Thursday, October 08, 2020

Remarks by Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper and Romania Minister of Defense Nicolae Ciucă

 Oct. 8, 2020

Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper; Romanian Minister of Defense Nicolae Ciucă

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DR. MARK T. ESPER: Well, Minister Ciucă, it is a pleasure to welcome you to the Pentagon today as we continue to strengthen the long-standing defense relationship between the United States and Romania, so welcome, once again. I fondly recall my visit to Romania, I think, last year as secretary of the Army, and you were chief of defense, so it's a real privilege, as well, for me to -- to return the courtesy here today.

As you know, the United States is proud to stand with Romania as a steadfast ally, and in recent years the bonds between our two countries have only grown stronger. I want to thank Romania for hosting regular training exercises that improve the interoperability of our forces and strengthen deterrence against Russia along NATO's eastern flank.

We also are grateful for your strong commitment to the defense of our alliance, particularly by hosting the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Facility, a key element of NATO's missile-defense capabilities, and of course, we had the chance to talk in great detail about that when I visited last year.

Moreover, Romania's increased defense spending in recent years exceeds the 2% of GDP commitment and the Wales Pledge and serves as a powerful example for other allied nations, so thank you for that. Our collective security and prosperity depend on all partner nations making the necessary investments for a more ready and capable alliance. The United States' commitment to NATO and Article 5 is ironclad, and we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Romania as we advance peace, democracy, freedom and our other shared values.

So today, I look forward to signing a ten-year roadmap for defense cooperation that captures our common strategic goals and interests, such as defense modernization and Black Sea security.

So Mr. Minister, thank you once again for your visit. I look forward to continuing our work together today. Thank you.

ROMANIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE NICOLAE CIUCĂ: Secretary Esper, thank you very much for taking time to host us. I am particularly happy to be back in Washington despite this challenging time of pandemic. Before coming here I met our president, and he asked me to send his best wishes and a speedy recovery to President Trump, and to all affected by coronavirus around your -- your -- around the United States.

So I would like to mention that our countries and nations enjoy an enduring and exceptional strategic partnership. The United States is our strongest ally. Romania's recent national defense strategy, 2020-2024, highlights both the importance and the priority of working together in securing U.S. strategic flexibility in the Black Sea region and around.

To this timely extent, Romania will keep and further increase this (inaudible) as a predictable, stable and credible security pillar and beacon of democracy in the region. Romania and U.S. are unlocking the potential of the Black Sea. For such an emerging partnership for present, and especially for our future, a common roadmap of cooperation becomes both needed and effective. This is why we together designed a clear set of lines of effort based on strategic priorities in our bilateral defense cooperation. We are ready to further expand our cooperation and adding more substance in domains such as plans and pre-positioning, military modernization, cyber, land, air, and military operation, training and exercises.

Living at the edge of A2/AD [anti-access/area denial] in the Black Sea region, Romania's 2% of GDP for defense budget is not a number, but a statement of responsible ally. Acquiring modern and relevant capabilities is a standing evidence of how seriously Romania understands its security and defense role in the region. Just few weeks ago, we marked the delivery of the first Patriot system to Romania. We are now the first ally on the eastern flank to field such a modern U.S. ground-based air and missile defense system.

Speaking of strategic flexibility, we are also investing a lot in modernizing Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base to become -- to become a pivotal hub in the Black Sea.

So thank you very much for the invitation, sir, and I'm looking forward to continue to extend and to strengthen our strategic partnership.

SEC. ESPER: Very good. Thank you very much.

MIN. CIUCĂ: Thank you, sir.

Readout of Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper's Meeting With Romanian Minister of National Defense Nicolae-lonel Ciucă

 Oct. 8, 2020


Chief Pentagon Spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper met with Romanian Minister of National Defense Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă at the Pentagon today. Secretary Esper discussed the importance of Romania as an Ally due both to its position on NATO’s Eastern flank and the Black Sea.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1880, the bonds between the United States and Romania have never been stronger. The Secretary noted that the two countries have cultivated a strategic partnership committed to advancing peace, democracy, economic freedom, and the rule of law.

The Secretary and the Minister discussed a range of issues, including defense modernization, Black Sea security and cooperation, and China’s growing malign influence in the region.  The Secretary thanked the Defense Minister for exceeding NATO defense spending commitments.

The Secretary and the Minister highlighted our mutual commitment to the NATO Alliance and international security.  

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Secretary joined Minister Ciucă in signing a 10-year “Roadmap for Defense Cooperation,” which builds upon the strong spirit of defense cooperation between our two countries.  

