The third reason is simply to share the workload. Prior to my arrival we only had two flag officers within the USASOC Headquarters. This is almost a 30,000-person command. That is a lot of span of control for just two general officers, so this position was created to help share that load.
The last reason is to create some continuity with the uniformed members of our command group moving through on such a regular basis. There was a vision that a civilian senior leader could help create some continuity, and ease the turbulence that sometimes happens when military folks move in and out of the headquarters. Gen. [John F.] Mulholland created the vision and this position, and Gen. Cleveland was the one who hired me and selected me to be here. I owe them both a lot.
The people are the greatest aspect of this job. Their talent, dedication, and commitment are inspiring, but also humbling. Every day you interact with folks who have a passion for their profession. It makes me work harder because I want to make sure that I’m pulling my end of the rope properly.
What is your mission statement? Beyond providing continuity between the administrations of senior leadership, what other things are you supposed to do as part of your day-to-day job description?
I work with the headquarters staff on those resource functions that I mentioned earlier – the comptroller, our G-8 and G-4, contracting office, and our engineers. I have a direct relationship with all those staff members on a day-to-day basis to make sure that we’re allocating and distributing our resources properly in an integrated fashion. There are other areas that I have a responsibility for outside of resources.
Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), presents the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal to Mr. Richard M. Holcomb, a member of the Senior Executive Service, during a General Officer/Senior Executive Service member farewell ceremony, Jan. 25, 2013, in General George C. Marshall Hall, at Fort Bragg, N.C. Holcomb, who had served as the command’s deputy chief of staff, G8 (comptroller), is currently serving in that capacity at U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg. U.S. Army photo
The first is to lead people. USASOC is working very hard on improving the professional development of our civilian employees, making sure they have a structured and well-planned professional development path. As a result, I do some mentoring with folks in the headquarters, both formal and informal, and I try to do that often. I’m also responsible for helping lead change within the command. Any highperformance organization, even if they are doing excellent work, should always be looking to move to the next level. So, we’re doing some things in that regard here within the command to make our operating force and generating force more effective and efficient.
And, the final area that I try to work hard on is to make sure that we’re meeting our mission statement for today, part of which is to win the current fight. I can’t think of anything more important than making sure our soldiers and operators are properly trained and equipped for the fight that we have – not just in Afghanistan but elsewhere.
The people are the greatest aspect of this job. Their talent, dedication, and commitment are inspiring, but also humbling. Every day you interact with folks who have a passion for their profession. It makes me work harder because I want to make sure that I’m pulling my end of the rope properly. The people are the very best part of this job. I know they’re tremendously talented and experienced, but they’re also very understated in their approach – very humble. It’s just a great organization, filled with great people.
Your résumé describes your background in program management, technology insertion, procurement, contracting, and a real emphasis in quality and standards, sustainment, and even raising those metrics. Does your bringing this expertise to the command help relieve the professional Army officers and other civilians here of having to sweat those things? Or are you trying to raise the bar on everybody and float them up with you?
I definitely think it’s the latter. I tell commanders quite frequently that their resources in terms of money and equipment are just as important as their other resources. And they should become as familiar with money and equipment as they do with their training, how they manage people and their weapons. Money and equipment are just another set of tools to enable the mission. It does not relieve them of their responsibilities in good stewardship, however, and I am here to help them reach toward that objective – to advise and assist them and give them a sounding board and another perspective on how to best do that.