Tag: DCTC-Blog

April 30, 2024

By Jay Thomas, Brooke Griswold and Nicholas McDermott, Virginia Tech

On Friday, April 12, our DCTC cohort participated in an immersive learning event (ILE) presented by AI Futures, a partner to the Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office and the Defense Civilian Training Corps. We came into the classroom unsure about what to expect. It was gratifying to put into practice all the concepts that we have been reading about and learning about in class. It felt as if we were a real acquisition team and going through the entire process from start to finish to acquire a new system.

We were split into acquisition teams of five and tasked with acquiring a software product that has the capability to analyze large language models. We had to figure out the correct way to approach this task, making decisions on program management, engineering and testing, contracting, legal restrictions, and pricing. Once we navigated the correct approaches to each category, we opened a lock box that required our strategy to completely shift. We had to quickly rethink all our decisions and brief senior leaders. Additionally, the briefing at the end was very helpful. We expected the three senior level executives that we were briefing to ask us just to restate what we had read, but they asked very inquisitive questions that would be asked if it were a true briefing in our DoD careers.

Being able to directly interact with the content our cohort has spent the past year learning was a really refreshing experience. The puzzles were well thought out, requiring us to use everything we learned to justify our answers. Racing against our peers to unlock the final puzzle box added a level of excitement we hadn’t expected. The staff and industry professionals created a welcoming environment where we were able to ask questions and really think through the problems ourselves.

Once the puzzle box opened, we were presented with the opportunity to purchase a “commercial software” that would meet our needs, but not without first reasoning through our decision by answering some pretty tough questions from the panel. They mimicked the intense environment in the real-life acquisition field.

We found this program to be extremely helpful in giving insight to our future as DoD civilians. We have been exposed to the material we were presented with in this program but had never actually put it into action before. Dealing with each category as if it were a real-life problem showed how the concepts we had learned in class will apply in our jobs. In order to succeed, we had to work as a team. We all provided different attributes and perspectives which were advantageous due to the wide diversity of categories we had to solve. Teamwork was also helpful due to the time-restriction and the high intensity environment. Briefing the senior leaders put us in a position where we had to present our strategy, explain why it was beneficial, and answer tough questions, which is useful real-life exposure. We really enjoyed this program and would love to participate in more events like this!

Overall, the ILE was an incredible capstone to the year. The practical application of our knowledge was an extremely welcome change of pace from our typical college coursework.

April 15, 2024

By Akira Jones, University of Arizona

Back in January, I volunteered to help plan the University of Arizona’s DCTC Ideathon immersive learning experience. The goal of this event was to help improve our teamwork and problem-solving skills. During the first two planning meetings, we focused on what we wanted our event to look like, and I spent a couple days to myself trying to picture the perfect event. I wanted the event to be very meaningful for our cohort, so I reflected back to the fall semester when the class discussed what we wanted to work on or see in the spring semester.

At that moment a lightbulb clicked in my head – what if our immersion event helped improve our soft and technical skills to better prepare us for creating real-world solutions, or even better, our summer internships? Our committee agreed to reach out to our partners, AMARG and Fort Huachuca, to ask for problems they are currently facing on base and work with our faculty to set up workshops to help us tackle these issues. 

One of my roles for this event was facilitating the icebreakers; we thought having games would help build our teamwork and communication, and get our creative minds pumped for the design thinking and lean launchpad workshops. I chose very specific icebreakers that would help with these goals. The crowd favorite was the game Eyes, Ears, and Mouth. The objective of this activity is guiding the blindfolded teammate to a pile of colored popsicle sticks and grab the right color as quickly as possible. This game was a great start to day one of the event because the idea of leading blindfolded teammates across the room tied into our design thinking workshop problem in which we created a viable and feasible solution to help guide blind people across a crosswalk.  

The immersion event was an amazing experience, and seeing our plans unfold in real-time was super exciting. Each workshop helped me think about how to break down a problem and create solutions that are a perfect fit for our audience while keeping in mind our stakeholders. As an engineering student, I tend to only focus on the creating solutions instead of the bigger picture, so when going through these workshops, it helped me think about our users, the importance of asking background questions, and picking out the why in why we care.  

