By James T. Blake, Ph.D.
In June 1999, Dr. James Blake was appointed by Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) as ICT’s first Program Manager and was with us until March 2003. After a distinguished career, including Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI); Head of Contracting Activity (HCA); and SVP, Integrated Training Solutions, Cubic Global Defense (CGD), Dr. Blake is now an independent consultant / senior mentor (full bio below). After honoring us with his presence at ICT 25, Dr. Blake looks back at his involvement with the UARC over the years.
I was asked to comment on how I got involved in the University of Southern California (USC) research activities. Wow. That was a quarter century ago. I was amazed they remembered me, and I was honored to be asked. So, I will give it a go.
In the mid-to-late nineties, there was a lot of excitement about this nexus of military, academia, and the entertainment industry. It appeared that among other things it offered the prospect of revolutionizing military training. In the Army, the Simulation, Training & Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) was the premier provider of training solutions. They were the procurement part of the triad of Requirements, Funding, and Buying.
JOINING STRICOM
STRICOM certainly had a keen interest in improving the Army’s training systems and devices. But they had no experience managing a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). The Commanding General at the time was Bill Bond and the command was looking for someone to manage this new entity called the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT). They wanted someone with a military background, an advanced degree, and perhaps more importantly experience in basic and applied research.
I checked all these boxes. I retired from the military (27 years of experience) as the Army’s Senior Uniformed Army Scientist with my last two assignments at Georgia Tech and the Army Research Laboratory. I also had industry experience focused on modeling and simulation. So, I was asked if I could help. I was a researcher at Texas A&M (TAMU) at that time, and I agreed to become an Intergovernmental Personnel Act employee (essentially, on loan to the Army from TAMU) to be the first Program Manager at STRICOM for ICT.
To me this was a very exciting opportunity to build a research portfolio from scratch. The program was to have Basic and Applied Research funding, something STRICOM had not previously controlled. But this was something I had managed while on active duty, and I looked forward to the challenge.
DEVELOPING A RESEARCH PLAN
Starting with a blank sheet of paper and broad guidance from Army Senior leaders including Secretary of the Army, Louis Caldera, and the Chief Scientist, Dr. Mike Andrews, we had to decide on research areas and then develop specific programmatic efforts that supported those areas. Of course, at the beginning we needed staff and office space. And then an official opening and statement of vision that all three parties (military, academia, and Hollywood) could embrace and support. This was accomplished in good order.
My more enduring task was to develop the specific projects and accompanying contract actions to implement the program. ICT was eager to get going and the leadership at the time was great to work with including Richard Lindheim, William Swartout, James Korris, and Cheryl Birch. On my end, I had an engineer (Alesya Paschal and then Karen Williams) and a contracting officer (Melissa Fauber). And Major General Bond’s and later Brigadier General Steve Seay’s support. And sometimes – top cover with the Army leadership. There was clearly a learning curve for ICT and for me. But success was on everybody’s mind.
At the executive level, I worked with the Army senior leaders to flesh out Executive Advisory and Technical Advisory Boards and establish a battle rhythm. At the operational level, I worked with the ICT leadership and researchers to make sure the agreed projects met the cost, schedule, and performance metrics established for the various projects. Many of the projects were by nature multi-year in scope, but we collectively sought to produce some demonstrable progress in each area. Products included refereed research papers, demonstrations, and presentations to various audiences.
ENTER HOLLYWOOD
Part of my time I spent learning Hollywood terms, and I gave as much as I got.
After all, I was fluent in Army lingo and the current state of Army training devices. I took many folks from the ICT and supporting writers and directors to military installations to see how the Army conducts training.
Sites visited included Fort Benning (now Fort Moore), GA, the Home of the Infantry, and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA. The entourage got to ride in military vehicles and shoot real bullets.
This led to several proposals to improve the training experience – exactly what the Army hoped for. One device developed was the Joint Fires & Effects Trainer System (JFETS) located at Fort Sill, OK. This transformed the way we trained Soldiers to control indirect fire like artillery.
IMPACT OF 9-11
While I was at ICT, 9-11 happened and changed my outlook. I wanted a more direct impact on supporting the military.
About that time, the long-time Deputy Commander of STRICOM, Jim Skurka, decided to retire, so I applied for that position. After many months, I was selected for the job.
About the time I joined STRICOM, it was reorganized as a Program Executive Office (PEO). STRICOM was a subordinate element of the Army Materiel Command and the PEOs reported to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) (ASA(ALT)). Some of the engineering staff were assigned to the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) under AMC; ICT management moved to RDECOM too. It was no longer under the wing of PEO STRI. RDECOM has since moved from AMC to the Army Futures Command (AFC) and been renamed the Combat Capabilities Development Command.
I went on to become the PEO and served for nearly a decade. Perhaps I am the longest serving Army PEO. And during that time, I kept an overwatch of the ICT because they continued to provide a fresh look at the way the Army trains.
ICT 25
It was great to be invited to the 25th Anniversary of ICT. I saw many familiar faces and some new ones.
They are in a different building. But one thing has not changed – they continue to make a difference. In fact, while I was at the festivities, USC was notified by the Army that ICT was approved for another 5-year contract.
Congratulations – I look forward to following your contributions to basic and applied research that benefit the Army and the Nation.
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BIO:
James T. Blake, Ph.D.
Dr. Blake is an Independent Consultant and Senior Mentor with Military, Government, Academia, and Small-to-Large Business Experience. He retired from industry as the Senior Vice President for Integrated Training Solutions at Cubic Global Defense (CGD), where he had P&L responsibility for supporting U.S. military programs, Foreign Military Sales, and customers with industry-leading training products and services. Prior to joining CGD, he served as the Program Executive Officer for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) and the Head of Contracting Activity (HCA).
Dr. Blake served as the PEO for nine years. He was responsible for providing materiel solutions and services in modeling, simulation, training and test/instrumentation to support the Soldier. PEO STRI annually executed a multi-billion-dollar program and supported a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program for forty countries. He holds level-three certifications in six acquisition career fields.
He was the Deputy Program Executive Officer prior to assuming the duties as the PEO. His prior government assignment was at the Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) as the Program Manager for the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), the internationally recognized University Affiliated Research Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation.
Dr. Blake is also a veteran. He entered the military as a Private in the U.S. Army and completed his military career as a Colonel. He is a dual-rated Master Army Aviator. During his military career, Dr. Blake served in many positions and locations, including aviation operations in Vietnam. His last military assignment was as the Army’s Senior Uniformed Army Scientist.
His awards include Induction into the National Center for Simulation (NCS) Hall of Fame in recognition of significant contributions to advancements in modeling and simulation. The National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) Governor’s Award for Lifetime Achievement in Training & Simulation. The Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, which reflects continuous leadership commitment for superior organizational achievement and a strong dedication to development of the workforce.
Dr. Blake is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Defense Systems Management College, and the U.S. Army War College. His civilian education includes a B.S. degree in Accounting from the University of Tampa, an M.S. degree in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Duke University.
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