My third area of focus is workforce development. We are fortunate to have a dedicated and talented workforce. This was made evident to me by the large number of attendees at STC this year and in my side meetings. I want to help ensure that our workforce is able to receive the professional and continuing education it needs to stay current. I also am very concerned that the DoD has the ability to act competitively in hiring and maintaining a world-class group of professionals.
People are our strength, and that is an asset that needs our attention and commitment.
My final focus area is science and technology. In addition to my software role, I also manage the DoD's science and technology programs. The rapid rate of advancement in technology and the unique issues faced when introducing those new technologies into our organizations and systems is a familiar challenge. I hope to make those technologies available to the software community as rapidly as possible. I also believe that a focused investment in science and technology based on the needs of the DoD software engineering community is mandatory to help us continue to improve.