April 12, 2024

By Sophie Glancy, University of Arizona

A weekend filled with innovation, collaboration, and education only begins to describe the University of Arizona’s DCTC Ideathon immersion event. Over just two days, DCTC scholars were propelled by design thinking, “The Lean Launchpad” method, and multidisciplinary collaboration into creating successful and innovative solutions to real DoD problems. 

The event itself required thoughtful engagement and planning from DCTC students in collaboration with our program directors. It was student-led and student-executed. Our program director, Dr. Larry Head, presented a design thinking workshop that prompted us to follow a human-centered approach to problem-solving with an emphasis on empathy, creativity, and iterative prototyping to generate innovative solutions. Then we discussed how this approach relates to potential future careers in the DoD. When solving capability gaps, it is critical to understand every aspect of the problem before diving into the solutions and truly empathize, or deeply understand the end user’s needs, motivations, and behaviors through immersive research. 

Entrepreneur, innovator, and investor Derick Maggard kicked off Day 2 with a “Lean Launchpad” workshop where we learned about a method of managing and building a business by experimenting, testing, and iterating while developing products based on findings from your tests and feedback. This was my personal favorite part of the weekend. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be “why.” The “why” is not only the value proposition of a business proposal, but the simple question “why” is the key to executing a root cause analysis.  

Similar to Dr. Head’s presentation, Mr. Maggard encouraged scholars to focus on understanding the problem before attacking the solution and shared this memorable quote from Albert Einstein: “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”  

April 10, 2024

By Owen Gee, University of Arizona

I really did not know how my weekend would go when I saw the dates come up for the Ideathon immersive learning event. As soon as I walked into the University of Arizona Refinery (a building designed for collaboration between industry, academia, and government) I was greeted by Gordon Bradley, a test/action officer who shared a problem his Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) team is experiencing – the huge volume of data in his organization and how to take this data and generate a report in a timely manner. 

Before diving into the problem, we took a step back to engage in an ice breaker and learn about design thinking and lean startup methodology, which changed the way I think about problems. I learned to recognize that an approach that permanently solves a problem is better than the obvious solution that only treats the symptoms. When you focus on build, measure, and learn, you can fail fast, rather than spending time on something that will not work. Failing fast allows you to get through more iterations of prototypes and get a final product faster.  

When it came time to apply these freshly learned concepts to a real-world problem, it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. It was refreshing to work with a career professional on an actual, ongoing problem rather than school projects that have a smaller scope. Our team used the skills presented to make our own presentation on JITC’s background/issues, the problem as we found it, as well as a value proposition. Through this project I gained a unique perspective on the challenges of moving the working parts of the DoD toward modernization. It was also impressive and inspiring to see the presentations my peers came up with in such a short period of time. 

March 15, 2024

This blog entry is a guest post from DCTC scholar Dalia Castro of the University of Arizona.

When I first started college, I was very lost and scared. I didn’t know what my future would look like, and the thought of it terrified me. I was becoming an adult so quickly that I couldn’t process it. I first went into DCTC with a closed mind about my future in the government. My mindset going in was, “I will try and see how it goes.” However, throughout the semester I was slowly starting to see a possible future in the Department of Defense, hearing from professionals was very interesting and gave me insights into what my future could look like if I were to go into the Department of Defense.

Attending the Nexus conference, co-sponsored by the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and Defense Acquisition University (DAU), was a major step out of my comfort zone. To begin with, it was the first time that I was traveling to the East Coast ALONE, my first networking event, and my first interview in front of many people. Despite being a reserved person, I surprisingly bonded with other DCTC students from various universities. It seemed that we had known each other for many years. Sharing experiences from our universities and discussing our appreciation for the DCTC program helped form this quick bond, especially during an off-site event. Being the youngest attendees, we gravitated towards each other, finding a common ground in our unique situations.

