FROM THE ARMY DACM: THE WATCHWORD IS CHANGE
FROM THE DIRECTOR OFACQUISITION CAREER MANAGEMENT RONALD R. RICHARDSON JR.
If I had to choose one word to describe my tenure as the Army Director of Acquisition Career Management (DACM), it would be “change.”
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.
AN EVOLVING WORKFORCE When I stepped into the DACM role in August 2021, we had just finished the pilot year of the Acquisition Leader Assessment Program (ALAP) and were expanding it to include lieutenant colonels and GS‑14s. At the same time, we were implementing Back-to-Basics, transitioning 14 career fields into 6+1 functional areas. By February 2022, roughly 43,000 Army acquisition professionals had been recoded under this structure.
We also launched the Army Acquisition Hall of Fame in 2022, with the first induction held at the Association of the U.S. Army conference in October.
In 2023, our focus shifted to digital transformation. This effort significantly impacted the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) through upskilling and reskilling initiatives. Key efforts included:
- Partnering with Udemy to deliver the first Army digital credential.
- Launching the Army Data Driven Leadership Course with Carnegie Mellon University for senior acquisition leaders.
- Expanding digital technology training through the Public-Private Talent Exchange.
- Adding modern content to the Leadership Excellence and Acquisition Development (LEAD) program.
In 2024, we redesigned and restructured many of our education and professional development programs. The Army Acquisition Center of Excellence was renamed and reorganized as The Army Acquisition School to better reflect its mission and improve agility. We overhauled the Naval Postgraduate School program for military personnel and expanded our Training with Industry partnerships.
We also updated hiring and recruitment programs, revising the Student Loan Repayment Program and the Acquisition Tuition Assistance Program to better support talent retention.
In 2025, we executed executive orders, Department of Government Efficiency initiatives, and Department of War directives that reshaped the workforce. LEAD was reimagined to maintain relevance and improve efficiency. We discontinued ALAP, revised the rubric for centrally selected command programs and transitioned AL&T magazine from print to the more flexible online-only Behind the Frontlines format.
Today, our primary focus is workforce transformation and optimization. As acquisition priorities shift toward faster capability delivery, deeper industry integration and a greater tolerance for risk, our workforce development has evolved accordingly. We’ve embedded industry acumen and advanced risk management into all levels of training. We continue reinforcing the core mission: delivering needed equipment to Soldiers quickly and efficiently to ensure no American Soldier is ever in a fair fight.
Our workforce is now smaller, more agile and more capable than at any point in history. With expanded digital engineering skills, stronger industry awareness, more intentional risk-taking, new acquisition pathways and enhanced authorities, the AAW has a nearly limitless toolbox to adopt, adapt, develop and deploy systems.
WHAT WE DO MAKES A DIFFERENCE Change brings challenges, and the past two years have been turbulent. Yet the AAW has remained committed and resilient.
One major challenge is reconstituting the workforce. Between retirements, the Deferred Resignation Program and removal of probationary employees, we have lost more than 43,000 cumulative years of acquisition experience. Combined with a multi-year hiring freeze, this has created a significant gap that must be filled strategically and in alignment with Army priorities.
The DACM Office continues offering extensive training, upskilling and career development opportunities. Many excellent programs remain underutilized. I encourage every member of the workforce to explore these options, and I urge supervisors to actively inform and support their employees in pursuing them.
What we do truly matters. In my first column as DACM, I shared the story of Staff Sgt. Steve McQueen, whose helmet stopped a 7.62x54mm round in Afghanistan, allowing him to return to his family—including a child he might never have met otherwise. Experiences like this clarify our purpose.
A MESSAGE OF THANKS AND FAREWELL We are navigating a major transformation in both materiel acquisition and workforce development, and more change is ahead. Stay focused on the mission. Our work ensures Soldiers have the reach, lethality, situational awareness and protection they need to overmatch any adversary. Everything else is secondary. Remember: No American Soldier ever in a fair fight.
This is my final column as your DACM and my last as an Army civilian. I will retire at the end of 2026 and look forward to spending more time with my family and enjoying the Northern Neck of Virginia.
As I transition into this new chapter, I will carry with me the deep respect I have for the AAW, its mission and especially its people. Relationships, shared success and seeing the impact of our work—these are what matter most.
My final message is simple: stay focused, remember the mission and stay enthusiastic. It has been an honor to serve alongside you. Thank you to all the Soldiers and civilians of the acquisition workforce.
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