PEO Perspective: September 2021

Before delving into recent and upcoming PEO EIS developments, I’d like to share our sympathies with the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan. We are humbled by the bravery of our service members and committed to continuing to deliver capabilities that support Soldiers in their important missions.  

It was great to see Army and industry colleagues in person again at AFCEA TechNet a few weeks ago, as well as to get a tour of the Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, where more than 20 of our Defensive Cyber Operations teammates presently work. More details on the conference in our TechNet takeaways below.

Back at PEO EIS headquarters, we are preparing to welcome back Lt. Col. Xkoshan Arnold, now as a new product manager within our Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (DCATS) portfolio. During the change of charter ceremony on Oct. 1, we will officially rename the Installation Information Modernization Program product office —stay tuned for the new branding! That office will encompass our Enterprise IT as a Service program, as well as continue its focus on installation IT modernization (CONUS), voice services, data, infrastructure, home station mission command centers and strategic command centers.

Oct. 1 also marks the official transition of our Global Combat Support System – Army product office to our Defense Integrated Business Systems portfolio. Full steam ahead!

RECENT NEWS & EVENTS

AFCEA TechNet Augusta Takeaways

From Aug. 16-18, several leaders from PEO EIS traveled to Augusta for the annual TechNet conference. TechNet Augusta 2021 was the Army G-6's first large-scale opportunity to talk about the Unified Network concept with industry, and feedback from industry was that it was well-received. Following Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6 Lt. Gen. Morrison’s keynote address about progress made to date on the Army’s Unified Network plans, I briefed attendees on how our DCATS project management office will be delivering capability for the Unified Network. The following day, as part of a panel on “Implementing the Unified Network,” I was privileged to join several Army colleagues in continuing to beat that drum. Our industry partners heard us loud and clear, as they brought up those same themes with us during our 19 one-one-one meetings.

Besides the Unified Network, other hot topics for TechNet attendees included: where edge computing should be located on the battlefield; how the Army’s strategy to update posts, camps and stations addresses Army National Guard and Army Reserve facilities; policy, procedural and governance implications associated with modernizing a unified network; the role of industry in informing the security architecture and sharing it to inform independent research and development; and the importance of data in the mission partner environment. All of these are critical issues that we and our Army colleagues will closely consider in coming months.

LMP Migration to cArmy Cloud

I’m pleased to report that our Logistics Modernization Program (LMP), part of our Defense Integrated Business Systems (DIBS) portfolio, had a smooth migration from on-premise data centers to cARMY, the Army’s cloud services provider, last month. The 24-hour operation involved 200 personnel from over 25 organizations and resulted in only a 2.5-day outage versus the originally planned four days. LMP joined our General Fund Enterprise Business System and Army Enterprise Systems Integration Program Hub in the cARMY environment. Cloud migration is an Army headquarters priority to transition the Army to the Information Age — led by the Enterprise Cloud Management Agency — and PEO EIS is following through by ensuring that logistics and financial data is securely stored and readily accessible for making informed decisions. Congratulations to LMP product director Gabe Saliba and his team, as well as DIBS project manager Col. Donald Burton on this accomplishment! You can learn more about the migration in this recent article.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE

AUSA 2021 Annual Meeting & Exposition

We are looking forward to again participating in the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference, scheduled for Oct. 11-13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

September Observances:

Patriot Day: September 11, 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic day when nearly 3,000 people lost their lives to terrorist attacks on our homeland. On this day, we reflect on and pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and all who sacrificed their lives in defense of America and freedom. The Army provided significant support to the nation on 9/11, and today, men and women of all backgrounds continue to selflessly serve this great nation, ready to deploy, fight and win decisively against any adversary, anytime and anywhere.  

Suicide Prevention Month: The Army is committed to preventing suicide among Soldiers, civilians, family members and retirees. During challenging times like the present, we are particularly mindful of our workforce and the broader Army community. We all have a responsibility to check in with each other and look out for each other. The Veteran/Military Crisis Line provides immediate assistance at 1-800-273-8255, x1.

National Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, this observance pays tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. Today, 16 percent of American’s Army is comprised of Hispanic American Soldiers, and they — as well as our civilians — continue a legacy of professionalism, selfless service and courage.

We will be recognizing all three of these important observances on our social media platforms this month.

Stay safe and healthy, and please continue to look out for each other.

Ross R. Guckert, Program Executive Officer, PEO EIS

Connecting the Army. Working for Soldiers.