I believe that talking with other defense civilians was made easier because we would approach them as a group. I was able to learn what questions to ask and how to follow the flow of a conversation through them. One conversation I remember was with Frank Kelly, where he told us about the Mercury Seven, the first group of astronauts selected for the United States. He emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary team that worked in the background to make this mission possible. There are an infinite number of paths in the Department of Defense that have a significant impact. We can focus on contracting and acquisition, but still make a difference in the Department of Defense.

Overall, this was a very eye-opening experience for me, and I am glad I had the opportunity to experience it. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and gave me hope for my future career. Most importantly, I was able to meet very special people that created memorable experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my career.

In the photo above, Dalia Castro is on the right.

March 7, 2024

This blog entry is a guest post from DCTC scholar Armand Destin of Purdue University.

Community and flexibility were the underlying themes I experienced at the inaugural Nexus conference, co-sponsored by the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and Defense Acquisition University (DAU). The conference centered around advancements in contract management across government and industry. After attending panel sessions, exhibitions, and casual networking I was able to see the “hype” for an environment like this.

This conference was the first formal meeting of any DCTC scholars from the pilot universities. I was able to meet Virgina Tech and University of Arizona scholars from multiple backgrounds and undergraduate disciplines. We immediately connected when we met and grew as we attended discussion sessions, ate dinner together, and even designed cookies with our school logos. I now fully understand the concept of the “Culture of Care” Karen Thornton emphasizes amongst cohort 0. We have built a community that we will have through our undergraduate education and perhaps the workforce one day. As scholars of the first DCTC cohort, it is our responsibility and opportunity to shape our current community image. We can then share the insights and experiences of our community with others such as all the attendees we spoke to in front of Nexus. I believe this trip was a crucial step in a long-term investment for the entire cohort.

One thing about the community of scholars was the diversity of academic backgrounds and how we want to use our specialization. The NCMA conference’s audience was contractors and acquisition decision makers, however there was significant diversity in their field too. I was supposed to see discussions on artificial intelligence, NASA project managers, and even Amazon business all at the same conference. One of the areas that has interested me is NASA. I attended their breakout session regarding EVAs (spacesuits) for the Artemis mission. I am familiar with all current technical events happening at NASA, but I was not aware of what happened afterwards. Essentially the role of procurement and acquisition. After listening to the panel, I was exposed to the roles within NASA responsible for projects like spacesuit innovation. There were items discussed that related to the contents in the DCTC curriculum. There is flexibility within this area whether it is commercial, or government and I have an opportunity to utilize my specialized background to explore these areas.

Overall, this trip was and will be memorable and a critical experience for me and the DCTC.

In the photo above, Armand Destin is second from the right.

February 26, 2024

This blog entry is a guest post from DCTC scholar Katlind Nearing of the University of Arizona.

This February, my peer scholars and I participated in an AR/VR tour of the Fort Huachuca Technology Innovation Facility, or as they call it, “the SHOP.” The site visit was arranged by our Defense Civilian Training Corps faculty to give us a hands-on opportunity to learn about DoD efforts to embrace innovation.

The first thing I noticed as we drove up to the site was that, much like all of Arizona, nothing but dirt and plants struggling for life surrounded us. It certainly did not look like a place that was holding an entire virtual reality lab with the newest technology and extraordinary potential. As I stepped into the VR lab, I was immediately struck by the futuristic ambiance. There were shelves of sleek VR headsets and motion controllers screaming to my inner child wanting to try them all. Technology Innovation Program Manager John Grant sat us down and briefed us on some of the capabilities housed.

I was fortunate enough to test out the Haptics glove VR set, and as I attempt to describe it, please use your imagination. They placed a backpack (containing the controller), gloves that had individual tubes leading to the air compressor, and the headset on my head. I played a small demo where I picked up/touched certain items and I could feel the items as if I was touching them in real life. As I experienced this, it made me think about other possibilities. Specifically, the advancement of my studies in the veterinary science field. It would be advantageous to all medical fields if students could put on a VR helmet and have a “real” corpse lying on a table, look at the different anatomical parts, and explore it. The ability to immerse all students in dynamic, interactive learning simulations similar to the demo I participated in, creates the potential to revolutionize education and ignite a passion for discovery.

