News

By Ryan Rayno, DEVCOM Public Affairs

Eighteen students from the Defense Civilian Training Corps, or DCTC, pilot program visited the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, July 23-25, 2024, at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.

The program is a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps-like program that prepares future Department of Defense civilians through a targeted curriculum, hands-on-learning experiences, and cohort-based internships with DoD organizations.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment, or OUSD (A&S), is the lead organization for the pilot program.

“This program has been a great experience, and the internship opportunity at DEVCOM gave me the chance to get a full DoD experience,” Hizikiel Holloman, a senior at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, said.

“I wasn’t that sure about working for the federal government, but after this experience, I feel convinced in weighing my options and pursuing a government opportunity.”

Holloman and two other visiting students completed a summer internship with the DEVCOM Chief Financial Office.

“I loved interning with the DEVCOM CFO,” Pualena Heather, a senior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, said. “I was looking forward to what finance looked like within DEVCOM because they are working on the future, right now. This experience really allowed me to comprehend how large of a force DEVCOM is.”

“I loved interning with the DEVCOM CFO,” Pualena Heather, a senior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, said. “I was looking forward to what finance looked like within DEVCOM because they are working on the future, right now. This experience really allowed me to comprehend how large of a force DEVCOM is.”

Max Davis, a senior at the University of Arizona, echoed the sentiment of his fellow interns.

“I think DEVCOM is amazing and that the people here are what make it such a great place,” he said. “The mentors I’ve had here were always happy to help with any issues I had or helping me learn more about DEVCOM as an organization. It’s been a really cool opportunity, and I think this is somewhere that has a great work environment.”

Along with hosting scholars for summer internships, DEVCOM is also serving in an executive agent role for OUSD (A&S) assisting with shaping the program as well as contributing an organizational hiring perspective throughout the planning and piloting phases.

“The Defense Civilian Training Corps is an important program to the DoD as it reimagines the talent acquisition model through this investment in university partnerships,” Dr. Eric Moore, DEVCOM Deputy to the Commanding General, said. “Our advisory role is a true testament to the reputation of DEVCOM as an innovative leader in talent management. DEVCOM is committed to ensuring a successful pilot for our partners, mentors, but most importantly, the future civil servants participating in this journey.”

“The Defense Civilian Training Corps is an important program to the DoD as it reimagines the talent acquisition model through this investment in university partnerships,” Dr. Eric Moore, DEVCOM Deputy to the Commanding General, said. “Our advisory role is a true testament to the reputation of DEVCOM as an innovative leader in talent management. DEVCOM is committed to ensuring a successful pilot for our partners, mentors, but most importantly, the future civil servants participating in this journey.”

Through the pilot phase of the program, Mark Krzysko, the DCTC executive director, has found DEVCOM to be an exceptional advisor to the program. “The DCTC program has been really important for the DoD, and we have relished our partnership with DEVCOM,” he said. “DEVCOM has really helped us figure out how to bring these students in and onboard them into the program. Without DEVCOM, we would not have had as much success as we have, and I am very grateful for their support.”

“The DCTC program has been really important for the DoD, and we have relished our partnership with DEVCOM,” he said. “DEVCOM has really helped us figure out how to bring these students in and onboard them into the program. Without DEVCOM, we would not have had as much success as we have, and I am very grateful for their support.”

The DEVCOM has hosted 35 students supporting various summer internship projects throughout June and July, with students having the opportunity to showcase these projects in Washington, D.C., during the inaugural DCTC Summer Scholar Showcase July 30-31, 2024.

The DCTC pilot program is being implemented at four universities: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Purdue University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the University of Arizona.

Each university’s DCTC pilot program consists of twenty or more students who may be placed at five participating DoD sponsor field organizations upon graduation.

To learn more about the DCTC pilot program, visit https://dctc.mil/index.html.

—

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, is home to thousands of Army scientists, engineers, technicians and analysts working around the globe to leverage cutting-edge technologies and empower the American warfighter with the data and abilities to see, sense, make decisions and act faster than our adversaries – today and in the future.

As part of Army Futures Command, DEVCOM takes calculated risks to find new technological solutions each day. Our experts drive innovation, improve existing technologies and engineer solutions to technical challenges. Our work goes beyond theory to simulation and prototyping. We take potential science and technology solutions from the lab “into the dirt” for experimentation alongside Army Soldiers. DEVCOM prides itself as a global ecosystem of innovators, from world-class universities and large defense contractors, to small, minority-owned businesses and international allies and partners.