By Allison Weissert

Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S) Integration Directorate (INT DIR) escorted newer members of the PEO at a “greening” event to observe the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Combined Forcible Entry (CFE) exercise at Hunter Army Airfield (HAAF), Georgia. A greening event exposes civilian employees to the duties and missions of the Operating Force to increase their understanding of the challenges our Soldiers face, thereby improving the work they do as acquisition professionals on behalf of the warfighter.

A combined forcible entry operation is a core Ranger mission that requires the seizing and securing of an airfield for follow-on operations. This culminating exercise consisted of entry into a remote airfield, encountering an OPFOR (opposing force) and simulated CASEVAC (casualty evacuation), complete packing up of equipment and real-time reporting.

Two civilians accompanied William Reagan from the INT DIR on a three-day temporary duty (TDY) to Savannah, GA, near HAAF and Fort Stewart where they toured facilities, interacted with soldiers from the Marne Division, including a tank crew and their most modern M1 main battle tank in the field, learned about Army Rangers lineage, capabilities, and equipment. This was an opportunity for the acquisition workforce to observe and engage with Soldiers of the famed 75th Ranger Regiment, the premier raid force, and talk to them about the products they use, how they use them and what they need the fielded products to do.

Reagan, a former infantryman turned Special Forces and retired officer, led the greening as an expert in tactical and technical fields. He was able to provide context and explain the event as it unfolded. He said “I have been connecting technical experts (engineers/researchers, program/project managers, capability managers, etc.) with tactical experts (soldiers; users, leaders, commanders) both at PEO Soldier and our PEO for many years. I continue to be amazed when these two groups come together. Inevitably there is not only greater understanding of each other, but more importantly, greater appreciation of each other’s’ complementary knowledge, skills, operating environment, and efforts or projects. Ultimately these are high quality professional development or educational opportunities that often build long lasting personal connections between these expert communities.”

Heather Ferguson, recently hired Program Analyst for Project Director Sensors-Aerial Intelligence (PD SAI), attended the greening, and understands how events like this can help shape requirements. “The greening was truly a fantastic experience,” said Ferguson. “Being new to the Army, and the world of acquisition, this opportunity really brought things into perspective for me. I was able to interact with the warfighter, talk to Soldiers and ask questions about the equipment they use. I will take from this experience the importance of continuing to build relationships and how it informs the acquisition process.”

The group arrived at HAAF just prior to the nighttime exercise, Capt. James Kuzunas Jr. provided an overview of what was to happen and introduced them to several Rangers. They observed the practice exercise and spoke to Soldiers about how they use equipment, the weight of their packs, and how vehicles are outfitted. While speaking with two of the Rangers who handle communications, it became evident just how important size, weight, and power (SWaP) are to Soldiers and how SWaP is an important factor in considering requirements that later become fielded products.

The group also had the opportunity to observe discussions by the Rangers regarding training, physical and mental requirements for passing Ranger School, and the upcoming combined forcible entry exercise. After the practice, the visitors watched the nighttime exercise from an observation post through night vision goggles.

Thomas Trzeciak, Project Engineer, Unified Data Reference Architecture, attended a similar event led by Reagan last year. He said, “having participated in the training helped me understand the amount of gear and knowledge the soldiers need to have. So many months after the event, I still take into account the greening event to make sure the soldiers have all they need from our program.”

At the Marne Innovation Center on Fort Stewart, the group saw developing projects firsthand, such as a working drone, a device that detects mold, 3d printers, etc. Sergeant First Class Nathan Lopez, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), conducted the tour. He said, “I believe that innovation and increasing the Army’s understanding of technology leads to improving Soldiers’ lives.”

Kayla Lake, Operations Research Analyst, Position Navigation and Timing (PM PNT), recently celebrated her first year with PEO IEW&S. She shared her thoughts about the greening opportunity by saying, “being a new civilian with no prior military service, this training experience puts into perspective the sacrifices and service soldiers experience daily. It was very humbling to see their dedication to every task and the expectation of being available 24/7. It made me develop a deeper appreciation for the work we do every day in the acquisition community to support the warfighter. The Innovation Centers tour was inspiring to not only see soldiers working collectively to solve issues, but to see the tremendous pride in each individual and group member discussing their solutions/innovations.”

The Integration Directorate for PEO IEW&S supports bringing together the acquisition community with Soldiers to bridge the gaps between capabilities in design and development with real functional products in the field. Greening is one way to help achieve that goal for both communities.