Faces of the force

Master Gunner, Trainer, Yogi

By MAJ. Brad Heinley and Holly Decarlo-White

Article published on: Article published on: April 1st 2024, in the Spring 2024 AL&T Edition

Read Time: < 5 mins

Yogis teach their hatha members to set goals, find balance and push their limits. Instructors coach their students on the same. Acquisition professionals demonstrate these tenets to be just as critical in the field. Fortunately for the Army acquisition enterprise, Lilian Rodriguez has mastered all three roles of teacher, professional and instructor.

If one were to ask her what her job is, Rodriguez would simply reply, “I am a business adviser for the government.” Although technically correct, business adviser does not capture the breadth and depth of what she is responsible for providing to mission partners and the acquisition community.

Rodriguez is a contract specialist within the Space Innovations Branch for Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal, the Colorado Springs branch at Peterson Space Force Base. Though she cannot talk about specific missions there, her work continues to support our warfighter as she has throughout her career.

She recently departed Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) – Fort Carson, Colorado, where she was a contracting officer with a substantial workload. In addition to supporting Army contracts, she trained nearly a dozen contracting interns, mentored countless others and was a leader of a local yoga group.

“Leaving Fort Carson was very hard, it’s where I started my contracting career. I learned everything I know there. But then it started to feel ‘safe,’ and I wanted to challenge myself and see and do other types of contracts,” she said. “It was time to start a new adventure and meet more wonderful people.”

“Get yourself into a battle rhythm, from there it's all just a dance.”

Before joining MICC in 2017, Rodriguez served more than 10 years in uniform as a supply sergeant in the U.S. Army. In that role she was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, Iraq and Germany. Following active-duty service, she cultivated experience in the civilian sector as a logistics management specialist, financial services representative and a sales manager.

Rodriguez said she was drawn to the Army Acquisition Workforce for two reasons. First, the tangible impact the organization has on the warfighter and their mission. “Being involved from the first step of identifying a need to the final on-ground reality of receiving that unique, contracted solution provides a professionally rewarding experience,” she said, and she can see her efforts come to fruition to benefit our mission partners.

YOGI FOR LIFE
Lilian Rodriguez sits on a yoga mat during a retreat to Mexico last year. She has a passion for yoga practice and brings teachings into her professional life as well.(Photo courtesy of Lilian Rodriguez)

“I write contracts for the U.S government. We buy supplies and services for the warfighter. My support can make or break a mission,” she said. “As a former Soldier, I know how important it is to have the comfort items and the necessary items to complete a mission. I enjoy seeing a project from beginning to end and knowing that I made a difference.”

Second, acquisition offers countless opportunities for advancement.

“You are in charge of your destiny. It’s up to you how fast you can progress in this field. If you’re willing to go above and beyond, the opportunities are there,” Rodriguez said.

That isn’t a sweeping generalization, either. In her time at MICC-Fort Carson, she started as a purchasing agent, and in under five years was a warranted (appointed) contracting officer responsible for a $6.5 million warrant. She accomplished this by seizing moments of growth and maintaining a tenacity for learning. Specifically, she was granted her warrant after participating in the inaugural Master Gunner course in 2022. The intense course was designed to provide rigorous contract training to Soldiers and civilians and included both written tests and a four-event culminating competition. Rodriguez placed second and received numerous accolades in addition to her warrant.

“Attending the MICC Master Gunners course absolutely transformed my view on the acquisition field, it made me a better leader, it simplified the bigger picture for me,” she said.

After establishing herself at Master Gunner, she returned to MICC-Fort Carson to take over as a team lead within the Installation Division, where she not only took on the bulk of contracting officer work but was also tasked with training an entire division of interns. Using lessons learned from her time in service, time in industry, the teachings of yoga and the Master Gunner crucible, she took almost a dozen interns under her wing. Executing contracts and training neophytes can be full-time responsibilities independent of one another, but even more daunting when combined. However, Rodriguez excelled.

“Get yourself into a battle rhythm, from there it’s all just a dance,” she said. “I’ve truly enjoyed being a KO [contract officer] and team leader. Helping new contracting professionals learn and understand our career field is a rewarding process.”

Before departing Fort Carson for her current role at Peterson Space Force Base, she left the organization with a final lesson from yoga: “Inhale the future, exhale the past.”

Rodriguez’s passion for her yoga practice is evident, as is its applicability to her professional life. “I am the yogi and runner in my group of friends. Yoga teaches you to be calm and to center yourself, running requires discipline,” she said. “I use those techniques at work. It makes me a happier, better person to work with.”

-MAJ. Brad Heinley and Holly Decarlo-White