FORT NOVOSEL, Ala.- Albert Einstein is known to have said that a person cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that created it. Garrison leaders at Fort Novosel are learning new ways to look at and solve problems, lead change, and build coalitions through their involvement in the City-County Management Senior Fellowship Program (CMSFP).
Thyais Scott, the Director of Human Resources for the US Army Garrison Fort Novosel, is no stranger to distinction. She is a 2021 Installation Management Command Stalwart Award winner, and now has been selected for this prestigious program for 2024.
Scott said that she applied for this program, “because it will provide learning opportunities to broaden my knowledge and enhance skills to develop external partnerships to the garrison environment.” She continued, “I enjoy career and talent management. I am hopeful that this experience will continue my efforts on transforming my capabilities to influence the development of people and new initiatives to the organization by continued collaboration with external garrison partners.”
The City-County Management Senior Fellowship Program (CMSFP) allows senior garrison leaders to partner with and learn from city/county managers and other senior leaders to gain an understanding of what it takes to run a city/county, the challenges and opportunities that arise, and the chance to collaborate and build professional relationships outside the gates of the installation.
This unique experience allows participants to spend an orientation week in Washington D.C. and a week in the host city/county, observing community forums and ceremonies, and touring facilities such as airports, water and wastewater management plants, emergency operations centers, and other such facilities. They also get a chance to attend sessions on community engagement, partnerships, strategic planning, and managing policy and administration.
Derrick Hood, the Army Support Activity Manager at Camp Bull Simons, Florida, a sub installation of Fort Novosel, recently completed the CMSFP, partnering with the city of Converse, Texas.
Hood said, “City-County Management Senior Fellowship was one of the most informative training programs I have ever completed. The face-to-face engagements with the Army staff and local city government officials enhanced my appreciation of how various agencies support their communities.”
In Converse, Hood went on a ride-along with police, attended a press conference during a city crisis response, and interacted with officials at Randolph Air Force Base to learn more about partnerships that can provide opportunities for both the installation and the community. As Hood reflected on this experience, he said, “One of the biggest takeaways that I came away with is that the material in the training is not only applicable to those in public city management but can be used to enable IMCOM professionals to use existing best practices in our own Garrisons and our local communities. I highly encourage all eligible members of the Garrison to compete for participation in the City-County City Management Program.”
Scott looks forward to her participation later in the year. She said, “I hope to get the opportunity to enhance my innovative, analytical and collaboration skills obtained through partnerships. I look for this opportunity to provide me with a strategic approach and framework for generating solutions for a range of complex issues internal and external to the garrison.”
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