Soldier Line

 

New Jersey National Guardsmen participate in a Special School Assessment at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Oct. 6, 2020. Soldiers are ranked for merit selection to Ranger, Air Assault, Pathfinder and Mountain Warfare schools.

Tunisian and U.S. Defense Delegations Conduct Discussion of Defense Cooperation

 Oct. 8, 2020


The U.S.-Tunisia Joint Military Commission Senior Leader Forum (JMC SLF) was held in Tunis, Tunisia October 6-7, 2020.  Dr. Michael Cutrone, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, led the U.S. delegation by joining virtually, while Minster Brahim Bertegi, the Tunisian Minister of Defense, led the Tunisian delegation. U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia, Donald Blome, participated from Tunis. 

Coming on the heels of his visit to Tunis with U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper on September 30, 2020, during the JMC SLF, Dr. Cutrone underscored the U.S. commitment to Tunisia as a key partner in Africa.  Dr. Cutrone and Minister Bertegi urged the two delegations to refine a Bilateral Country Action Plan, an important step to implement the U.S.-Tunisia Roadmap for Defense Cooperation signed during the Secretary’s visit.  Dr. Cutrone and Minister Bertegi reaffirmed the strategic advantages of the bilateral partnership, highlighting the mutual benefits that the partnership affords.  They reviewed their efforts to enhance Tunisian military capacity to secure its borders, conduct joint operations, carry out effective counter-terrorism missions, and respond to crises.  The two delegations also discussed opportunities to further expand defense cooperation as a means to contribute to regional stability and security. 

Dr. Cutrone and Minister Bertegi acknowledged the strong, enduring security partnership based on trust, democratic values, and respect for sovereignty, and they stated their optimism for even deeper partnership in the years to come.

Secure Suspension

 

Marine Corps Capt. Austin Branch performs a rope maneuver during a helicopter rope suspension techniques master course at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 29, 2020.

Parachute Performer

 

A member of the Wings of Blue, the Air Force parachute team, performs during a demonstration before the Navy-Air Force football game at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 3, 2020.

Test Checks

 

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tiffany Jasmann, left, and Army Pfc. Harleigh Adolphson verify data entries for voluntary COVID-19 tests in the 119th Medical Group clinic at the North Dakota Air National Guard base in Fargo, N.D., Oct. 2, 2020.

Weighty Moment

 

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. John Taddeo prepares to perform a deadlift during a powerlifting competition at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 4, 2020.

Vehicle View

 

Marines operate a light armored vehicle during a combat readiness evaluation at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Sept. 17, 2020.

Cannon Salute

 

Alaska Army National Guard Col. Robert Kurtz flies a UH-72 Lakota helicopter during his retirement ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Sept. 30, 2020. Kurtz served the Alaska Army National Guard for five years and received the federal and state Legion of Merit medals, along with the Master Aviator Badge.

Contaminant Containment

 

Marines secure a simulated contaminant during an enhanced chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear course at Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 6, 2020.

U.S., Romania Chart 10-Year Road Map for Military Cooperation

 Oct. 8, 2020 | BY David Vergun , DOD News

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper welcomed Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca to the Pentagon today with an enhanced honor cordon.

Two men wearing face masks bump elbows as service members wearing face masks stand behind them.

The two defense leaders signed a 10-year road map for defense cooperation that captures the nations' common strategic goals and shared interests, such as defense modernization and Black Sea-area security.

A sailor rides in an inflatable boat looking out towards a ship.

The United States is proud to stand with Romania as a steadfast ally, Esper said. Over the years, the bonds between the two nations have grown stronger.

For example, Romania has hosted a number of training exercises that improve interoperability and strengthen deterrence against Russia along NATO's eastern flank, he said.

The U.S. is also grateful for the strong commitment of the alliance, particularly in hosting the Aegis Ashore missile defense facility that is key to NATO's defense, the secretary said.

Furthermore, Romania increased defense spending in recent years to exceed the pledged 2% of its gross domestic product. That serves as a powerful example to other allied nations, he added.

"Our collective security and prosperity depend on all partner nations making the necessary investments for a more ready and capable alliance," Esper said. 

America's commitment to NATO and Article 5 is "ironclad and America stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Romania as we advance peace, democracy, freedom and our other shared values," he said.

Article 5 states that if a NATO ally is attacked, every other member of the alliance will consider this as an attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the ally attacked.

Two men stand in front of flags holding documents.

Ciuca said: "The United States is our strongest ally. Romania's recent National Defense Strategy 2020-2024 highlights both the importance and the priority of working together in securing U.S. strategic flexibility in the Black Sea."

