DCMA reservists gather for leadership summit

FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. -

Defense Contract Management Agency reservists participated in the Fiscal Year 2024 Reserve Leadership Summit at the agency's headquarters on Fort Gregg-Adams Feb. 26-27.

Approximately 20 team members participated, including 10 from the Joint Reserve Team and others who briefed the reservists on various agency updates.

The summit brought together representatives from the DCMA reserve components, including the senior service leads from the Air Force Reserve, Army Reserve and Navy Reserve. Additionally, Air Force Brig. Gen. Aaron Heick, the DCMA mobilization assistant, led the discussion on the agency's relevance and role in the "Great Power Competition."

"The Reserve force must keep pace with the global acquisition and contracting challenges, as outlined in the National Defense Strategy and National Military Strategy," said Heick. "More broadly, DCMA must continue using all resources available at maximum effectiveness to deter enemies and respond to the nation's call, if needed."

The summit provided an opportunity to strategize how to engage reservists through partnerships with DCMA activities to add value during peacetime in ways that also prepare the reservists for anticipated wartime missions. The group discussed metrics of success and developed a framework for a Joint Reserve Communication Plan. The leaders focused on adapting the Reserve force structure and training objectives while maintaining continuity of operations during the DCMA Vision reorganization. The Reserve leadership plans to use this period of transition to optimize the entire program to maximize lethality and allocate resources to DCMA's most pressing priorities.

Air Force Lt. Col. Stephen Reichel, director of the agency's Reserve Management Office, planned and organized this event after joining the team in mid-January.

"With the strength of the current leadership team, we have now a rare opportunity to enact dramatic positive change," he said. "It's exciting to be involved with such an enthusiastic and capable group from a diverse background of experience ready to meet the complex challenges we face."

Steve Uehling, DCMA's Total Force executive director, spoke during the summit and emphasized how the Joint Reserve Force's contributions are critical to DCMA's effectiveness because of its ability to flexibly respond to emergent manpower requirements.

Kevin Landy, representing DCMA's Combat Support Center, provided insights on how the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense were considering recommendations for DCMA's future role as a combat support agency.

The summit achieved the outreach and synchronization goals through collaboration with key elements of the DCMA staff and functional organizations, Heick said.

"DCMA must anticipate the requirements of our combatant commanders and our warfighters to prepare now for DCMA's role in 5-to-10 years as a combat support agency. After all, the next conflict may require DCMA to supercharge its role in weapon system delivery, lead or support operational contract support integration cells, continue the contingency contract administration services role that the agency led in Iraq and Afghanistan, or something altogether new," said Heick.

In the future, Reichel said the group plans to invite speakers from within DOD, including OSD, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the combatant commands. The leadership team plans to build on the foundations of this summit with another event around DCMA San Diego in December.

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