The Army has sent its first acquisition officer to work with Google as part of the Army’s Training with Industry Program.
Maj. Matthew Bisswurm, plans and operations officer with the 903rd Contingency Contracting Battalion, 409th Contracting Support Brigade, began his one-year internship with the Fortune 100 company in August and will bring back to the Army any lessons learned.
“I’m looking to bring some of the innovative processes and successful techniques that Google has used, and help integrate them into the Army,” Bisswurm said.
The program aims to provide soldiers with hands-on experience by working with top defense, information technology and pioneering commercial companies.
The program helps improve communications between commercial industry and the Army. Working with major corporations helps the Army learn how to speak the same language as its industry partners.
Selected officers, warrant officers and noncommissioned officers are placed in jobs with industry partners and exposed to innovative industrial management tactics, techniques and procedures that can benefit the Army, officials said.
After completing the training, participants are immediately placed in a mandatory follow-on Army assignment to improve the Army’s ability to interact and conduct business with industry.
