MARIETTA, Ga. –
My DCMA showcases the Defense Contract Management Agency’s experienced and diverse workforce and highlights what being a part of the national defense team means to them. Today, Jason Rawson shares his story.
My name is Jason Rawson, and this is “My DCMA.”
I am the Engineering and Analysis Group director at DCMA Lockheed Martin Marietta here. My job duties include overseeing the execution of technical and management processes across the acquisition life cycle on major defense acquisition programs, to include multiple variants of the Super Hercules aircraft C-130J, HC/MC-130J, and KC-130J, as well as other aircraft programs, such as the F-35 Lightning II and P-3 Orion.
I serve as the contract management office’s principal technical advisor for systems engineering, software acquisition, program integration, manufacturing, technical pricing support and earned value management.
Some of the great things about working at my location include being at a production facility where I get to see panels of sheet metal evolve into a full military aircraft, the nearby access to venues and activities throughout Atlanta, and the terrific DCMA team members who are among the most talented and dedicated professionals one can find.
I have been a part of the DCMA team for nearly 15 years and with the Department of Defense for more than 20 years. I like working at DCMA because it allows me to continue my family’s tradition of service. Both my father and grandfather were career military service members. While I chose the civil-servant path, working for DCMA allows me the opportunity to also contribute to our nation’s security.
DCMA is important to America’s warfighters because we ensure they receive the materiel necessary to fight and to win. We are the eyes and ears for DoD, both in contractor plants at home and in forward-operating theaters where we ensure products reach the warfighters on time, at the proper cost, and with the performance capabilities they need to execute their mission.
Like any good organization, DCMA has evolved with the times. The organization has changed from being program oriented to functionally aligned. The Operations group was dissolved while others, including the Cost and Pricing Center and Aircraft Integrated Maintenance Operations Command, have been created. Most significantly, we have seen funding levels surge and then dwindle, which has forced our agency to become smarter and more strategic with where we place our focus.
Change is a constant factor within the agency. For the Engineering & Analysis Group, we are executing a re-organization to ensure our team members are positioned in the best way to execute our mission effectively and efficiently. I will be working to ensure that transition happens smoothly for all of our personnel and that we remain able to meet the needs of our customers.
I am excited to see how DCMA adjusts to the new normal that has been brought on by the pandemic. We have an opportunity to make expanded telework flexibilities a permanent feature of our approach to work and the opportunity to implement a full-blown remote work program. Each of those would help the agency recruit and retain the type of highly-talented people we need to execute effectively in our resource-constrained environment.
Regarding my future goals, I plan to pursue the Defense Senior Leadership Development Program as a way to continue my individual growth. My career goals also include growing the essential leadership competencies and qualifications necessary to succeed in a strategic role within DoD. I am working to prepare myself through the Centralized Development Program to be capable of performing at the deputy commander and later the CMO director levels.
My favorite hobbies include taking frequent trips abroad with my wife, at least before the pandemic, chasing around my two young boys, playing fantasy sports with my friends, and playing basketball at the Georgia Tech gym where I try to keep up with the college students.
Something unique about me is that I was born in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, while my father was stationed there with the Navy. This always gets me a couple extra questions from the employees at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the airport when returning from travel abroad.