Archivist/Historian - Detroit Arsenal

Overview

Total Solutions, Inc. (TSI) has an immediate need for an Archivist/Historian to support our work for the Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team (NGCV CFT). Work is to be performed onsite at the NGCV CFT office located in Warren, MI.

The NGCV CFT is playing a significant new role in the Army's modernization strategy. The NGCV CFT requires an individual to document key decisions, operations, and activities related to the Army's NGCV portfolio development and delivery. Intent is to provide Army stakeholders with narrative and analytical support of historically significant NGCV developments, decisions, and events in accordance with AR 870-5 standards; serve as a primary source of background facts in support of CFT staff analysis and strategic communications; and to provide new CFT key personnel historical context and orientation on the organizations mission, recent activities, accomplishments, issues, and decision-making processes.

DUTIES:

The NGCV CFT historian responsibilities include:

Serve as an Archivist/Historian in the NGCV CFT with responsibility for planning, researching, and managing the NGCV CFT archives and writing the NGCV CFT command report in accordance with Army Regulation 870-5. This report serves as an objective record of the organization’s operations from the previous year and as its institutional memory.

The Archivist/Historian will perform special research projects which support the annual history report or archival program.

NGCV CFT Command History Report

• Write and deliver a coherent, balanced, and objective annual history report of the NGCV CFT covering the positive and negative aspects as revealed in official records, reports, and interviews in accordance with CDRL A0004.
• Ensure that the annual command history consists of a detailed narrative of the historically-significant developments and events that took place in the NGCV CFT during the preceding fiscal year detailed chronology. Make consistent progress throughout the year in completing the final annual history report. In order to complete a thorough command history report, the contractor shall perform the following tasks:
  • Write historical summaries which detail significant activities of the NGCV CFTs operating and staff elements. Research existing information and data and apply a comprehensive knowledge of NGCV CFT history, organization, and operations in analyzing records to determine their historical significance. It shall supplement researched data through interviews and telephone conversations with key military/civilian personnel at all levels of command having firsthand knowledge of the program, activity, or event under study. Additionally, research previous combat vehicle development documents and devise alternate sources upon identification of missing records or gaps in archival sources. Archivist/Historian shall employ a thorough knowledge of NGCV CFT historical records and familiarity with other agency repositories in order to research appropriate data, examine cross references for complementary information, and, if necessary, acquire information from outside sources. Analyze and evaluate collected data for authenticity, validity, and pertinence, and shall reconcile conflicting evidence and discrepancies in order to determine the facts, their relationships, and their bearing on the subject.
  • Present individual facets in proper proportion within the annual history report by making independent judgment based on the event, program, or activity being covered.
  • Take and/or select photographs, charts, and tables of historical significance for inclusion in the annual history report.
  • Maintain liaison with command historians from higher headquarters, adjacent units, and cross functional teams as appropriate.

NGCV CFT Lesson Learned Collection Program (LLCP)

• The Archivist/Historian will Plan and implement the LLCP.
  • Prepare, conduct, and preserve end-of-tour/exit interviews with the NGCV CFT Director, principal staff officers, and senior civilians no later than 60 calendar days prior to departure. Additionally, conduct oral history interviews with the NGCV CFT Director, principal staff officers, and senior civilians at regular and logical intervals. Transcribe and archive the most important interviews, and conduct after-action interviews as required.
  • Identify and collect documents, files, artifacts, and publications for historical review and LLCP/archival retention.
  • Arrange archival records by providing a fixed location for each file and correlating allied materials into logical order, ensuring that a consistent naming convention for each file is followed. Additionally, electronically manage the NGCV CFT archives (for example, on SharePoint or Microsoft Teams), ensuring the availability of sources essential to the historical mission.
  • Based on personal judgment, modify archival techniques relative to records accessioning and arrangement.
  • Respond to inquiries concerning the history of NGCV CFT, its tenant headquarters and organizations, and communications-electronics activities.
  • Review and archive submitted and collected data and materials significant to decisions, accomplishments, challenges, and changes within the NGCV CFT.
  • Preserve archival material from damage or loss by formulating and executing plans to retype, index, catalog, and store such records.
  • Plan and administer the archival of the NGCV CFTs historical records according to Army Materiel Command (AMC), Department of the Amy, and National Archives and Records Service (NARS) standards. Maintain liaison with AMC, DA, and NARS counterparts on all archival matters.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Former military officer with Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) 5X, or civilian professional historian (GS) 0170 series, or graduate degree in History.
• Four years of recent/relevant experience is acceptable in lieu of undergraduate degree.
• Previous direct military experience or research experience with Army ground combat vehicles is preferred.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Tier 1 formally known as National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) security clearance.