ED TEAGUE

ED TEAGUE

CIO/G6, Colonel US Army at United States Military Academy West Point, NY, United States of America

Can you please provide a little introduction about yourself

The United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, NY is one of five federal service higher education institutions. After a rigorous selection process, the academies develop leadership, academic excellence, fitness, and character. Each academy is tied to a service, USMA – Army, USNA – Navy (Marines), USAFA – Air Force, USCGA – Coast Guard, and USMMA – Merchant Marine. USMA cadets get a full four-year scholarship with a five-year mandatory service obligation after graduation. Choosing from 36 academic majors, graduates receive a Bachelor of Science and a 2LT commission. USMA commissions about 1000 2LTs each May across 17 different branches. USMA is one of three Army commissioning sources, accounting for 1/6th of the Army’s annual officer accessions.

The CIO directorate with 31,000 users and 7,500 on-prem, enables the USMA mission. “Educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, and Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.” The CIO/G6 directorate is responsible for the USMA IT program, .edu and .mil systems, applications, data, and hardware, policy, and resources supporting the USMA mission across West Point from the woodline to the weight room to the classroom. We support USMA, the US Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS), three general officer staffs, admissions, a Division 1 athletics program, 26 centers of excellence, as well as the military, academic, physical, and character programs.

What has your journey to your position been like? What path have you taken?

I am a career Army officer. I’ve served around the world, currently stationed at USMA. I was commissioned at USMA in in 1995 in the aviation branch and flew attack and scout helicopters for a decade. Very fortunate to to be selected for and graduate from the Operations Research and Industrial Engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin, I was later assigned to the USMA Department of Systems Engineering (DSE). During that tour, I conducted research, taught, and ran IT labs. Eventually, I earned a PhD in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia and returned to USMA. I continued my work as USMA DSE faculty while running the IT program.

In 2015, I moved to USMA CIO/G6. Using a systems approach, we built a terrific CIO/G6 directorate team and modernized the IT program to better support the USMA mission. To do so, we garnered support from the Army, USMA staff, and leadership. To transform, we focused on doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities and policy (DOTMLPF-P). While challenges continue, today we enjoy a sustainable, value-added program and a culture of seeking and understanding requirements to drive IT evolution and relevance.

Has it always been your vision to reach the position you’re at? Was your current role part of your vision to become a tech leader?

I had no plan to be a CIO. I studied to be a mechanical engineer in college. But my current role makes sense given the responsibilities of the job and my experience. I’ve enjoyed and sought leadership roles throughout my career. Leaders inspire, build teams, manage complexity, set conditions for success, and solve problems. Rather than my academic and analysis work, my aviation service primed me for the CIO role. Having served at attack aviation’s “pointy end for the spear” and in support roles, I learned early to account for stakeholders and integrate operations, planning, and support for long-term success.

While the IT space isn’t exactly the same as aviation, there are many similarities. I strive to reliably provide customers a critical, needed capability in an uncertain environment while simultaneously forecasting and implementing what’s next with a technically apt workforce. I can’t say moving from aviation, to systems engineering, to the CIO role was easy. But it’s been a rewarding and formative journey.

Have you had a role model or mentor that has helped you on your journey?

I am living proof that it takes a village. I arrived in the organization at a difficult time and with a great deal to learn. We’ve gone far together. As an Army officer, I’ve been fortunate to work with terrific leaders, taking lessons from Corporals and Generals alike. The IT community is fantastic, always friendly and quick to offer feedback. I am grateful for their willingness to engage and their candor.

I’ve been mentored most by Mr. Lou Giannotti, the US Naval Academy (USNA) CIO. He’s a gifted leader, a skilled IT professional, and experienced in the .edu, .mil, and industrial realms. His USNA team runs a terrific program. They embarked on transformation over a decade before we did. Unprompted, he reached out to me when I began the job in 2015 and offered unrelenting support. Despite our schools’ rivalry and USMA’s “Beat Navy!” rally cry, Lou is a selfless coach, teacher, and invaluable friend.

How do you see the role of the technology leader evolving over the next 5 years?

What skills do you think leaders of the future will need in order to thrive?

How do you keep current with new skills, technologies and personal development?

What do you see as the next leap in technology that will impact your business or industry in particular?

If you were mentoring a leader of the future, what advice or guidance would you give to help them on their way?

1. People matter, always, and no matter what. They are your center of gravity. Make their experience a value-add.

2. Be disciplined and set the example. Don’t walk by problem or stray ethically.

3. Invest in your own expertise. Mastering a skill is its own skill. Learning to learn is essential. Aspire to learn throughout your career.

4. Career paths are not well defined. Have a professional goal or plan but stay open to where your path leads you.

5. Stakeholders can take systems for granted expecting them to be free, now, easy, and perfect. Partner with stakeholders to gain understanding, establish buy in, and set realistic expectations.

6. Just when you have things figured out, you don’t. Requirements and the environment change.

7. Shape your career to support your life and values, not the other way around.

Is there anything in particular that you would still like to achieve in your career or what is the next step on your journey?

Currently, I’m very happy making IT happen at USMA. We have a number of initiatives in the acquisition, cyber, data, personnel, application, training, network, ICAM, cellular, and radio domains. I will continue to strive to maximize the value of IT at USMA.

Within the Department of Defense (DoD), I’d like to better enable .edu institutions and their IT programs. Educational programs within DoD augment training, provide professional development, enhance the force’s capability, drive innovation, and serve to recruit and retain talent. USMA is currently coordinating with 36 DoD degree-granting programs to share practices, identify common themes, and best underpin the many educational missions supporting uniformed and civilian employees.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

If you would like to gain more perspective from Tech Leaders and CIOs you can read some of our other interviews here.