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ID-Sustainment, UAH ink innovative RIGSA to pipeline students from classrooms to conference rooms

By Staci-Jill Burnley, ID-Sustainment Public Affairs ChiefJanuary 13, 2025

ID-Sustainment, UAH ink innovative RIGSA to pipeline students from classrooms to conference rooms
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Davis D. Tindoll, Jr., ID-Sustainment Director, and Dr. Gary Maddux, Director of the UAH Systems Management and Production Center, shake hands following the official signing of the memorandum of understanding between their two organizations in December. The Regional Intergovernmental Service Agreement will see UAH students working alongside Soldiers and Civilians as Army contractors, supporting the base operations mission at 32 installations around the U.S. (Michael Mercier/UAH). (Photo Credit: Michael Mercier) VIEW ORIGINAL
A memorandum of understanding was signed between UAH Systems Management & Production Center and the Installation Management Command's ID-Sustainment in December. Pictured are Davis D. Tindoll, Jr., ID-S Director; Ishella Fogle, UAH Students...
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A memorandum of understanding was signed between UAH Systems Management & Production Center and the Installation Management Command's ID-Sustainment in December. Pictured are Davis D. Tindoll, Jr., ID-S Director; Ishella Fogle, UAH Students Working at the Army in Parallel Program Manager, and Dr. Gary Maddux, UAH Systems Management & Production Center Director. (Michael Mercier/UAH). (Photo Credit: Michael Mercier) VIEW ORIGINAL

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Leaders from U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s ID-Sustainment and the University of Alabama-Huntsville formalized an innovative Regional Intergovernmental Service Agreement December 19 that will see UAH students working alongside Soldiers and civilians as Army contractors, supporting the base operations mission at 32 installations around the U.S.

Mr. Davis D. Tindoll, Jr., ID-S Director, and Dr. Gary Maddux, Director of the UAH Systems Management and Production (SMAP) Center, signed the agreement in the presence of their respective staff who helped craft the initiative, officially celebrating months of effort leading up to the event.

The RIGSA is part of an innovative effort by ID-S and UAH to act as “matchmakers,” so to speak, for students wanting to gain professional experience in real-world Army areas of expertise who also are majoring in fields critical to base operations services. These areas are the mission focus of ID-S and include specialty roles such as financial resource management and budgets, human resources, engineering and renewable resource development and sustainment.

“This agreement will enable installations to obtain immediate needed support while creating a potential future employment pipeline for students who gain valuable on-the-job skills, increase mission capacity, and deliver results,” said Tindoll.

UAH officials agree.

"We are excited about the potential here," said Maddux. "As the largest single employer of students at UAH, the SMAP Center serves as a critical link between our students and their future roles in the workforce. This agreement with IMCOM will further expand the opportunities available to our students, enabling them to jumpstart their careers within the defense industry."

ID-S is using the RIGSA at their headquarters here at Redstone Arsenal and is thrilled with the results. The three students they have welcomed onto their team have been invaluable across the enterprise and brought fresh perspectives and ideas to the table, said Tindoll, and expansion of the program outside of the Rocket City is already underway.

Students are already being identified to support the garrison at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in the coming months. Tindoll said this initiative is poised to go Army-wide, if other IMCOM Directorates leverage the opportunities created though the RIGSA.