on ice, Goldberg demonstrated the “penguin shuffle.” This technique is pointing out your toes, keeping your hands to your side, bending your knees slightly and shuffling slowly from side to side.
Attendees had the opportunity to ask leadership questions. The town hall concluded with employee awards.
For more photos, visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/cecom/albums/72177720313352817/.
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