Perspective of the Senior DoD Product Support/Sustainment Leader

Event Recording

EVENT DETAILS:

1:00-1:05: Welcome and Introduction by Mr. James Woolsey, DAU President

1:05-1:55: Remarks by the Honorable Christopher J. Lowman, Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment)

1:55-2:25: Audience Q&A

2:25-2:30: Closing and Final Remarks

CLPs: 1.5

Who should attend:

This session targets logisticians across the DoD workforce, including maintenance; supply management; deployment distribution and transportation; and life cycle logistics, as well as other members of the Acquisition Workforce.

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

The Honorable Christopher J. Lowman, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, will outline his perspectives and priorities as the incoming Assistant Secretary, as well as take audience questions during a facilitated question and answer period.  Mr. Lowman started his military career as a United States Marine in 1984 and entered the Army Civil Service as an Army Maintenance Management Intern in 1989.  He held a variety of increasingly challenging positions throughout his Army career including Army G4 staff Director for Maintenance Policy, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff (ADCS), G-3/5/7, and culminating in performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Army.

Host:

James P. Woolsey, President, Defense Acquisition University

Mr. Woolsey is President of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), a position he has held since January 2014. In that role, he is responsible for delivery of learning products through the DAU regions, the Defense Systems Management College, and the College of Contract Management; curriculum development; online learning programs; learning technology; and library services for a major Department of Defense corporate university. DAU, strategically located within five geographical regions across the country and servicing a global workforce, provides practitioner training, career management, and services to enable the acquisition, technology, and logistics community to make smart business decisions and deliver timely and affordable capabilities to the Warfighter.

Speaker:

Christopher Lowman, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, OSD

Senate-confirmed in May 2022, the Honorable Christopher Lowman, the former senior official performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Army, took office as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment (ASD(S)) in June 2022. 

As ASD(S), Mr. Lowman is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment (USD(A&S)), Deputy Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of Defense on DoD logistics, materiel readiness, and product support. On behalf of the USD(A&S), Mr. Lowman oversees the Defense Logistics Agency and Defense Microelectronics Activity, and is the principal logistics official within senior DoD management.

He has served across the U.S. Army and the Joint Force for more than three decades.

Moderator:

Ms. Lisa P. Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, OSD

Ms. Lisa P. Smith, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Product Support and serves as the principal advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) leadership on policies, procedures, and actions related to the readiness and sustainability of major weapon systems. She is responsible for the development and implementation of acquisition and sustainment strategies and processes providing the Warfighter with cost-effective weapon system readiness across the life cycle. In addition, Ms. Smith coordinates and synchronizes ASD(S) international and partner engagements. She also manages the logistics and acquisition workforce for the Department of Defense.  She assumed her current position in April 2021.