Romania is investing in modernizing Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, which is near the Black Sea, he pointed out.

Ciuca noted that two weeks ago, Romania took delivery of the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, becoming the first nation on NATO's eastern flank to field it.

DOD Acquisition & Sustainment Leaders Update Reporters on Improvements to Defense Acquisition System

 Oct. 7, 2020

Ellen M. Lord, Under Secretary Of Defense For Acquisition And Sustainment; Kevin M. Fahey, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition; Stacy A. Cummings, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition

STAFF: All right, good morning, everybody, thank you for joining us here and over the phone.

We have Under Secretary Lord today, we have Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Kevin Fahey, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Stacy Cummings.

Today, they will discuss the rewrite of the overarching policy on the Defense Acquisition System, DOD Directive 5000.1, and the significance of this effort as well as the impact of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework.

Following some opening remarks from Ms. Lord, they will take some questions. We ask that you keep your questions within the scope of today's topic. We do have a hard stop of noon today, so we'll get to as many questions as possible. If there are any we don't get to, I'm happy to work over e-mail with you.

With that, I will turn it over to Ms. Lord.

UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ELLEN M. LORD: Great, thank you, Jessica.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining us both here in the room and virtually. As many of you know, last month, Deputy Secretary Norquist signed DOD Directive 5000.01 into effect. It is the overarching policy that describes the principles governing the Defense Acquisition System. This completed a comprehensive redesign of the entire DOD 5000 Series Acquisition Policy.

Today, I would like to discuss the work products we have produced, why we undertook this effort, and how one of the most transformational changes to acquisition policy in decades is already enabling the services and our warfighters.

When I came into this job in 2017, the department was at a strategic inflection point. A new National Defense Strategy was being developed that emphasized the need to restore our nation's competitive advantage, focusing on near-peer competition versus violent extremist organizations.

We were reorganizing the former AT&L office into A&S and R&E as mandated by the 2017 NDAA, National Defense Authorization Act.

Our acquisition system used a one-size-fits-all model for all acquisition programs, one that focused on a culture of tailoring out and what acquisition professionals don't have to do. This way of doing business resulted in a checklist approach that was susceptible to prescriptive processes and rarely enabled speed.

For 100 of our largest programs at that time, the median duration from milestone B -- the decision point to enter development of a product and generally considered the start of a program of record -- to initial operational capability was nearly eight years. We need to build a more lethal force and speed delivery of capability to the warfighter. In other words, DOD acquisition needs to move at the speed of relevance.

I brought 33 years of industry experience into this job, 22 in -- I'm sorry, 11 in automotive, and 22 years in aerospace and defense. That experience drives me to constantly consider our continuous improvement in terms of cost, schedule, and performance.

So coming into the job, I asked myself, "How could we redesign our defense acquisition system to incorporate the agility and best practices in industry while also creating a culture that not only facilitates critical thinking and creative compliance, but actually encourages it." I was looking for a way to shift our mindset from piecemeal reform in favor of true overarching innovation.

One of the first individuals I brought in to help tackle this problem was Ben FitzGerald, a former professional staff member for the Senate Armed Services Committee and senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Having a broad understanding of the AT&L reorganization, both from the congressional and department perspectives, I charged Ben with driving innovation, to deliver capability to our warfighters faster and cheaper.

With this mission in mind, Ben and his team came up with the idea for a new acquisition system that afforded program managers flexibility and empowered common-sense decision-making to accelerate delivery times. Thus, the foundation was laid for what we now know as the Adaptive Acquisition Framework, or AAF. From there, Kevin Fahey and Stacy Cummings, who have joined me here today, came aboard in 2018 and 2019, respectively, to take the AAF concept to implementation.

A career Defense Acquisition executive, Kevin brought an institutional knowledge of both the Defense acquisition system and the program management, or PM, and program executive officer, or PEO experiences. His insights and lessons learned directly informed how we could better enable our acquisition professionals to tailor programs and bridge the gaps between our conceptual design and statutory and regulatory requirements as policy was streamlined and simplified. He also drove the idea of tailoring in, versus tailoring out, to force the acquisition community to think critically and work together to create the right acquisition strategy.

Similarly, in leading our Acquisition Enablers Office, Stacy and her team worked tirelessly to detail, document and coordinate, the new policies to take the effort across the finish line, ensuring a versatile, scalable, and data-driven solution that would deliver warfighting capability at the speed of relevance. Stacy brought a depth of experience from across the interagency, and most recently, implementing electronic health records at DOD.

