REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- There is a professional growth program within the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville (Huntsville Center) for people to acquire new skills while taking on greater responsibilities
The Center’s Special Projects Fellowship Program allows participants (GS-13 and above) to act as liaison between the Center and Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (HQUSACE) for coordinating approval documents and providing leadership to help resolve issues between the organizations.
The Fellowship involves a 120-day residential deployment to HQUSACE in Washington, DC providing emerging leaders from Huntsville Center an opportunity to work closely with HQUSACE counterparts under the Miliary Programs Directorate, Installation Readiness Division (IRD).
Arthur Martin III, Huntsville Center Programs Director and proponent for the program, said the program allows participants to grow professionally by performing substantive work on projects that support HQUSACE and IRD initiatives.
“One of the huge benefits is that you’ll very likely leave the program with a comprehensive understanding of USACE missions,” Martin said. “You will also get to know key leaders within the Military Programs Directorate, who they are and their leadership styles,”
The USACE IRD military mission requirements support sustainable and resilient installations where Soldiers call home. The IRD provides solutions in support of America's Installations by expanding the technical expertise of Installation Support Community members and effectively applying USACE capabilities, contract capacities, and other tools required to operate, maintain, sustain, restore and modernize America's military infrastructure and real property assets.
“If you want to learn about Big USACE operations to be more knowledgeable at your job here, this program is for you.”
However, Martin said there is another reason people may want to participate in the program.
“Participation in the program can help individuals in their quest to be secure positions of greater responsibility within USACE as the program provides for resume-enhancing experience,” Martin said.
“While such experience alone cannot guarantee advancement, it does serve as an additional layer of experience that few can demonstrate”
Dallas Carlisle, a civil engineer in the Huntsville Center Construction and Services Branch, participated in the program from June to October. He said he volunteered for the program to show leadership that he is ready for more responsibility.
“I am more of a big picture guy, instead of in the weeds,” Carlisle said.
“The program gave me the opportunity to get exposure to bigger decision makers, why they make their decisions and how they make them. I also had the opportunity to share my expertise and hopefully make some impact.”
During his tenure at HQ USACE, Carlisle was assigned to the Energy Integration Branch working for Shawn Herrera, EI Branch Chief.
He was tasked with leading the assessment of USACE capabilities for the preparation of a Nuclear Initiative tasker to research commercial solutions for possible development of advanced nuclear power to increase energy resilience and maintain mission readiness at Army installations.
During the assessment, he coordination with multiple USACE agencies for tasker input, prepared information papers and briefed the results to IRD branch chiefs as well as Maj. Gen. Kim Colloton, USACE Deputy Commanding General and Brig. Gen. Kirk Gibbs, USACE Deputy Commanding General for Military and International Operations.
“I ensured reviews and corresponding comments were updated on the draft and participated in their regulation and policy creation document.”
Carlisle also assisted with the USACE Military Programs Cyber Security.
“I reviewed, commented and coordinated with the cyber security HQ team, and prepared a set of recommendations for Martin to include with changes to Huntsville Center’s Cyber Security Mandatory Center of Expertise,” Carlisle said.
Another aspect of the detail had Carlisle interviewing five USACE Senior Executive Service officers.
“The key takeaway for me was to take note of their leadership styles, learn about their paths to becoming an SES and any garner advice they may have on me pursuing a leadership role.”
The Center’s most recent participant in the program is Kristin Froistad, Huntsville Center I community planner.
She said she applied for the program to expand her knowledge of HQ USACE’s role and to gain insight into the challenges faced with maintaining uniformity and control in the organization.
“What I learned was Huntsville Center is integral to the success of the USACE Enterprise with HQ USACE relying heavily on the Center’s specialized and technical expertise,” she said.
“I was afforded the opportunity to work directly with colleagues I regularly consult with in the program I manage here at Huntsville Center and had the unique opportunity to become acutely aware of the risks, and operational challenges HQ USACE and the Pentagon face with changing strategic direction.”
Froistad said the timing of her fellowship also afforded her experiential knowledge of the National Capital Region.
In addition to the collaboration and institutional knowledge she gained, she strived to experience as much culture as Washington DC had to offer.
“The fellowship, in broader more general sense, afforded me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and role within Huntsville Center and experience first-hand the coordination required to ensure the USACE mission is accomplished,” she said.