Midshipmen receive a behind-the-scenes view into Marine Corps acquisition
By Morgan Blackstock, MCSC Office of Public Affairs and Communication
Five midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy received a behind-the-scenes view into Marine Corps acquisition last month through Program Executive Officer Land Systems’ annual summer internship program.
PEO Land Systems, the only program executive officer for the Marine Corps, manages the acquisition and sustainment of major land weapons system and ground combat vehicles.
The PEO Land Systems Internship Program, established in 2013, introduces cadets and midshipmen from the U.S. Military Academy and USNA to the complex world of Marine Corps acquisition. The internship aims to provide midshipmen with a better understanding of how MCSC and PEO Land Systems deliver and sustain the systems Marines will use in the field. The intent is to introduce interns to the life of a Marine and how Marine Corps system acquisition impacts the entire Fleet Marine Force.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing aspects of the Marine Corps I wouldn’t have seen otherwise,” said Midshipman Mitchell Jorgensen, a mechanical engineering major at USNA. “I’ve seen Marine Air and Infantry Marines. It’s been really cool interacting with Marine officers because I haven’t gotten a lot of that at the academy.”
The internship program provides midshipmen with a hands-on approach to Marine Corps acquisition. They engaged with Marines and interfaced with various systems and vehicles, such as the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar, Amphibious Combat Vehicle, Marine Air Defense Integrated System, and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
“The goal was to expose the midshipmen to the Marine Corps and how we acquire Marine Corps capabilities,” said John Stroud, assistant program executive officer for Engineering at PEO Land Systems. “The midshipmen are engineering majors — they are interested in how we develop, test and field capabilities.”
The internship helped the midshipmen learn more about how Marines and civilians work together to deliver capabilities to the Marine Corps.
“Bringing young officers into the acquisition community is a win for the Marine Corps and is beneficial to them in the long run,” said Capt. Grayson Hiner, ACV project officer for PEO Land Systems.
An afternoon was spent at the 395-acre Transportation Demonstration Support Area in Stafford, Virginia. They watched the JLTV and ACV in action but also experienced its capabilities themselves.
“With the ACV coming in and the [Assault Amphibious Vehicle] phasing out, I had the chance to not only ride [the ACV] but to see the improvements made to the vehicle,” said Jorgensen. “It was really cool to see that transition for the future of the Marine Corps.”
As part of their internship, the midshipmen developed an idea for a notational weapons control system based on how the Commandant’s Planning Guidance and Force Design 2030 will shape the future force.
“Essentially, we had to think 10 steps ahead, think ahead of the enemy and what we could combat in the future,” said Midshipman Daniel McNeil, a robotics and control engineering major at USNA.
The interns briefed their idea to the deputy Program Executive Officer and staff on the final day of their internship.
“This internship was an opportunity to expose myself to the Marine Corps and PEO Land Systems,” said McNeil. “Especially with the future of what the Corps will be like with the Commandants Planning Guidance and Force Design 2030.”
