REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Across the Army’s sustainment enterprise, data experts and analysts have made innovative changes to improve readiness while modernizing the force.
These experts, representing pockets of excellence across Army Materiel Command, are growing in numbers and are collaborating with each other. The fruits of their labor were on full display during the AMC Data and Analytics Summit at Tobyhanna Army Depot July 23-25.
“A lot of people tell me AMC is leading the Army in advanced analytics, and it is because of you,” said Dr. Christopher Hill, AMC chief data and analytics officer. “You are the ones who solve our command’s problems. Our leaders do not make complex decisions without consulting data analytics.”
While the summit provided an opportunity to network in person, the data and analytics experts have had many accomplishments working together virtually through the AMC Data and Analytics Communities of Interest. These communities provide a framework to collaborate in areas like programming, dashboard development and more. Information is shared through in online knowledge management systems and community members meet through video conferencing.
“I want to emphasize how easy it is to call your lifelines, call your friends, make friends and network here,” said Carla Bolton from Corpus Christi Army Depot’s Business Intelligence and Data Analytics Branch. “This is a great opportunity for all of us to learn from each other.”
Bolton presented a case study on how CCAD, Tobyhanna Army Depot, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and Letterkenny Army Depot collaborated are collaborating to better track Defense Property Accountability System and Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss data. She said virtual chats helped her realize other Organic Industrial Base sites were experiencing similar challenges as she was, and it offered a chance to unify efforts.
Across the command, experts are not only working together to solve problems, but they are also experimenting to reduce redundancies and simplify business processes. Joint Munitions Command partnered with the 377th Theater Sustainment Command and AMC HQ on a large language model that would summarize weekly reports. While the team decided not to duplicate efforts they were seeing from other Army entities, the effort was less about the output and more about the journey, said Robert Kitchen, a data analyst at JMC.
“We didn’t go to school for this,” Kitchen said. “It is a rapidly growing technology we have to get smart on. We are the logistics command. There is no reason why we can’t use these tools.”
In this spirit, AMC is building momentum in its collaboration and use of cutting edge, advanced analytics tools. The command’s culture is shifting to become one that is data centric. The AMC Analysis Group is sending out a survey to its data experts in the coming days to measure where the command currently stands when it comes to the use of data and advanced analytics.
“We have the support of AMC leadership, and they are counting on us to lead the command through this modernization,” Hill said. “This survey will help show us where we are and where we can continue to grow.”
Also, AMC is set to launch competitions, including one challenging experts in this field to develop a tool to better track unit readiness prior to deployments. More information on these challenges will be share through the AMC Data and Analytics Communities of Interest SharePoint site. One challenge took place at the summit, where experts had eight minutes to show a dashboard they created.
As AMC looks to the future and gauges how data centric it is, the command must continue to enable and expand grassroots innovation while staying linked at echelon, Hill said.
“One of the greatest things I have seen in my years of support, and especially now, is the quality of our people,” Hill said. “I am amazed at our workforce’s ability to provide creative solutions to the ever-changing landscape.”
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