Kevin and Stacy leverage the collective experience and expertise of the department.

Throughout the process, I chaired an executive steering committee to facilitate and drive progress. The service acquisition executives, Bruce Jette, Hondo Geurts, and Will Roper, have all been outstanding partners every step of the way. From the collaboration of these colleagues at the senior defense levels to the skill, initiative and relentless pursuit of the men and women across the Defense Acquisition Enterprise, I am grateful to everyone who contributed to making this a reality. It was truly a team effort. The result is the most transformational change to acquisition policy in years, perhaps decades, and an effort we expect to have a long-lasting, positive impact across the department.

The 5000 rewrite decomposed a large policy document into six clear and separate pathways that make up the AAF, each of which is tailored to the unique characteristics of the capability being acquired. By design, these pathway implement the six main tenets of the Defense Acquisition System to simplify policy, tailor in approaches, empower program managers, facilitate data-driven analysis, actively manage risk and emphasize sustainment.

I want everyone to remember that $0.70 to $.80 on the dollar over the lifecycle of a program is focused on sustainment, so that's where the big dollars really are. I believe the rewrite puts much more emphasis on designing for sustainment. We are all in the precipice of a cultural shift that leadership at all levels must continue to push. Whether responding to urgent needs or acquiring major capabilities or services, the AAF affords program managers and their teams multiple ways to field capability faster, which is what our job is.

We have an interactive version of the AAF available online, and I encourage you to -- to visit the Defense Acquisition University, DAU website to explore this great tool. Take, for example, the middle tier of acquisition pathway. Prior to the development of our MTA pathway, statute required compliance with added layers of oversight aimed at risk aversion, often in -- in the form of ensuring items were, quote, "checked off," unquote, and approved at high levels before proceeding. As a result, the acquisition system became an impediment rather than an enabler to deliver capability and outpace the threat.

In order to utilize the MTA authorities Congress gave DOD, I made the decision to quickly implement an interim policy which ultimately informed the creation of DODI 5000.80, the permanent MTA policy in place today that established a dedicated pathway. I wanted to actually practice using middle-tier acquisition with a minimal viable product in order to learn.

So using this policy, which was published in 2019, we have 74 programs today using the middle-tier acquisition pathway, including the Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS. Use of rapid prototyping and the new authorities afforded by the MTA pathway allowed the program to shave significant time from the schedule, streamline metrics to better inform decisions and reporting, and provide greater flexibility to manage risk. As a result, IVAS intends to rapidly field the capability in fiscal year '21 after conducting dozens of hardware prototype and thousands of software builds through a continuous iteration with soldiers. This would represent only 34 to 36 months from program start to fielding capability for the warfighter. The MTA pathway incentivized powerful behaviors across the acquisition enterprise to quickly restore the Army's advantage in individual situational awareness, navigation, communications, and target acquisition.

I'm also pleased to see emerging programs utilizing the flexibility of the entire AAF. I recently saw a service proposal to begin a program using the MTA pathway before transitioning into a traditional major capability pathway. Another program is proposing to use several of the pathways in combination to facilitate rapid delivery of capability. While these plans are still into review, I'm excited to see the acquisition community embracing creative compliance to use these new tools and authorities while demonstrating critical thinking.

Hybrid approaches like these allow program managers, in partnership with functional leaders and their decision authority, to start programs quickly, drive down risk, and solidify detailed requirements and engineering approaches, while still ensuring the proper level of analysis, risk management, and oversight.

Similarly, the software pathway, the AAF's newest policy signed just last week, represents a substantial departure from the department's usual way of doing business. The Acquisition Enablers Team has worked to deliver the software policy rapidly, given the interest from the services and OSD partners. In fact, the team may have set a new acquisition-policy-conceptualization-to-publication record. It took nine months to move from an interim to a final policy. This is three months earlier than promised and one year earlier than congressional expectations. Technology is accelerating and disrupting business models and we must adapt accordingly to keep pace and close the knowledge gap.

Given that software is central to every DOD mission and system, we must acquire and deliver software with greater speed, agility, and cybersecurity. Stemming from the Defense Science Board and Defense Innovation Board's software acquisition and practices, or SWAP, study, the software pathway is designed to enable continuous integration and delivery of software capabilities.

Recognizing that modern software development is a continuum, from development to production, and during sustainment the pathway is built upon commercial principles that enable innovation and swift delivery in response to conditions of uncertainty, such as rapidly changing user needs, disruptive technologies, and threats on the battlefield.

