U.S. Army Futures Command Research Program Realignment (2022) / Chapter Skim
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3 Innovation and Workforce
3 Innovation and Workforce
Pages 61-70
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From page 61... ...
The following chapter details the committee's sense of Army innovation, how to keep it vibrant, and take advantage of recent developments in the Army S&T enterprise. 1 The phrase "at the edge" refers to near the source of work or data.
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From page 62... ...
To its credit, the Army is continually visiting such institutions or holding seminars to explain broad Army needs and the S&T solicitation processes, informing those who are typically less familiar with them and have fewer resources available to identify the myriad of opportunities to participate. While the Army Research Laboratory website has information related to larger opportunities and programs,3 for entities unfamiliar with research and development in the Department of Defense (DoD)
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From page 63... ...
The Army needs to maintain and grow strong connections throughout the S&T ecosystem to take advantage of the full suite of capabilities for all research levels from basic, to applied, and then to advanced. The growth in DoD research funding over the past half-decade has been significantly more modest than the increases in private sector research and development (see Figures 3.1 and 3.2)
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From page 64... ...
The Army's Project Convergence and Team Ignite initiatives are prime examples of the inclusion of operator input to support capability needs. It would be beneficial to the Army to expand these interactions to include requirements development and acquisitions teams to benefit from the development of requirements identify priorities for technologies, as well as potential providers.
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From page 65... ...
In addition to organizing research oversight along technology area lines, it has also developed DoD communities of interest (CoIs) for the 17 major research areas.5 These CoIs reach across the entire government with 5 DoD Communities of Interest are listed at Defense Innovation Marketplace, "Reliance 21 -- DoD Communities of Interest," https://defenseinnovationmarketplace.dtic.mil/wp-content/ uploads/2018/04/reliance21_communities_of_interest_2018.pdf, accessed September 30, 2021.
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From page 66... ...
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been a pioneer in utilizing competitions and prizes to connect with the S&T community and highly innovative organizations.
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From page 67... ...
ecosystem to leverage investments and technology innovations with the industrial, aca demic, and other Department of Defense organizations in order to avoid redundant investments and maximize utilization of non- governmental developments. It should consider greater use of com petitions akin to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Grand Challenges as a mechanism to engage industry, academia, and the rest of the S&T community.
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From page 68... ...
This workforce would ideally also have comprehensive ties to academia and industry to provide technical expertise to the enterprise, fill gaps in key areas, and enhance coverage of high-potential and high-risk technical areas. Throughout the interviews conducted, questions about workforce development emerged and the committee identified concerns in the following areas: • The recruitment and retention of an expert, technically capable workforce; • The ability to provide a clear, defined career path for this technical workforce that includes pathways for long-term achievement and advancement; and • The need for AFC to view S&T as an ecosystem that is com prised of a military, civil service, industry, academic, University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs)
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From page 69... ...
Specifically, STRLs, once designated "can avail themselves of certain legislated authorities directed towards STRLs such as personnel flexibilities, minor military construction flexibilities, ability to adopt mechanisms that give the STRL directors discretionary funding flexibility, etc."8 The designation of DEVCOM and ARL as STRL organizations is a key asset to ensuring effective management of the workforce. Finding: Army laboratories and engineering centers within D EVCOM are designated as STRL, and each laboratory director has statutory authority to manage his or her workforce to ensure the best and brightest are hired, retained, and given funding to do their job.
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From page 70... ...
9 It is worth noting here that the private sector companies with reputations for innovation (Apple, Google, and Tesla) are also well known for their strong leadership (Steven Jobs, Eric Schmidt, and Elon Musk)
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