HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Air Force Life Cycle Management Center leaders held an all call here July 7 to update the workforce and to share details about the recently completed transition from program executive officers to portfolio acquisition executives throughout the Air Force.
Col. Chadwick Steipp, deputy commander for AFLCMC, shared that the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics directed the redesignation of all remaining Air Force acquisition offices earlier this month.
“Now all PEOs are PAEs -- it's official. Mr. [William] Bailey signed the document last week,” said Steipp.
Steipp said the Air Force is moving away from an era in which acquisition decisions were made at the highest levels, providing an opportunity for younger acquisition professionals to take on greater responsibility earlier in their careers.
“There are acquisition leadership positions, and hopefully many of you are taking advantage of them early in your career,” he said. “There is a need, not just an opportunity, for you to make decisions and bring decision-quality information earlier in your career than ever before.”
Steipp used current operations around the globe to highlight the role members of the acquisition workforce have.
“Don’t ever think that because of what you do day to day, you don’t necessarily have that connection,” he said. “There is that connection, and our warfighting teams rely on what you do every day.”
Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Wieser, AFLCMC command chief, reminded 66th Air Base Group personnel that, even if they do not have a direct role in acquisition transformation, they play a vital role in supporting the mission.
“You are the power projection platform for this installation,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of supporting other Airmen and teammates.
“Take care of the person to your left and your right,” Wieser said. “You don’t know what kind of day they're having.”