CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait –
The acting assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, visited with the ALT team at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, April 11.
Honorable Steffanie Easter, the acting assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, visited the ALT facilities, which provided her the opportunity to see firsthand the capabilities of the troops within the area.
“I am here to see the people, see them in their environment and understand what their challenges are, so we can assist them in any way that we can,” she said.
Although Easter’s experience is with the Navy and aviation, this visit is helping her expand her familiarity with the Army.
“I thought there was no better place to be than to be in the middle of the action,” said Easter. “This is where everything comes together, the equipment, the Soldiers, and the fight, and the planning for the fight comes together.”
This is Easter’s first time to Kuwait, and during her stay she visited several areas to see the capabilities of each element on Camp Arifjan. From robotics to the Blue Force Tracker GPS-enabled system.
“We want her to see everything that we’re capable of in theater because ultimately, she is the one who decides the funding and allocation of everything a Solider will need or use,” said Lt. Col. Jennifer Newsome, the military deputy director for the assistant secretary of the Army.
While the ALT crew highlighted their capabilities, Easter stated that she wanted the people here to know that her team is approachable and want to help in any way that they can.
“I’m hoping that, they see that the leadership values what they do, we have a strong desire to understand the details of what they need to be successful and we are willing to assist them,” Easter said.
Easter also mentioned that people often assume that her team does not understand the reality of what is going on since they are located at the Pentagon. However, she is adamant about changing that perception.
“Our job is to remove barriers, and you can’t do that if you don’t understand what they are,” she said.