Fort Belvior, Va –
Early in 2024, Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier’s Chief Information Office (CIO) in concert with the Assistant Program Executive Office (APEO) launched the Voice of the Soldier (VotS) data platform in support of the OK Analysis initiative, this effort aimed at strengthening the connection – and communication – between the operational force (Soldiers) and the Army's acquisition and material development communities. The VotS data platform demonstrates a method in how the Army gathers and utilizes feedback from its Soldiers to ensure cutting edge capabilities are fielded that Soldiers will use. In all, the VotS process begins to provide Army leaders with insights what Soldiers need (from the Soldiers themselves), understand how Soldier experiences provide invaluable data, and take that information to directly influence the development of future Army equipment and capabilities.
At the heart of the VotS initiative is a commitment to improving data collection that delivers meaningful and tangible Soldier feedback to decision makers. Through various Soldier touch points, including Operational Kit Analysis (O.K. Analysis), the team gathers and analyzes statistical data, interview transcripts, and survey results in a way that ensures Soldier feedback isn’t siloed – that it can cross-pollenate through various analytic tools to display different information needs in one easy-to-use dashboard and future VotS Platform.
The dashboard then cultivates the data in meaningful ways. For instance, recent feedback from an O.K. Analysis event revealed that Soldiers found the cushioning in their tactical helmets too thin and uncomfortable, driving a large percentage to purchase and install alternative cushioning on their own, with their own money, some not understanding the safety nature of this item. Armed with this direct input, Product Manager Soldier Protective Equipment (SPE) qualified two new helmet pad options that will be offered to Soldiers in fiscal year 2025 to provide more choices to Soldiers to address their concerns while providing verified protection.
“By anchoring its focus on what Soldiers are saying and turning that information into powerful data, the VotS data platform begins to ensure that their experiences directly influence equipment development, ultimately enhancing operational effectiveness and Soldier satisfaction,” said Sharon Laverty, PEO Soldier Chief Data Officer. “In all, VotS recognizes that each Soldier’s operational experience is different and invaluable in its own way, and now we can use their feedback to directly shape the next generation of Soldier equipment.”