Behind the Frontlines: Enabling the Warfighter - ACS PROGRAM ENABLES OFFICERS TO PURSUE ADVANCED STEM DEGREES

Kristian Kleinbach brings a people-first perspective to leadership in a highly technical field. He strongly believes that in-person interactions are essential to maintaining professionalism and mutual respect, noting that workplace courtesy can erode when communication becomes entirely electronic. His approach emphasizes the value of face-to-face engagement in building stronger, more effective teams.

In a fast-moving production environment, Joseph Carson believes that no one succeeds alone. As a branch chief, he’s built his leadership philosophy around the belief that clear communication and true collaboration bring employees and stakeholders into alignment. When everyone understands the goal, and their role in achieving it, he believes that extraordinary results follow.

In a concerted effort to shape the future of secure military communications, nearly 120 leaders from the defense, intelligence and Army acquisition sectors convened at Naval Base Point Loma on August 11-12. The biannual meeting, hosted by the Joint Tactical Networking Center (JTNC) and National Security Agency (NSA) Waveform Communication Security Sub-Working Group (WCS SWG), centered on advancing joint cryptographic modernization, developing post-quantum resiliency and standardizing https://csrc.nist.rip/glossary/term/transmission_security across the Department of War (DoW).

As the Army modernizes its equipment to move and sustain its forces, it is simultaneously overhauling the systems that keep those forces hydrated and fueled. Under the Product Manager for Petroleum and Water Systems (PdM PAWS) ,part of the Project Manager Expeditionary Energy and Sustainment Systems (PM E2S2) portfolio, four key systems have reached crucial fielding milestones this year.

Getting troops and equipment across the battlefield is a vital part of every theater operation. Soldiers and their kits, as well as spare ammunition and other supplies, need to arrive quickly, with nothing left behind—or risk jeopardizing the mission. The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and Humvee have done a great job at performing those tasks so far, but the battlefield is always changing. In some cases, those vehicles are too heavy and impractical for the task at hand—so, the Army chose to develop a new, ultra-light troop transport in 2018. The M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) is an ultra-light tactical vehicle that carries nine passengers and their equipment. Its evolution has been informed by Soldier touch point events.

A new Advanced Civil Schooling (ACS) program marks a significant shift in how the Army develops technical expertise, offering selected acquisition officers a fully funded pathway to pursue advanced science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees at civilian institutions. Unlike traditional ACS routes, this full-time, resident graduate study program creates a streamlined, modernization focused track designed to produce strategic technologists who can bridge research, acquisition and operational needs. By investing in deeper technical proficiency, the Army aims to strengthen its future workforce and accelerate innovation across critical modernization priorities.

On August 12, 2026, two Army Acquisition Workforce members graduated from the Leadership Excellence and Acquisition Development (LEAD) program. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center’s (USAASC) Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office, LEAD is a 12-month leadership development program that is designed to develop future Army acquisition program managers by offering selected participants expanded training, leadership and other career development opportunities.

The past five years have brought the most significant transformation to Army acquisition in decades. After thirty years of evolution, the workforce continues to strengthen and prepare itself for the future.

by Thom Hawkins In 1957, Miles Davis and his ensemble scored the French film “Ascenseur pour l’echafaud.” While Davis did devise some harmonic themes in advance, the music was largely improvised and recorded over only two days. The director, Louis Malle, screened relevant segments of the film for the quintet, who translated the mood into musical accompaniment. The result is hauntingly beautiful and fits the film perfectly, responding in real time to what is happening on the screen.

As the Army accelerates its transformation for an increasingly contested operational environment, the acquisition enterprise is redefining how programs are developed, decisions are made and risks are owned. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program exemplifies this shift—showing how speed and relevance are achieved not by avoiding risk, but by accepting and managing it. This emerging mindset is reshaping acquisition pathways feedback loops, and workforce expectations across Portfolio Management Executive (PME) Offensive Fires and the broader Army.