PEO Perspective: April 2021

Spring has officially arrived — the season of new beginnings and budding opportunities. Here at PEO EIS, we’re immersed in our ongoing migration to Microsoft Office 365 (O365), part of the Army’s broader O365 rollout. Our Enterprise Content Collaboration and Messaging (EC2M) product office, part of PEO EIS’s Enterprise Services portfolio, has been heavily involved in this endeavor. Special thanks to EC2M product lead Deidra McCaskill and her team for their role in acquiring and fielding O365, which aims to enhance the Army’s productivity, collaboration and data security.

RECENT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

PEO EIS Stand Down on Extremism

Like other Army organizations, PEO EIS recently conducted a Stand Down on Extremism in fulfillment of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recent service-wide order. Conducted in virtual format, our Stand Down involved reviewing the Army Values and the meaning of the oaths we took in embarking upon our military and civilian Army careers. We discussed the concept of extremism, what constitutes impermissible behaviors, and our reporting responsibilities. Our military and civilian workforce received refresher training on sexual harassment/assault response and prevention, suicide prevention and awareness, and participated in breakout listening sessions with leadership.

Perhaps the most moving moment of the Stand Down, from a personal standpoint, was the opportunity to restate my oath as a career Army civilian:

I, Ross R. Guckert, do solemnly swear

that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;

and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.

So help me God.

To this day, these words make me feel humbled about the tremendous opportunities and responsibilities I’ve had while serving as an Army civilian, most recently leading PEO EIS.

Kickoff of PEO EIS OPLAN

On March 24, we held a kickoff meeting for the PEO EIS Operational Plan (OPLAN), designed to provide direction to PEO EIS organizations for supporting the Army Data Plan Implementation in Support of Cloud Migration (EXORD 009-20). The OPLAN — which I signed just over a week ago — is an outstanding product developed by a core team of representatives from across our six portfolios. As we all know, data is a strategic asset for the Army, so starting now, we will align our staffing, processes and architecture to support the Army’s goal of using an array of analytics and technologies to gain insight, support operations and drive modernization by making data visible, accessible, understandable, trusted, interoperable and secure (VAUTIS). More to come on our OPLAN; stay tuned to our PEO EIS newsroom and social media platforms.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE

AFCEA’s TechNet Augusta Solution Series Episode Two

On April 21, PEO EIS has a speaking opportunity at one of AFCEA’s virtual events leading up to TechNet Augusta. As part of the Solution Series on “Resilient Communications in a Contested MDO Environment,” several leaders from our Enterprise Information Environment Mission Area will discuss the Integrated Enterprise Network modernization strategy. John Howell, assistant program executive officer for networks, cyber and services, will moderate the panel comprised of Brendan Burke, deputy program executive officer; Nancy Richardson, acting deputy project manager for our Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems project office; and Lee James III, project director for our Enterprise Services project office. More information is available on our Events page.

Sexual Assault and Awareness Prevention Month

This April observance is particularly timely given our recent Stand Down, which included refresher training on sexual harassment/assault response and prevention. PEO EIS has a zero tolerance policy for this especially egregious, corrosive behavior, and we will continue to make that policy clear, provide strong reporting mechanisms and hold listening sessions with our workforce. 

Days of Remembrance for Holocaust Victims

From April 4-11, the Army is remembering the millions of victims of the Holocaust and honoring the resiliency of survivors. We at PEO EIS will reflect on our Army Values, which embody a moral responsibility to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Month of the Military Child

In commemoration of Month of the Military Child in April, we’ll be spotlighting on our social media platforms several members of our workforce who had a parent in the military. Children and families support our Army through their patriotism, dedication and enduring support for their Soldier’s well-being, aiding in readiness. Make sure you’re following our PEO EIS page on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to check out some of the featured stories.

OTHER NEWS OF NOTE

Early congratulations to Lt. Col. Jim Lee, product manager of our Army Training Information Systems (ATIS) product office, on his retirement later this month. Lt. Col. Lee has had an impressive 25-year career in the Army. He joined the Army Acquisition Corps in 2005 and became part of the PEO EIS family in July 2018. We thank him for his outstanding work in helping field the Army’s one-stop training solution for military and civilian personnel, which will start rolling out in fiscal year 2023. You can read more about this innovation in a recent article penned by Lt. Col. Lee for Army AL&T. ATIS Deputy Product Manager Christie Murphy will serve as acting product manager until the official change of charter ceremony this summer.

I’d also like to welcome on board my new Executive Officer (XO), Maj. Torano Harris, who will help support my efforts to lead and manage our huge portfolio of Army acquisition programs across our Business Mission Area and Enterprise Information Environment Mission Area. Maj. Harris, a native of the great state of Hawaii, comes to us from the Army Contract Writing System product office within our Defense Integrated Business Systems portfolio. He will take over XO duties from Maj. Zachary Schofield, a talented data and network modernization specialist who has been my right-hand man since I became PEO last May. Thank you for your valued contributions and best wishes, Zach!

Finally, while we are encouraged by the increased availability of COVID-19 vaccines, we urge everyone to remain safe and vigilant. The springtime weather beckons us to spend more time outdoors, but it’s important to continue heeding the CDC guidance on wearing masks, social distancing and hand hygiene.

Happy Spring everyone!

Ross R. Guckert, Program Executive Officer, PEO EIS

Connecting the Army. Working for Soldiers.