By removing procedural bottlenecks and regulatory bureaucracy, programs are pushed to embrace the goal of delivering capabilities with much faster cycle times, in one year or less, while emphasizing and ensuring cybersecurity.

A great example of this is the Air Force's ground-based strategic deterrent, or GBSD, a critical program requiring uncompromised security, dependability and 24/7 availability. Coupled with digital engineering to support unprecedented speed and clarity during industry reviews, the program is leveraging modern, iterative development practices like Agile and development security and operations, or DevSecOps, methodologies.

GBSD's DevSecOps enterprise services and infrastructure support mission requirements while streamlining the acquisition process and have allowed the program to gain accreditation and begin early development with industry in less than four months.

The Navy's “Compile to Combat in 24 Hours”, or C2C24, is also employing DevSecOps and other modern software practices to move towards rapid capability insertion with speed, scale and rigor. Pilot programs conducted by the Navy indicate the effort is making progress towards its goal of deploying new software capabilities to ships afloat in under 24 hours, a game-changing improvement from the typical 18 month timeframe.

In addition to each of the AAF pathways, it's also important to highlight that the 5000 series redesign includes DOD instructions for overarching functional areas, such as intellectual -- intellectual property, product support, and cybersecurity.

Creation of a new DOD instruction for cybersecurity, for example, will provide the acquisition community consistent guidance to implement appropriate cyber processes and practices for every acquisition throughout the supply chain, regardless of which AAF pathway is used.

This new policy, which we expect to be signed out later this month, ensures cyber hardening is designed in at the beginning of a program and ties in closely to our cybersecurity maturity model certification, or CMMC, program.

Similarly, under Bob Behler's leadership, creation of the test and evaluation instruction is game-changing. It encourages better coordination and integration between developmental and operational testing, resulting in cost savings and accelerated test programs.

In conjunction with the AAF pathways, these functional area policies ensure delivered systems are sustainable, upgradable, affordable, exportable, and secure throughout the entire life cycle. These functional area policies are available on our acquisition enablers website.

So what's next in this acquisition innovation effort? From the onset, the AAF was designed to be a living document, to provide our defense acquisition system an adaptable, responsive foundation capable of satisfying emerging requirements.

We are focused on ensuring we provide the right tools to deliver end-to-end operation -- operational capability and we are exploring the creation of additional acquisition pathways to address unique systems. For example, the department is working with the Space Force to determine whether there are any tools missing and is committed to developing a tailored space vehicle pathway if needed.

Additionally, restructuring policy and governance is only one piece of the puzzle. We continue to drive hard along each of our other acquisition lines of effort -- contracting at speed of relevance, strengthening and securing our defense industrial base, and effectively training our acquisition workforce.

When it comes to our tremendous acquisition professionals, I'd like to highlight the launching of our back to basics initiative, the first major reform of the defense acquisition workforce management framework in nearly three decades.

Like the AAF, we are pivoting from a one size fits all certification construct to a component and workforce-centric, tailorable, continuous learning construct. By streamlining the structure of the workforce into six functional areas, this shift to modern talent management will empower the workforce for success today and in the future.

In closing, we still have work to do, but I couldn't be more proud of the momentum we've generated. I want to thank you for the opportunity to discuss these milestones with you and their impact on the way the department acquires and delivers capabilities to our warfighters.

With that, Kevin, Stacy and I welcome your questions. Thank you.

STAFF: All right. Let's go to the phones first. Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg?

Q: Hi, Ms. Lord, thanks for the update. I have a question on how the -- the new acquisition adaptive strategy will apply to the Navy's battle force 2045 goal that the Secretary laid out yesterday. You know that the -- the Navy has had a history of cost overruns, delays on all its major programs for the last 15 years. What tenets of the new strategy might help break that paradigm of poor performance?

MS. LORD: Let me make just a couple of comments, Tony, and then I'll turn it over to Kevin and Stacy. I think, as you know, the Navy was a big part of designing this AAF. They also have many low volume, high complexity, high cost ships that they develop -- ships and subs. So we're looking at potential pathways to address these very issues.

What we want to do is make sure that we give the Navy flexibility to be able to design contracts that incentivize the behavior from our industry partners that we need to deliver capability rapidly but compliantly with all of our requirements.

With that, I'll hand over to Kevin and Stacy.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE KEVIN M. FAHEY: Yeah, I would add a -- a few things, right?

First and foremost is as part of the -- Ms. Lord's creative compliance is also focused on basically having acquisition data and data-informed decisions, right? So part and parcel to everything we're doing, basically right now on all major acquisition programs we report to the deputy every month on the status of all of the programs and to the Secretary every six weeks, right? And so that gives you a real time data to show where the status of the program is.

