Lieutenant General Carroll F. Pollett
U.S. Department of Defense
Director, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)
Commander, Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the combat support agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, in accord with the Base Realignment and Closure program (BRAC), is in the process of moving from Arlington, VA to Ft. George G. Meade in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Also preparing to pick up stakes and move right along with DISA is its Director, Lt. General Carroll F. Pollett, who is also commander of the Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations. On Friday, May 21, 2010, the Fort Meade Alliance and the BWI Business Partnership held a luncheon at the Marriott BWI Airport in order to welcome LTG Pollett “to the neighborhood.” The event was sponsored by the Tower Federal Credit Union.
As Director of DISA, as reported in a Dec. 18, 2008 Press Release, LTG Pollett leads a global organization of military and civilian personnel who plan, develop, and provide joint interoperable command and control capabilities and enterprise infrastructure to continuously operate and defend global network enterprises in direct support of the President, Secretary
of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, and other Department of
Defense components.
In his keynote speech at the luncheon, LTG Pollett made a profound statement not to be taken lightly – “We are a nation at war. We are a people in harm’s way. Around the world people are relying on what we do together.” He then showed a film of DISA working around the world in an effort to create a no-fail environment, being prepared for unanticipated catastrophe, opening up a grid for the warfighters. The film pointed out that we are much more prepared, communication is everything, and information is dominant.
The completion of DISA’s move from Arlington, VA to Ft. Meade in Maryland is scheduled for Sept. 2011. “We will be moving 4, 322 and a half people up to Maryland between Jan. and July 2011, and moving over a million sq. ft. of labs and testing centers”, to what LTG Pollett described as an amazing complex 80% complete. “We will be moving people in conjunction with our mission.” LTG Pollett pointed out the importance of mitigating traffic and said he was very impressed with efforts on the hill and the Governor’s staff. “They are balancing all other priorities.” He said they have an aggressive plan – and maybe open additional gates; one-way traffic; open at peak times. “We will solve the problem together.” LTG Pollett further stated that some of the workforce doesn’t want to leave VA. They want to commute.
As a result of the relocation move, LTG Pollett stated that we will be losing 25% of the workforce; however, hiring in Maryland has surpassed that figure with 35% of Maryland based employees, due partly to the job fair held by Col. Thomas where 7,400 people showed.
LTG Pollett said we live in a complex environment – challenging and demanding, and we have to ensure that we stay on mission. When hiring new personnel, we have to make an effort to focus on the quality of the workforce and bring in the best. He said DISA supports all services and that 80% plus are civilian government workers and contractors. He also said that people are working aggressively in Maryland leveraging the best talent out of universities to make up the organization. They are talking at the Dean level at every university telling them there are opportunities, internships for working with government, co-op plans. Work for the government, invest in the future. Get people interested in working for the Country. Johns Hopkins is working on adopting a program in Engineering. We need contract specialists, accountants to work on the budget, people experienced in Human Resources. Tell them to take advantage and come to work now.
Some questions to LTG Pollett from the floor were as follows:
 Are you disappointed to leave VA?
LTG Pollett: Actually I’m excited. It’s great synergy to be together as a team. It’s hard, but we accept it. He said that Lt. Governor Brown has been very responsive, as all of the people they meet and they have done more than what they had to do.
Can you give us a time line of the move.
LTG Pollett: 1,000 plus contractors in the organization will move Jan – July. Another 2,000 – 3,000 more have made a significant commitment. There have been 71 already activated contracts.
What are you most looking forward to?
LTG Pollett: Eating more crabs!!!
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