I interviewed my peer scholar, Michael Morales, a business management major, to gain a diverse perspective. His insights resonated with me as he adeptly highlighted the transformative capabilities of VR in his field, emphasizing the potential benefits of implementing VR into the future of telecommunications. He referred to the capabilities as “underappreciated and underrated” and I could not help but agree. Michael articulated a compelling perspective on how the field trip blended his business acumen and his love for video games transcending into a feeling of “work and professionalism doesn’t have to be so serious all the time.”

In essence, my conversation with Michael combined with my personal experience on the tour served as a poignant reminder of the importance of embracing diverse viewpoints while ultimately enriching our collective understanding and appreciation of the possibilities that lie ahead. Innovation doesn’t always necessitate a wearisome, strictly professional demeanor but can foster a sense of playfulness and creativity, leaving me with a sense of wonder and excitement for the future.

February 2, 2024

This blog entry is a guest post from DCTC scholar Ellie Wolcott of the University of Arizona (pictured seated in the front row of the vehicle).

The first time I knew I wanted to become a flight test engineer (FTE), I was scrolling through Instagram and passed a photo of a woman in a NASA flight suit standing next to a T-38 supersonic jet trainer. It wasn’t long before I found her blog, read that she had been accepted into the National Test Pilot School (NTPS), and decided that someday, I would be too.

The summer that I applied for the Defense Civilian Training Corp (DCTC) pilot, I was also looking into ROTC and other military-oriented paths. The people I talked to and information I had found online up until that point seemed to suggest that joining the military was the only way to become an FTE, and because it was realistically too late to join ROTC or apply to an academy, I worried that I had somehow already missed out on my chance.

Just as I was beginning to grapple with this perceived reality, I received an email in my inbox about a new opportunity at the University of Arizona: the DCTC. Advertised as a way to jumpstart a career with the DoD upon graduation without military service, it was the perfect resolution to my dilemma. I applied later that day, and since then, have found a wonderful community among the students, professors, and DoD civilians who are part of the pilot. From team-building exercises like our scavenger hunt in August to field trips like our visit to the “Boneyard” in October, DCTC has provided me with the sense of belonging that I first discovered as a child growing up on Air Force bases.

More recently, in November I had the pleasure of meeting Ken Callahan, the DCTC program director at Purdue University, and Garry Shafovaloff, a senior advisor for the DoD and director of DCTC’s pilot. Two other students and I engaged them in a conversation about our areas of study, future career plans, and hopes for the program, while they shared exciting stories from their respective careers. I learned that both Ken and Garry had gained experience in the aerospace industry, with Ken having served as a C-141 pilot for the US Air Force and Garry having spent time at NTPS in Mojave, CA. It was eye-opening to hear how two professionals in the DoD—one a commissioned officer and the other a civilian—were able to participate in the same industry. The conversation highlighted that there are many different paths for me to accomplish my goals, and I walked away from it with greater optimism for the future.

January 29, 2024

This blog entry is a guest post from DCTC scholar April Sayers of Virginia Tech (pictured far right in the photo).

I recently attended the Naval Academy’s Leadership Conference from January 21st through the 24th with several other Defense Civilian Training Corp (DCTC) scholars and Virginia Tech Cadets. The conference offered many opportunities to meet people and make connections, as well as take away messages from the inspirational men and women who were invited to speak to us.

The conference followed the structure of speeches or panel sessions followed by breakout sessions for discussion. We spent a lot of time with our breakout groups, which ended up being my favorite part. My group consisted of students from all over the country and from all types of schools. Every one of us had a different experience and perspective, which led to insightful discussions. I also built better bonds with the other DCTC scholars on the trip. The other students in DCTC are people I would never have encountered or become friends with, were it not for our receiving entry into the DCTC program. The importance of these cross-disciplinary connections is not lost on me.