In addition to that, to the programs like Columbia, right, that Ms. Lord is still the milestone decision authority, she has semi-annual reviews of -- of those programs, which the focus is on data, right? So Tony, to answer your question, as part of that process we continue to ask, you know -- we're thinking the adaptive framework really is adaptive, that you can -- you can tailor it for specific capabilities you're doing and how do we focus on data-driven decisions so we have the data.

As you know, all of the decisions we make are focused on when do I need the data to make the decision I'm making. So we have that construct around the adaptive framework and we are talking with the -- with the Navy -- are there things -- because ship building is unique, right? It's an eight-year development process for an individual boat -- are there things that aren't covered in the adaptive framework, that we're continuing to have those dialogues.

STAFF: All right, okay.

Kasim, did you have a question?

Q: Yeah. Thank you very much for this, Ms. -- Ms. Lord.

You have emphasized the National Defense Strategy's importance in framing this AAF. One of the lines of defense -- the National Defense Strategy, one of the lines of effort in this strategy document is partnership -- building partnership and strengthening alliances.

So we have seen that -- Senate reports that some key members of the Congress, either individually or collectively, have quietly frozen all major arms sales to Turkey over the course of last two years. Apart from the F-35 program and the S-400 crisis quagmire, Turkey has been a longstanding defense partner of the United States.

Have you ever raised this issue with the congressional leaders in that respect and are you concerned about it?

MS. LORD: We constantly talk with Congress about international relations, whether it be our supply base or exporting, and in fact right now we have an effort under Secretary Esper that we call defense trade modernization, where we are trying to, at the outset of programs, design in exportability and we are also constantly looking at what we can release in terms of technology.

So we do look at each of the AORs under the COCOMs and we constantly evaluate what we will export and what we won't.

Q: So -- so is it a concern for you that by doing this, the Congress is somehow pushing a partner away from the United States or not?

MS. LORD: We -- we constantly discuss the pros and cons of a lot of this. Your specific question is really a little bit more in the policy realm and I'd defer to my policy colleagues for that. I look at how we can actually conduct an acquisition process to give our policymakers the most flexibility possible.

STAFF: All right, back to the phones. Let's go to Jackson of FedScoop.

Q: Hi. Thank you.

I wanted to follow up on the software pathway. Does this have any changes to the ATO process? And could you enumerate if there was any -- what were the -- kind of the biggest bottlenecks that this rewrite gets rid of and -- and changes?

Thank you.

MS. LORD: Well, I think for the second part of that -- and I'll answer it and then I'll hand it over to Kevin and Stacy for any other comments -- the biggest bottleneck, the biggest challenge with modern software development is that it's a continuum from development to production and then sustainment, and it's really a virtuous cycle.

Because of the way we receive our funds, we have very clearly marked money for each of those three activities. The biggest challenge is to get a single color of money, if you will, for software so that we can really do Agile and DevSecOps and keep going. And Congress has really partnered with us to authorize a number of pathway projects that we are just getting going on with a single color of money to show how that's an enabler.

In terms of ATOs, what we're doing is coupling these modern software development techniques with our migration to the cloud using common stacks in the cloud, which will do a number of things for us once it really enables security of the code that we are developing. But by using those common stacks, we also get automatic authorities to operate.

So all of these things come together, but let me hand over to Stacy.

PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE STACY A. CUMMINGS: Yeah, thank you for that question about the software pathways. So some of the important aspects of this policy include working very closely with the user community on an iterative basis, but it also moves to the left.

So earlier in the program life cycle, building in cybersecurity, building in developmental and operational tests so that we are identifying, in the build of our software applications, leveraging enterprise solutions and ability to more quickly get testing certification, your authority to operate from a cybersecurity perspective.

And that's what enables us to deliver capability faster for the first time to the user, but also to provide updates that are cybersecure in meeting the exact needs of the user because they're involved up-front.

MR. FAHEY: I would just add, right -- so in addition to what Ms. Lord said, right, so the software pathway is big on DevSecOps by definition, DevSecOps -- right? -- has security into the software. So one of the biggest efforts is how do we do better as both of them said, in reciprocity when one organization gets an ATO that we can give that to other programs.

And then a big part of that -- which is another thing that we're working on the early stages across the department, is the digital engineering piece, right? Where we have the information -- as Ms. Lord said -- in the cloud so we have the right data that will allow us to better get to an ATO as the data's developed, especially in the software arena.

