PEO STRI, DAU bring training home to Team Orlando.

The Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) graduated the first-ever on-site Defense Acquisition University (DAU) program management office course, PMT 352B, March 3, 2006.

Senior acquisition professionals from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and defense industry convened daily during the six-week course, which featured scenario-based practical exercises with topical themes such as interoperability, prototyping, and evolutionary acquisition.

The course is the second part of the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certification in the program management (PM) career field. DAU currently offers the course year-round at regional campuses across the country, but this year was the first time it was offered in Orlando, Fla.

"DAU's ongoing transformation efforts have had a significant impact on the way we do business," said John T. Shannon, dean of the Capital and Northeast Region DAU campus, who offered graduation remarks at the ceremony. "Our first initiative was moving the faculty to where the force is to be available and close to the acquisition community," said Shannon referring to the DAU regional campuses located across the United States.

"Offering flexible training options has enabled us to make tremendous strides in better equipping our acquisition workforce for the challenges they will encounter in today's environment," Shannon said.

Traci A. Jones, project support executive for PEO STR1, agreed. "The program management office course is particularly important to PEO STRI because our mission is to provide life cycle management of interoperable training, testing, and simulation solutions for the warfighter," she said. "By bringing the course to Team Orlando, we were able to save the government thousands of dollars in travel expenses as well as increasing our DAWIA certification level to 77 percent, one of the highest in the Army. It's a win-win situation for us all and a model for other organizations."

Although the course was held on home turf, students participating were highly discouraged from tackling their normal work duties while enrolled in the class.

"For six weeks this is your full-time job," students were advised before beginning the course. The prospect of future sessions offered in Orlando depended on the success of the initial session, whose 30 members earned a solid 100 percent certification rate. The achievement spoke to PEO STRI and DAU's commitment to workforce development.

"PEO STRI's training program supports our mission through a number of on-site courses in career management, communications, presentation skills, time management, leadership, and technical courses," said Jones. "The entire application process is electronic and can be accessed anytime, anywhere."

PEO STRI is scheduled to host the next Team Orlando PMT 352B course in October 2006.

Kelly is public affairs officer, Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation, Orlando, Fla.