New DOD agency taking over DIMHRS

The Defense Business Transformation Agency is flexing its muscles.

The new agency has taken over 18 programs including the Defense Integrated Military Human Resources Systems (DIMHRS), previously a Navy-led effort. “The transition from the Navy program office to the [Defense] Business Transformation Agency is under way,” wrote Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of Defense for business transformation, in a Dec. 9 e-mail message.

Brinkley said DIMHRS is a DOD enterprise initiative and will fall under the purview of Army Maj. Gen. Carlos “Butch” Pair, the new defense business systems acquisition executive who will oversee program executive offices and program managers. DIMHRS is a $281 million program to develop and implement a departmentwide human resources system that will become the largest one in the world.

The new agency will also assume control of the Defense Travel System and the Standard Procurement System, formerly led by the Army. “We’re looking positively on the move,” said Kevin Carroll, program executive officer of the service’s Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems. He spoke Dec. 9 during a luncheon briefing of the Northern Virginia chapter of AFCEA International.

DOD announced the creation of the Defense Business Transformation Agency in October to provide more central control of the department’s business systems and programs. The move responds to numerous congressional hearings and reports during the past three years of chronic mismanagement of DOD business systems and processes.