STAFF: All right, let's get in one more question here.

Sara Friedman from Inside Cybersecurity, did you have one?

Q: Yes. (inaudible) related to cybersecurity framework that you're going to be putting out with CMMC. Can you provide any detail on how that will be tied to the CMMC program? And will it be based on the controls or the maturity levels?

MR. FAHEY: Want me?

Yeah, so yeah, so basically right now -- and there has never been -- there's an instruction that talks about cybersecurity, right? And basically you probably know the whole background on you know, Cyber Maturity Model Certification was we realized how critical cybersecurity is on our programs, in our defense-industrial base, right?

And there was some thought process that basically says, "Oh, we'll make it a tradeoff between cost, schedule, performance." Our thing was, "No, cyber's a requirement," right? And that's where the CMMC idea came up with, the instruction.

It would have been published now, but when the interim rule was published with the comment period, as we pulled it back, it didn't have CMMC in there because you can't have it in there until it's a FAR rule. So when it became an interim rule and out for comment, Ms. Lord said, "Well, why don't we pull it back and make that part of the plan?"

So right now, that should be in the next 60 days. And as you probably know, you know, this is a little different. Usually when a FAR rule goes into effect, every contract thereafter has to be compliant because we have an implementation plan over the next couple years, working with industry.

And that's one of the things we're working with the services and with our industry partners, picking very good pilots or pathfinders that show how we will flow down. Because part of the instruction explains, just because your prime contract is level three, it doesn't mean that your level seven sub-supplier is level three. That you need to flow down the requirement, and depending on what that company's specifically doing, it may be a level one.

And so that's part of the training and what that instruction says is how do you do that critical thinking of security, and how do you determine what levels as we flow it down.

MS. LORD: I think this is a really good example of the process we've been using where we get a policy out there and start using it and learn from it, and then continue to refine it. But again, we're getting a minimally viable product out there most of the time, and getting the cycles of learning, and we will continue to improve it and that's what we're trying to do with the acquisition.

STAFF: All right, we are about out of time, so I wanted to give the team an opportunity to make any closing comments.

Ms. Lord, if you have anything? Or Mr. Fahey?

MS. LORD: I just want to say that I'm incredibly proud of this team, of the work that Kevin and Stacy have done. Incredibly collaborative, and I believe we have irreversible momentum here in terms of DOD acquisition.

Kevin?

MR. FAHEY: Yeah, I would just add the one thing that, you know, we get asked a lot about is our relationship -- if you look at a lot of these things, it's with other partners across the Department of Defense. And with the split of AT&L, the relationships were different. But if you look at the T&E one, which was usually focused on just operational tests, is really integration of operation and development, which is also an R&E thing.

And our relationship with R&E -- because big part of us being able to go fast is how do you mature technology not only the technology's mature, but it's focused on the capability that we want to deliver. And I would tell you, hypersonics is the poster child on how A&S and R&E's supposed to work, that we're all in that together, using the pathway. Even in S&T, we're thinking about the capability, not the technology maturation only.

So I think that's a big part of it, is working with the other members, you know, the CAPE, the comptroller, they all have been part of making this a reality.

MS. LORD: Absolutely.

Stacy?

MS. CUMMINGS: The one thing I would say is that the publishing of these policies does not represent the end of an effort, but the beginning of an effort. And we are going to continue to work with program teams, program managers and their teams to look at the policy we've published, learn from them, and then incorporate improvements that we hear from the teams around the country, incorporate them in as lessons learned so that we can make this policy even better and continue to deliver to the warfighter at the speed of relevance.

STAFF: All right. Thank you, everybody, appreciate your time and we will see you soon. Thank you.

DODEA Pacific Conducts COVID-19 Tabletop Exercise

 Oct. 8, 2020 | BY NAVY PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS MACADAM WEISSMAN

Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific and local military leaders conducted a COVID-19 tabletop exercise at Cmdr. William C. McCool Elementary and Middle School, Santa Rita, Guam, Oct. 1, 2020.

People wearing face masks and following social distancing guidelines participate in a meeting.

The exercise was designed to put DODEA staff and military partners through a series of scenarios that could occur when Guam DODEA schools reopen for classroom learning.

"We discussed the various steps required to safely and quickly respond to possible COVID-19 hazards at DODEA schools of Guam," Tiana Guerrero, joint region Marianas emergency management planner, said. "It was important to determine gaps or shortfalls in the plan and take action to remedy them prior to schools reopening. The scenarios we discussed can easily turn into real-world situations, and by preparing now, we can better handle unknown variables before they occur."

