PEO Perspective: November 2022

PEO EIS is getting into the groove of a new fiscal year and preparing to close out the current calendar year. Congratulations are in order to our Logistics Modernization Program, which managed to complete its fiscal year-end closeout in record time.

ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATES

On the leadership front, we welcomed David Waisanen as the acting product lead for Defensive Cyber Operations’ (DCO) Allied Information Technology last month. And effective Dec. 4, Sarah Mullins will become our new product lead for Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions — or CHESS — which is part of our Enterprise Services portfolio.

AN AGILE ARMY

Perhaps the biggest development this past month was the announcement of our plans at the AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition to align with the Army’s Agile vision. As I told audience members at AUSA’s Digital Transformation Forum on “Modernizing Software Acquisition – Going Agile,” shifting to an Agile software acquisition approach is necessary to ensure better responsiveness to Soldiers’ needs and to quickly deliver capability in a world where threats arise and evolve at a fast pace.

We already have seen some significant success in our adoption of an Agile approach. DCO has long been employing Agile and DevSecOps approaches, and our General Fund Enterprise Business System has been fully running SAFe Agile since May 2020. Other more recent examples include our leveraging of partnerships to drive business process re-engineering and deliver more rapidly in smaller increments with Global Combat Support System – Army (GCSS-Army); adopting an existing Agile capability and Air Force solution with ArmyIgnitED; and implementing Agile delivery metrics with Army Contract Writing System.

We also have taken an innovative approach with Enterprise Business Systems – Convergence (EBS-C), which will modernize the Army’s approach to enterprise resource planning systems by combining antiquated, stove-piped systems into one entity, integrating advanced technologies and allowing rapid business process transformation. Last month, Army Contracting Command – Rock Island released the second Draft Prototype Project Opportunity Notice (PPON) for EBS-C. We made it a point to make this release as Agile as possible, modeling commercial practices and integrating feedback we have received from industry on how they prefer to do business.

With EBS-C and other programs currently underway, we are looking at continuous modernization, continuous innovation. And industry is a critical partner in helping us determine the right requirements to realize our goals.

Additionally, we are treating data as a product, foundational in our ability to deliver capabilities. We are committed to strategically aligning our guiding documents — the Army Data Plan, Army Cloud Plan, Army Digital Transformation Strategy, and the Army Unified Network Plan. These are imperative in ensuring that everything we’re doing is truly data-centric.

AFCEA BELVOIR INDUSTRY DAYS

I’m excited about our upcoming portfolio-wide participation in AFCEA Belvoir Industry Days (ABID) Nov. 7-9, where 26 presenters from our organization will participate in 15 ABID sessions, including keynote remarks, panels and breakout sessions. We will also have booths out on the exhibit floor. This year marks the first time we will be at the Westfields Marriott and the first time in two years we have gathered for a fully in-person event.

Our first priority is to deliver capability to Soldiers, and we should never forget for whom we’re working. It is our goal to gather feedback from customers, stakeholders and industry, and to seek innovation and ways to continuously improve.

We look forward to seeing you at this collaborative and informational event!  You can find more information on our Events page.

UPCOMING OBSERVANCES

Veterans Day

On Nov. 11, we honor the brave men and women throughout history who have stepped forward to defend our nation. Many PEO EIS workforce members are veterans or have veteran family members, and we will be spotlighting them on our social platforms this month.

Native American Heritage Month and Military Family Month

There is no better time to pay tribute to the first Americans and to our service families who are the backbone of our Soldiers — truly at the heart of everything we do.

Thanksgiving

Finally, this month we come together with family, friends and community to give thanks for our blessings. I’m thankful to be a part of a talented, impassioned, and dedicated team that never forgets why we are here — to deliver capability to Soldiers to successfully complete their missions.

Thank you to all who have served, and from our family to yours, have a great month and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Ross R. Guckert, Program Executive Officer, PEO EIS

Connecting the Army. Working for Soldiers.