PEO Perspective: February 2020

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DATA
This month at an Association of the United States Army (AUSA) breakfast, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville called for a transformational change rather than incremental improvements, with data analysis as a key enabler.

The Army CIO’s data strategy was initiated to modernize, protect and defend our networks and IT services by making data visible, accessible, understandable, trusted and interpretable. 

Last month, PEO leaders from across our portfolio participated in a panel led by John Howell, Assistant PEO for Networks, Cyber and Services, at the annual AFCEA NOVA Army IT Day. The theme for this year was Cloud-fog-mist in the age of peer competition, which refers to the Army’s efforts to create a reliable and secure network in an era where we must be diligent about the threat of sophisticated adversaries.

We work with our customers to make sure that the Army’s networks, logistics, HR, finance, business systems and cyber defense are working to support anything a Soldier and the Army need to do the job, while also protecting and defending the network. At the same time, our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and business systems are improving the Army’s efficiency and accuracy, making it easier to access the critical data that the Army needs.

At the annual AUSA conference in October, Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy stated that “Seamless access to data in the Cloud is the foundation for the entire Army modernization effort.” The Army is committed to making enormous investments in Cloud systems in the coming years to continue to address the challenges of managing big data and network security in order to make quick decisions on a contested battlefield.

Our panel of leaders explained our role in the Army’s goal of building a modernized network infrastructure for global connectivity and critical cybersecurity in order to maintain momentum and enhance our competitive edge. As Secretary McCarthy warned, “If we do not have a system in place, access to the data becomes our no man’s land.”

At PEO EIS, we are driven to ensure that the Army has the ability to prevail in joint all domain operations against any foe, and WIN any war.

AFCEA BELVOIR INDUSTRY DAYS
Now more than ever we rely heavily on our industry partners to help us by driving toward innovation rather than requirements, and we are excited to continue the conversation through engagements like the upcoming AFCEA Belvoir Industry Day April 29 through May 1 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor -- I hope you will attend! We will be sharing more information as the program develops, so stay tuned to the PEO EIS website for updates.

AROUND PEO EIS
It’s been a busy winter so far at PEO EIS, and 2020 has only just begun.

On January 13, we welcomed Mr. Jeffrey White, Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) (ASAALT), for a visit here at headquarters and at the Forge for an update on programs. Mr. White toured the Forge facility and received a briefing from Project Manager Defensive Cyber Operations Col. Chad Harris and his team. 

Col. Harris also keynoted the AFCEA Belvoir Luncheon this month, introducing a new approach to the format by bringing along Bonnie Evangelista, contract specialist with Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI), who provided insights into the Cyber Operations Broad Responsive Agreement (COBRA) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) process, and Ed Sealing, one of our industry partners, who went through the process and shared lessons learned with the overflow audience.

Back at headquarters, Deputy PEO Brendan Burke kicked off the New Year by hosting a newcomer’s brief for our newest employees that included an overview of the organization and briefings from our program offices and directors. We remain invested in recruiting, retaining and developing the best of the best, providing our professionals with the resources they need to excel in their mission and make the choice every day to be an important part of supporting their nation and our country. 

This month we also learned that Assistant PEO Col. Ed Barker will be leaving us in March for a position as the ASAALT Chief of Staff. His leadership over the software, data and Cloud initiatives has been amazing, and his technical advice and stewardship has been invaluable to the PEO. His departure will be bittersweet; while I would like to keep him here for good, his selection is a sign that the Army values his ability to contribute at the next level.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Throughout our nation’s history, African Americans have answered the call to support and defend. America's Army remains highly capable and mission ready by leveraging the strengths of a diverse, all-volunteer force. During Black History Month we honor the brave and distinguished contributions and sacrifice of African Americans.

We recently celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday -- an occasion for people to remember his extraordinary life of service, and to ensure that we embody and protect his dream of a united and equal nation.

Dr. King once stated that "all labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."

The work that the PEO EIS team does every day is important work that plays a significant role in transforming the Army enterprise to deliver information at the speed of war to the precise point of need.

Thank you for all you do to help us achieve that goal. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Connecting the Army. Working for Soldiers.