As the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) reshapes its operations to accelerate Army continuous transformation, the command has recognized that meaningful change cannot happen in a vacuum.
That is why, across all ATEC test centers and organizations nationwide, networks of professionals are joining forces to share resources, innovations and expertise in testing and evaluating the Army’s highest priority, most advanced systems. These Communities of Interest (COIs) share a goal: to leverage and strengthen ATEC’s extraordinary depth of technical talent in support of comprehensive transformation and enterprise management of critical test and evaluation capabilities across the command.
Birth of COIs
COIs originated from the ATEC 2023 Modernization Task Force to establish a new test an evaluation capability architecture built on standardization and establishing consistency across enterprise requirements. The COIs are forums comprised of subject matter experts (SMEs) with expertise in specific instrumentation or equipment, who may not otherwise have a natural opportunity to engage with one another if they work at different test centers or on different programs.
“COIs provide a venue to solve problems at the grassroots level, leveraging the vast expertise that exists throughout the command,” said Director of Capabilities Integration Mike Dickerson. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for members to learn about the breadth of ATEC capabilities and make impactful contributions to solving enterprise challenges.”
The COIs are aligned to test and evaluation resource groups, which are key tenants of the ATEC Test and Evaluation Asset Repository System architecture. The resource groups are groupings of similar instrumentation and equipment across the entire ATEC enterprise.
ATEC COIs include:
- Radar
- Airfield
- Environmental Chambers
- Facilities and Ranges
- General Support
- Meteorological
- Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Metrology
- Position Navigation Timing
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear
- Fabrication and Development
- Data Acquisition
- Optics
- Sensors
- Directed Energy
- Information Technology
- Telemetry
Return on Investment
Members of COIs shape the future of ATEC. The COIs:
- Provide platforms for SMEs to engage with peers who share similar technical focus and mission set.
- Provide an opportunity to collaborate, consolidate knowledge and aid in developing enterprise-wide requirements and capability gaps driven by the grassroots level.
- Help ATEC prioritize sustainment and investments requirements leveraging subordinate organization SME knowledge.
- Provide data-driven recommendations to ATEC senior leaders. These recommendations directly inform capacity decisions impacting readiness and long-term mission success.
Professional Development
For ATEC employees, COIs promote professional development by sharing and expanding one’s knowledge in their subject matter area. These forums present networking opportunities with colleagues across the enterprise and a chance for junior employees to learn from SMEs by gleaning their in-depth knowledge and expertise.
By joining a COI, employees can gain access to a network of technical experts and resources, enabling the development and implementation of innovative solutions for complex T&E challenges. Participation in COIs also facilitates the identification and elimination of redundant capabilities, leading to cost savings, more efficient resource allocation and valuable professional development opportunities.
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