JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – It’s Mission Monday! Meet Daryl L. Smith, the acquisition program manager for the Air Force Installation Contract Center Acquisition Center of Excellence.
Smith helps provide advisory assistance to the Department of the Air Force acquisition teams throughout the world, which includes acquisition training, workshops and document reviews.
“I serve because all Airmen are like extended family to me,” Smith said. “I want to aid anyone that needs assistance. I love being a wingman.”
Born and raised around Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in a military family, Smith always wanted to join something bigger than himself that had a sense of unity. He initially joined the Air Force in 1980 and retired in 2000. He now works with the Air Force Civilian Service within the ACE, supporting the larger family of Air Force acquisition professionals.
We asked Smith to tell us more about himself and the work he does for DAF.
What do you love about your job?
I love the open dialogue and comradery between each member of the ACE. Everyone has a willingness to help execute innovative ideas and lessons learned.
When it comes to your job, what keeps you motivated?
When an acquisition field team or team member thanks me for my work and requests my assistance for new or follow-on acquisitions. I love developing professional relationships and friendships across the Air Force.
Why are you and your team important to the Air Force and Space Force enterprise and your customers?
Although we are a small team, we all have a vast range of shared acquisition knowledge and many lessons learned to provide acquisition teams the critical thinking techniques needed to develop their acquisition strategies.
Describe a project or event you and your team worked on recently that gave you a great sense of accomplishment:
I know of several and they all involve innovative ideas. When acquisition teams approach us with nonprohibited innovative strategy, we hit an “I believe” button and this not only helps the team, it helps us to learn, grow and then share these strategies for possible use by other acquisition teams.
How does what you do support AFIMSC’s strategic priorities?
The ACE, along with our brethren within both the Category Management Branch and Business Intelligence Branch at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, provides business intelligence, acquisition expertise, strategic planning, communication strategies, and standardized tools, templates and training to enable cost effective and efficient enterprise solutions.
Is there anything else you’d like to add which might help people understand the importance of what you do for the Department of the Air Force?
We understand the pressures put upon acquisition teams. No matter what your question is, we are here to help you through your acquisition, don’t hesitate to contact us.