We thank our military partners and DODEA leadership for their continued guidance and direction in planning."
Gail Wiley, superintendent, Department of Defense Education Activity Guam community

Participants worked through practice scenarios, discussing roles and responsibilities and documenting questions and concerns in order to develop and evaluate plans for responding to potential COVID-19 vectors into DODEA schools.

"The training went very well," Navy Lt. Joshua Owens, U.S. Naval Base Guam emergency operations center director, said. "We were able to take positive steps forward to be prepared for the real world situations and respond appropriately. We fleshed out any concerns we had and identified areas where we can continue to improve."

People wearing face masks and following social distancing guidelines participate in a meeting.

DODEA and military officials will evaluate the possibility of restarting classroom learning by continuing to assess the prevalence of COVID-19 cases islandwide as well as school safety and response plans.

"Our military counterparts have been very supportive of DODEA," Gail Wiley, DODEA Guam community superintendent, said. "We thank our military partners and DODEA leadership for their continued guidance and direction in planning."

(Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class MacAdam Weissman is assigned to Joint Region Marianas).

Cactus COVID-19 Task Force Protects Reserve Force

 Oct. 8, 2020 | BY ARMY MAJ. DINO DE LA HOYA

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the operational and training landscape throughout daily activities and mission sets. As operations continue, leaders plan and implement policies and procedures. These efforts help to ensure the health and safety of the force, while maintaining readiness to be prepared for the next fight.

A soldier wearing a face mask takes the temperature of another soldier wearing a face mask.

The 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, recently came home from a nine-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. While deployed, cactus soldiers underwent COVID-19 safety practices, ensuring their safety upon redeployment. However, they also came back to a very different U.S., where COVID-19 created socioeconomic impacts that continue to affect us to this day.

Upon return, the 103rd ESC created a "Cactus COVID Task Force" in July, the first of its kind throughout the ESCs. The task force's mission is to mitigate COVID-19 risks throughout its regional support groups, sustainment brigade and numerous reserve centers, impacting more than 7,000 soldiers. This important and proactive approach is focused on protecting the force, preventing the spread and maintaining strong readiness levels across the force.

Army Col. Tomika Seaberry, assistant chief of staff, support operations officer, leads this task force. As the staff lead, she works with a small cadre of soldiers who coordinate with subordinate units, medical staff and higher headquarters elements on an ongoing basis. A day in the life of the task force is comprehensive; it provides training and operational guidance, analyzes COVID-19 local and regional impacts, drafts mitigation plans, provides risk analysis and both disseminates and implements the defense secretary's COVID-19 guidance.

Army Lt. Col. Kelly Bell, nurse advisor, is a key part of the task force. "Being part of this task force has been extremely rewarding," Bell said. "We are all working together to protect the force, that, as a nurse, is my number one priority. The task force is nice because it helps to balance readiness and training needs with health protection. We are able to really collaborate and ensure units' needs are met across the board."

The task force works daily with the ESC headquarters and subordinate elements to ensure that information flows up, down and laterally across its formation. The task force works with logisticians, public affairs, communication specialists, medical professionals, as COVID-19 requires an all-hands approach to keeping personnel and their families safe.

Soldiers wearing face masks having a meeting.

Seaberry, as the task force officer in charge, takes these efforts seriously. "While [I was] deployed, several of my family members contracted COVID-19. Even though they are recovering, I was very worried and was unable to come home," Seaberry said. "I needed to stay focused for my soldiers overseas, and now that I am home, I stay focused to ensure our soldiers are safe."

The ESC and task force leverages available resources to decrease soldier exposure for battle training assemblies. This includes virtual battle assembly, drafting exceptions to policies for travel, using telework through Microsoft Teams and ultimately reducing the amount of personnel present at respective reserve centers.

The task force leans forward as the ESC faces new stateside or overseas missions. As the Army continues to fight, the ESC maintains its readiness to ensure it is ready to fight when called upon. The COVID-19 response operation has constituted one of the largest domestic mobilizations in Army Reserve history — in excess of 3,000 soldiers at the height of the response.

"COVID-19 impacts our daily lives, and it is our duty to ensure we do everything possible to ensure the safety of our soldiers," Seaberry said.

The 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) is a U.S. Army Reserve Sustainment command based in Fort Des Moines, Iowa. The command oversees Army Reserve logistics units in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Louisiana. Its headquarters organization is the 79th Theater Sustainment Command, Los Alamitos, California.

(Army Maj. Dino De La Hoya is assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command).