HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – A dozen new program managers entered the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center-Hanscom acquisition community following a ceremony here Dec. 9.
After years of professional development training in the Program Manager Trainee Program, the graduates assumed new roles as program managers in the AFLCMC civilian workforce. They will be supporting the Digital Directorate, the Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate, and the Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate.
“I’m just so impressed by what you’ve been able to accomplish since you started this program,” said Mike Giger, site senior functional for Acquisition - Operating Location Hanscom. “This is a big milestone in your careers and I look forward to ways you will serve the Air Force and its mission in the future.”
According to William Alter, program management trainee lead, the program focuses on providing trainees with on-the-job experience working with program offices. During their two to three years in the program, many trainees gained foundational knowledge working on foreign military sales programs with partner nations, and gained experience leading diverse cross-functional teams.
Dave Temple, program management organization senior functional for the Digital Directorate, and guest speaker for the event, shared his thoughts on the climate of acquisition in today’s Air Force.
“I’ve never seen the Air Force so formative and open to doing new things; it’s truly a phenomenal era right now and these new program managers get to be a part of it,” he said. “From the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff all the way down, everyone is encouraging rapid change and driving us to go about things in a unique way. These new program managers have a wonderful opportunity to try new things and push the envelope.”
Temple also stressed the importance of networking and finding a mentor as critical to the success of a program manager, regardless of years of service or experience level.
The Program Manager Trainee Program is facilitated by the Hanscom operating location of the AFLCMC Acquisition Functional Office. The functional office headquarters is at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as is the Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate.
Both the Digital Directorate and C3I&N are headquartered here.