Army contracting subject matter experts update critical tasks at job aid working group

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –The Army Contracting Command hosted a 51C Job Aid Working Group from September 8-12, 2025, at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. The working group’s goal was to tackle the critical task of updating the individual training task list for 51C officers and noncommissioned officers, or NCOs, something that had not been revised in over four years.

Members of the ACC 51C working group consisted of senior NCOs, contracting master gunners, an officer, and the G-37 training division chief from the U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, including experts and leaders from the Mission and Installation Contracting Command, or MICC, which is headquartered here. There were no formal instructors or students, the assembled personnel were each subject matter experts. They contributed a diverse range of ideas based on what has proven effective in their respective offices and through their professional experiences. This collaborative approach ensured the updated Job Aid reflects both best practices and the real-world needs of the 51C community.

The importance of bringing this group together lies in the critical effort to modernize the Individual Critical Task List for 51C officers and NCOs and streamline how 51Cs get after training. This working group was essential to ensure that training programs align with current operational demands and the ACC Command Team’s intent of preparing soldiers to master fundamental contracting tasks.

Master Sgt. Maurice Barbour, G-3/5 Strategic Concepts, ACC, was the main coordinator for the working group and responsible for updating the Job Aid and bringing together the right personnel to contribute to this critical effort. “Including the MICC in the working group was particularly valuable,” Barbour said. “Diego Forero, Chief, Training Readiness and Exercises, MICC, provided key insights on how individual tasks should align with collective tasks.” Other attendees from the MICC included Sergeant Maj. Lloyd Cueto, MICC-Fort Bliss and Sgt. Maj. Aaron Kopecky, MICC operations sergeant major. The attending sergeants’ major brought a wealth of knowledge and experience from their years in contracting, offering invaluable perspectives on what 51Cs should be evaluated.

Command Sgt. Maj. Rachel Harris, ACC command sergeant major, and Command Sgt. Maj. JennyAnne Bright, MICC command sergeant major, also participated in much of the discussion, giving their insights on how to pursue training and relayed guidance on the roles of 51C officers and during the Army’s transformation.

“The working group’s update to the Individual Training List for 51C officers and NCOs represents a critical step in strengthening the Army’s ability to prepare and meet the challenges of tomorrow’s fight,” said Bright said. “These updates ensure our contracting officers and NCOs are properly aligned and trained to deliver operational effects, reinforcing their role as trusted contracting advisors and leaders who directly enable warfighters to meet the demands of the next fight.”

The updated Job Aid supports training programs that prepare the 51C force to deliver contracting outcomes in both CONUS and OCONUS operating environments. Bright expanded on the significance of the 51C Job Aid is applicable to all components, ensuring consistency and excellence across the force.

“This team of professionals understands Army priorities, has the operational perspective, and recognizes the importance of standards and training,” Bright explained. “Now more than ever, their experiences and tactical and technical expertise will significantly contribute to modernizing the 51C Job Aid Individual Training Task List to enable ready combat formations.”

The working group resulted in creating a more effective and streamlined training framework that equips the next generation of 51C professionals with the skills and knowledge they need to meet today’s mission demands. The job aid is required to be updated every two years due to policy changes and updates and guidance from the ACC Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major. This current rewrite is expected to be published to the field for implementation late in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026.

For more information on the ACC/MICC Master Gunners Course visit https://www.army.mil/article/275519/

About the MICC

Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitating training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.