Ottati, W: Development of Air Force Acquisition Officers

One of the top priorities for both the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff is 'Recapturing Acquisition Excellence.' The most effective way to reach this goal is through a talented, knowledgeable, and exceptional acquisition workforce. While there are plans to improve the acquisition workforce, we are currently not doing enough to develop our acquisition officers, specifically scientists, engineers, and program managers. The AF must ensure it has the right policies and practices to shape which young officers enter the AF in these career fields. Once the right type of acquisition officers are placed into the right organizations at the right amount, we must ensure we focus on the critical stage of their development: when officers are young lieutenants and captains. Proper development at this junior stage must focus on supervision, training, and career broadening assignments. While early development is critical, we must also continue to develop acquisition officers as they grow into majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels. These senior acquisition officers must be given the promotion and leadership opportunities to enable them to be leaders both in the acquisition corps, as well as across the AF. Through focused development, the AF will have a capable, motivated, intelligent acquisition officer corps ready to lead the DoD acquisition community and better able to recapture AF acquisition excellence.