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JMC’s employees learn how to make sense out of ammunition data

By Lori McFate, Joint Munitions Command, Public and Congressional AffairsOctober 22, 2024

JMC’s employees learn how to make sense out of ammunition data
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Joint Munitions Command employees recently gained knowledge and understanding of Department of Defense and Army Data Strategies. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL
JMC’s employees learn how to make sense out of ammunition data
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Army’s four types of data analytics include descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL
JMC’s employees learn how to make sense out of ammunition data
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Joint Munitions Command employees were recently provided many examples of obtaining data (Microsoft Excel) and visualizing data (Microsoft Power BI) in the virtual classroom. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL

Employees at JMC’s headquarters at the Rock Island Arsenal, and employees across the JMC enterprise, recently attended a Data Foundations Seminar via Microsoft Teams.

This was the second of three courses in the September JMC training series titled “Data Analytics Booster Month.” The course was provided by the Department of Academic Support and Distributed Learning at the Army Management Staff College.

The Department of Defense, to include the U.S. Army, is a data-centric organization that uses data at speed and scale for operational advantage and increased efficiency, and enhances military effectiveness through access to accurate, timely, and secure data, in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“For us to improve our business accuracy, reduce our costs, and make good business decisions, we need to start seeing ourselves and measure ourselves against our historical performance,” said Brig. Gen. Ronnie Anderson Jr., JMC’s commander.

JMC is aligned with the U.S Army and DOD as a data-centric organization. The course was for employees new to data analytics, providing foundational knowledge, to better understand data definitions, different forms of analytics, and making sense out of data. Employees walked away with knowledge that commanders, managers, and all employees can perform data analytics, translate the data, and provide data visualization.

"Through the Data Foundations Seminar, Army Management Staff College is committed to providing Army Civilians with the basic tools for data analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, all of which contribute to fostering a data-literate, data-driven force,” said Robert Arp, the course instructor.

Employees who attended the course represented headquarters and our 17 subordinate installations. The course helped employees identify data needed, learn how they can import and use the data, and discover why the data is important for decision-making to meet ammunition requirements across the JMC core competencies: produce, store, distribute, and demilitarize.

“I need to stop thinking about data as just numbers,” said Abby Arensdorff, a JMC project manager. “Data can be characters, symbols, biological, psycho-sociological, formatted, and/or unformatted, which all need to have meaning assigned. Today, we can find the largest and most diverse collections of data text and it continues to grow daily. Remember, you can find any data to support your thoughts, beliefs, or what you are looking for. Make sure you know the source and that it is reputable.”

The Army’s Digital Transformation Strategy identifies how reliable data enables Army personnel at every echelon to:

• Make informed decisions

• Uncover complex information

• Develop solutions to achieve operational success

• Monitor how systems, materiel, and personnel perform

• Gauge the effects of a mission on the operational environment.

Anderson recently attended a Data-Driven Leadership course and encouraged JMC’s workforce to seek out training that supports the Army and JMC’s intent to continually improve its information readiness and data agility to gain a decision advantage.

“I ask that no matter your current proficiency that you continuously improve your abilities to understand data analytics so we can continuously improve our enterprise,” Anderson said. “I am on the journey with you.”

JMC provides the joint forces with ready, reliable, and lethal munitions at the speed of war, sustaining global readiness. JMC is the logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition and provides a global presence of technical support to combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed.

Army Employees who want to learn more about Data and Analytics can access the Army’s E-Learning platform Udemy for Business: https://armyciv.udemy.com/organization/home/.