Talent development to unleash the DOD acquisition workforce
The Defense Department is moving with urgency to achieve an all-out transformation of its acquisition system. Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed leaders to reward outcomes over process and accelerate delivery of capabilities to the warfighter. That push aligns with reforms included in the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), creating a rare moment of unity to revitalize and streamline how the department equips the force.
Delivering on that vision requires an equally modern approach to the acquisition workforce through investment in talent development. We were pleased to see Title 8 of the NDAA includes an entire subsection devoted to provisions relating to workforce development. The subtitle itself signals Congress members’ recognition that acquisition is a people business and we must invest in talent to achieve mission results.
At Quantico in October, Secretary Hegseth’s message to leaders was clear: policies don’t drive transformation; people do. In his Nov. 7 acquisition transformation memo, he ordered military departments to prioritize education and rotational opportunities that expose acquisition professionals to commercial practices, manufacturing insights, operational realities, and hands-on problem-solving within 180 days. By Dec. 4, the undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment (A&S) had issued an implementing memo. The secretary’s timeline is ambitious, but, as he has acknowledged, the groundwork is already underway.
And now we add to the mix the NDAA’s workforce development subsection. Two provisions in particular suggest Congress expects to see a return on the investment in civilian talent.
Section 826 directs the secretary of defense to establish acquisition workforce key performance objectives, including strategic outcome objectives and workforce behavioral objectives. These objectives are to be developed in a way that aligns with expeditious delivery of capabilities and continuous education, including digital and AI literacy, and integrated into acquisition professionals’ performance appraisals and promotion considerations.
Again, the specific language reflects Congress’ realization that culture change is essential to acquisition transformation. Section 826 directs that the workforce behavioral objectives shall be designed to develop critical skills and behaviors to include the adoption of innovative acquisition authorities, engagement with end users to incorporate feedback, the ability to use iterative development cycles, and the ability to overcome obstacles to prioritize end-user outcomes.
We cannot rely on the training that got us here to achieve culture change. But there is a way forward. A&S has been prototyping a program — the Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC) — to develop precisely these critical skills and behaviors, over the past two years. Section 823 adds streamlined authorities to ensure the DCTC prototype can be scaled to meet expanded need.
You can think of DCTC as a talent-development “factory” built to produce a more agile, cross-functional, and digitally fluent civilian acquisition workforce. Congress first authorized DCTC in the FY20 NDAA to address critical skills gaps across acquisition, engineering, digital technologies, and financial management, and later appropriated $50 million to launch the program. A&S put the Acquisition Innovation Research Center on contract in 2023 to develop, test, and prototype the talent-development factory.
The DCTC model develops the critical thinking needed for the adoption of innovative authorities through hands-on team learning, experienced coaching, and exposure to real-world acquisition scenarios that mirror operational pressures, always keeping the warfighter at the center of attention. In his speech to acquisition leaders, Secretary Hegseth emphasized the value of this form of experiential learning, rooted in case studies and project-based problem solving in a cohort model. It’s an approach to talent development that pushes past traditional, compliance-focused training.
Scaling the DCTC model is central to meeting the secretary’s transformation agenda and responding to congressional intent. The Senate Armed Services Committee has encouraged the department to leverage DCTC to strengthen talent pipelines in fields Secretary Hegseth deems critical — advanced manufacturing, AI, testing, and intellectual property and data rights. A&S reinforced that direction in its recently released Acquisition Transformation Strategy, calling for institutionalized experiential learning that builds the critical thinking, risk-informed decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration needed under operational pressure.
| DOD Guidance on Acquisition Transformation | Civilian Acquisition Workforce Talent Factory Model |
| “Instill the Warrior Ethos” | DCTC emphasizes adaptability, resilience, critical thinking, and mission-focused leadership—traits Secretary Hegseth described as essential to a “transformative and warrior mindset.” Cohort members practice reflective, iterative learning that strengthens their ability to operate in fast-changing environments. |
| “Cease compliance-focused training and institutionalize a modernized methodology that emphasizes immersive, scenario-based experiential learning” | By integrating systems engineering, design thinking, user-centered design, and agile practices into solving real problems sourced from DOD partners, cohort members learn how acquisition functions work together and how their decisions shape outcomes for the warfighter. |
| “Emphasize innovation and critical thinking” | Traditional academic pathways rarely teach the critical skills needed to make an impact on day one. DCTC shifts that learning up front, giving cohort members early exposure to DOD structures, digital transformation efforts, and innovative acquisition approaches. |
| “Emphasize cross-functional integration” | Acquisition requires teamwork across data analytics, engineering, finance, contracting, testing, and more. DCTC forms multidisciplinary teams that build communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills before taking on department-sourced challenges. |
| “Build workforce pipelines through industry-informed training, talent exchanges, and experiential curriculum” | By combining a cohort-based identity with career coaching, the model supports growth across key transition points—from first assignment through mid-career—helping the DOD attract, retain, and continuously develop top talent. |
DCTC is a proven prototype, ready for broader deployment. Expanded investment by DOD and the military services would provide a scalable mechanism to directly meet Secretary Hegseth’s 180-day mandate and Congress’ direction to develop the workforce needed for a faster, more adaptive acquisition ecosystem. DCTC can kickstart the culture change needed to make transformational reforms stick.
Karen DaPonte Thornton is a Research Scientist at the Acquisition Innovation Research Center, a member of the adjunct faculty at the George Washington University Law School, and a director on the Procurement Round Table. She has served as a professional staff member on the House Armed Services Committee and led the Government Procurement Law program at GW Law. She began her career as an Army JAG at Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
John Willison is President of J Willison Consulting LLC, a Fellow at the Acquisition Innovation Research Center, and a Certified Executive Coach. He had a 36-year career as an Army civilian culminating as the SES Deputy to the Commanding General at the Army DEVCOM. His expertise is in the business of defense, innovation, and talent management.
