b'App Aims to Matchjob. Instead, it will be to meet short-term needs, which would fill the time the reservist would normally commit to Reserve, Guard Talenttheir military job. Which is why the term gig is used inthe apps title.The other thing about Gig Eagle is that its strictly voluntary, With DOD Needs Sumner said, noting that its very likely that a lot of reservists would like to take advantage of the app to see what might June 29, 2021 | Story by David Vergun, DOD News particularly interest them and what might contribute to their www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2675967/app-aims-to-match-reserve-guard-talent-with-dod-needs/personal development.An app called Gig Eagle, powered by artificial Christopher CJ Johnson, the senior individual mobilization intelligence, will be developed to identify talent in theaugmentee for Cross-Mission Ground and Communications Guard and reserve forces that could be utilized aroundEnterprise, Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Force, the Defense Department, an official in the Defensesaid the SMC is particularly interested in Gig Eagle for finding Innovation Unit who is working on the project said. citizen airmen with highly technical skills to augment its Scott Sumner, technical project manager at DIUs digital workforce.AI/machine learning portfolio, said that theres a lot of The SMC is the main acquisition organization for the talent in the guard and reserve forces that the DOD could Space Force, he said. As you can imagine, we have a lot of be using but is not aware of. needs related to engineering, data and cybersecurity and For example, reservists in their civilian jobs might beinformation network disciplines.working on cloud computing, software engineering, Gig Eagle will be a revolutionary way to leverage thecybersecurity or any number of other in-demand skills. Thetalent, Johnson noted. There are tremendous marketproblem is that the DOD has no way to find them or to knowinefficiencies on finding talent, not just within the DODthat those skills even exist, he said. but also within the private sector.Gig Eagle will be powered by AI, he said, so that the rightSumner said that earlier this year, DIU spent a couple of matches are made. The platform will consider the skill pref- months talking about this project with potential vendors and erences and biographical information, including current skillgetting feedback from the commercial sector to determine sets, that the reservist enters into the app. The AI algorithmwhat might be possible. On June 11, the DIU posted an area will key on similar words that indicate or infer a particularof interest, which is a solicitation for industry partnering. talent or skill. A hiring manager from the DOD will thenThe post closed June 25.receive a ranked list of possible candidates. The DIU will invite potential vendors to give pitches It will also work the other way around, Sumner said. Thelater this summer, he said. The team is looking to test the reservist could locate a hiring manager from the DOD whoselected prototypes later this year.is looking for his or her particular skill sets. Congress set aside $3 million in the fiscal year 2021 The idea, Sumner said, is not to pull the person out ofNational Defense Authorization Act that will be used to their military occupational specialty or away from their civiliandevelop the initial prototype, Sumner said. JMarines with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command observe computer screens in the cyber operations center at Fort Meade, Md. Photo By: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jacob Osborne12 Military Appreciation Resource Magazine HOctober 2021H Thank You For Your Service'