Tuesday December 17, 2013
What is it?
Top leaders from the U.S. Army Materiel Command and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology are synchronizing efforts to strengthen the Materiel Enterprise through Joint Acquisition and Sustainment Reviews (JASRs).
Designed to create a stronger partnership and increased collaboration between the two organizations, JASRs bring together leaders from AMC’s Lifecycle Management Commands and ASA (ALT)’s Program Executive Offices. Leaders work through issues and concerns and identify opportunities to create efficiencies and streamline operations across the Materiel Enterprise.
What has the Army done?
The Materiel Enterprise is one of the Army’s four core enterprises and is responsible for materiel management from concept to combat. It brings together the organizations involved in providing materiel solutions for Soldiers and incorporates all the materiel lifecycle functions to include research, development, acquisition, testing, distribution, supply, maintenance, industrial base operations and disposal.
As the Army draws down from more than a decade of war and faces continued budget uncertainty, the Materiel Enterprise must become more efficient and effective. ASA (ALT) and AMC are exploring ways to better align functions, roles, authorities and responsibilities.
Hon. Heidi Shyu, the Army’s Acquisition Executive (AAE), and Gen. Dennis L. Via, AMC’s commanding general, co-chaired a JASR in November at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., focused on the Communications and Electronics portfolio, which includes command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.
Leaders at the JASR addressed concerns with manning and workforce requirements, identifying a need for flexibility to transfer qualified employees between organizations when the skill sets and vacancies match. The group also discussed the necessity for more transparency and visibility of programs throughout the entire lifecycle.
What efforts does the Army have planned for the future?
Shyu and Via will co-chair JASRs across the remaining portfolios in January-March 2014: U.S. Army Garrison Redstone Arsenal, Ala., for Aviation and Missile, U.S. Army Garrison Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., for Munitions, and U.S. Army Garrison Detroit Arsenal, Mich., for Ground Systems.
Why is this important to the Army?
Partnership between ASA (ALT) and AMC is a top priority for the Army as it focuses creating efficiencies and increasing collaboration. The organizations are working toward several initiatives, including synchronizing funding, strengthening the materiel enterprise’s better buying power, and maximizing workforce skill sets.
Resources:
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