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Figure I-33. Army S&T Organization

In the future, the Army will use more automated equipment, computer–based research support, and technological networking of researchers to yield more work per scientist and engineer. This strategy will be very important as the Army reduces the size and changes the composition of its civilian work force. Advanced distributed simulation is compressing research and technology development cycle times. The use of physical simulation tools, computer modeling, and other highly automated systems is necessary to both product and manufacturing process technologies and is pivotal to the future of the Army R&D establishment. These issues are discussed further in Chapter VI.

Approximately 13,000 in–house personnel in 30 laboratories, centers, and institutes are funded by S&T. Working at a diversified set of facilities, ranging from solid–state physics laboratories to outdoor experimental ranges, they conduct research, technology development, "smart buyer," and product support activities for the total Army. Highly motivated, competent, well–trained people are essential to the success of the Army S&T strategy. Keeping the in–house work force technically competent in a rapidly changing environment is a major objective for the future. The DoD Laboratory Quality Initiative (LQI) allows revised procurement rules and investment in facilities that will assist in meeting the challenge.

In 1994, Congress recognized the challenges facing DoD in its efforts to improve the recruitment, retention, and utilization of laboratory personnel. As a result, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY95 (Public Law 103.337) authorized laboratories designated by DoD as S&T reinvention laboratories to undertake personnel demonstration projects relating to qualifications, recruitment and appointment of personnel, classification and compensation, assignment, reassignment and promotions, discipline, incentives, hours of work, methods involving employees in labor organizations, and methods of reducing staff and grade levels.

The Army has 19 R&D organizations designated as S&T reinvention laboratories, each with authority to develop its own plan. Five of these organizations—ARL, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, the Corps of Engineers’ Waterways Experiment Station, the U.S. Army Missile RDEC, and the U.S. Army Aviation RDEC—were selected as Phase I participants. The personnel demonstrations for the U.S. Army Missile RDEC and the U.S. Army Aviation were effective October 1, 1997. The rest of the Phase I laboratories will obtain the authority to begin implementation of their demonstrations in early FY98. The remaining 14 S&T reinvention laboratories are in Phase II. Their plans are currently under development, with approval of their final plans anticipated for spring 1998. More than 13,000 engineers, scientists, and administrative and technical personnel will be covered by Army S&T reinvention laboratory personnel demonstrations.

These demonstrations are the first major steps in developing personnel systems specifically tailored to the Army’s laboratories. The demonstrations go far in answering criticisms from the Defense Science Board and others that the current system is too slow, puts up administrative barriers, and is impossible to change. These projects streamline some processes and introduce new flexibilities. Broadbanding, pay for performance, and pay in excess of the GS–15 levels for critical S&T management positions provide comparability to features that have been available in the private sector for many years.

These demonstrations are critical to strengthening the foundation needed to recruit and sustain a strong 21st century laboratory workforce capable of solving the technical challenges facing the 21st century warfighter.

Demographic projections for college graduates indicate a declining number of engineers and scientists in the period to 2015. The Army is the DoD leader in Youth Outreach (Table I–4), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Minority Institutions (MIs) (Table I–5). Every university research center of excellence and federated laboratory is required to have an HBCU or MI partner who performs a significant amount of the research. Army stay–in–school and summer–intern programs have convinced many students to study science and engineering.