The Army is reimagining how it equips soldiers through a bold new acquisition reform. Amanda Love joins hosts Dan Harris and Bob Bradford to break down the new “6 plus 1” Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) structure. This internal shift moves away from focusing on individual “widgets” toward a holistic, portfolio-based approach aligned with the Army Warfighting Concept. While the transition introduces administrative hurdles, the primary goal remains clear: delivering capable tech to the warfighter faster. It is an era of “failing fast and learning,” where success is measured by outcomes rather than rigid adherence to old processes.
Previously we would focus on, especially in the acquisition realm, one widget at a time… we need to look at things more holistically and not just a widget or device or platform.
Podcast: Download
Amanda Love is a nurse and a colonel in the U.S. Army. Her previous acquisition assignments include Project Manager, Medical Device Assemblage Management, and Clinical Consultant, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency and Command selected for Joint Product Manager for the Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program for the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense. She currently serves as the Acquisition Reform Lead for the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Acquisitions, Logistics, and Technology, or ASALT.
Daniel Harris is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force with a background in Air Force Special Operations, specifically AC-130 gunships. He is an instructor in the Department of Command, Leadership and Management at the U.S. Army War College. Prior to arriving in Carlisle he served as the Deputy Wing Commander, 352nd Special Operations Wing, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom. Prior to that assignment, he was the Director of Safety, Air Force Special Operations Command and the Deputy Director, Resolute Support/USFOR-A Commander’s Action Group, Kabul, Afghanistan. He is a graduate of the AY20 Resident course at the U.S. Army War College.
Bob Bradford is the Associate Professor of Defense and Joint Processes and Henry Stimson Chair of Military Studies at the U.S. Army War College and is in his seventh year on the Carlisle faculty. He is the Director of the Enterprise Management Enrichment Specialization (EM), an enrichment specialization. Bob served 30 years as an officer in the U.S. Army, the last 20 as an operations research analyst supporting enterprise decisions.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of War.
Photo Description: Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll speaks about the future of nuclear energy during a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C., Oct. 14, 2025. AUSA’s annual meeting provides attendees with insights into U.S. Army priorities, explore cutting-edge technologies, and engage in high-impact networking with key decision-makers. The theme this year is “Agile, Adaptive, Lethal: Winning at the Pace of Change.”
Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Nathaniel W. Garrett