While many of the speakers at the conference were either active or former military, there was wisdom to be gained from every one of them, especially since DCTC is preparing us for jobs where civilians work alongside servicemen in all sorts of fields and scenarios. While I will likely never be in a life-or-death situation in which I need to lead, those I serve may be. I hope that my purpose in the DoD will be to research and somehow improve conditions for the warfighter, however that may be. And strong leadership and collaboration are important no matter what kind of team you’re on.

Here is some of the most valuable advice (in my opinion)

1. “Show them the way, and then go with them.” – Col Michael Styskal, USMC (Some of the best leaders aren’t those who just give the orders. They’re the ones who support and stand beside you.)
2. “Pursue the things that make you resilient.” – Col J.P. McDonough, USMC
3. “Just because you don’t know everything doesn’t mean you don’t belong.” – Adm James Winnefeld
4. “Never too junior to have a great idea, never too senior to have a bad one.” – VADM Tim Szymanski
5. “I don’t ask them what I can do, I ask myself what I can do for them.” – Amanda C. (a girl who was in my breakout group)

These were just some of my favorite takeaways. Not all had to do with leadership; some of them had to do with personal growth, but I believe that is just as important to being a good leader.

Number 3 really stood out to me. “Just because you don’t know everything doesn’t mean you don’t belong.” As a DCTC scholar, I’ve already struggled with imposter syndrome. I don’t yet know all of the intricacies of the DoD and US military, and I’m a biological systems engineering major, which I never thought would be needed in any great capacity, in the same way international relations or cyber security majors are needed. Since hearing that I’d been accepted, I’ve kept thinking, “Wait, why would the DoD want me?” But as we’ve been assured by DCTC directors, guest speakers, etc., there are all types of people in the DoD. All types of knowledge and experience are both needed and wanted. So why does the DoD want someone like me? Why were each of us chosen for this opportunity? Because we each bring a new perspective, and DCTC is cultivating our potential so we can serve our country in a different way from what most people imagine.

October 24, 2023

In early October, the DCTC Executive Leadership Team visited Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. Members of the team observed the strong commitment to service throughout the sprawling campus. Virginia Tech’s informal motto, “This is home”, rings as true for those who have served as for those who aspire to service. The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, which includes a citizen leader track, was founded in 1872, but DCTC has created an unprecedented opportunity for cadets and civilians to learn and begin their path to DoD employment side by side.

This video from Virginia Tech’s kickoff event shows how quickly bonds of teamwork and support have been forged among the DCTC scholars.

During the visit, Mr. Mark Krzysko, Principal Deputy, Acquisition Data and Analytics in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (A&S), sat down with a group of scholars over coffee to hear their impressions of the DCTC experience, share wisdom gained from his career in industry and government service, and encourage them to lean into every opportunity to learn and grow.

Faith Jones, a cybersecurity management and analytics major from Broadway, Virginia shared, “Before hearing about DCTC I didn’t know how to get a job or a clearance in the DoD. I look forward to attending the DCTC course more than any other class on campus, because the DCTC class has a direct link to my very near future. The curriculum material is exciting and meaningful and the instructor truly cares for our well-being.”

Nick McDermott, a national security and foreign affairs major from Towson, Maryland, who aspires to serve his country in the national security field, explained “I’m excited to see where the future of the DoD is going, especially in relation to data analytics and data management which closely ties to my major.”

Cameron Alemand, a political science major from Houston, Texas, and member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, has enjoyed summer internships with the Coast Guard. He’s now learning what it means to serve in the DoD as a civilian. “I enjoy that the program focuses on your potential and develops scholars throughout their academic careers. There weren’t a lot of scholarship opportunities at my school and I’m so excited to be part of Cohort 0,” he explained.

DCTC helps scholars at Virginia Tech overcome traditional barriers to public service and prepares them to make an impact as a DoD civilian through an integrated curriculum and project based internships that include mentoring relationships. Pualena Heather, an economics major from Aoloau, American Samoa shared, “Until now I have been unable to obtain an opportunity from USA Jobs and was contemplating shifting from the public sector to the private sector when my academic advisor introduced me to DCTC, which gives me the greatest opportunity to serve as a public servant.”