
Army Sustainment Command, Public Affairs
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – Elysa Otero is among the next generation of employees at Rock Island Arsenal.
With just four years of civilian service under her belt, she has already established herself as a vital part of the Army Sustainment Command community.
Currently, she works for G8 Resource Management, on the Directorate of Logistics Enterprise Transformation Team at ASC Headquarters. She began her government career as a Department of the Army intern, the summer after she graduated with her bachelor’s degree.
“As a civilian working for the Army, I have been provided with great training opportunities, both on-the-job and classroom training,” she said. “I’ve completed a six- month leadership training course, and I’ve had opportunities to visit different Army bases throughout the country.”
In order to recruit a diverse workforce, ASC has embraced programs like the Minority College Relations Program and the Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities. These programs allow current college students the opportunity to work in a professional environment and gain real-world experience.
“If your goal is government employment, be flexible; jobs are all over the world,” Otero said. “If you’re a young professional, understand that you career can start anywhere, and recognize the potential development in any job opportunity you receive.”
Some advice she would share with those seeking employment, is to try to find a mentor in your career field that you can go to for professional advice and guidance. “Understand the importance of networking; it’s a great way to develop professional relationships that have the possibility to open doors for future career advancement,” she said.
Otero is originally from Iowa City, Iowa, and currently resides in the Quad City area. She graduated from the University of Iowa, with a Bachelor’s of Arts in communication studies and English.
She is a current volunteer for the Minority College Relations Program and also a member of the ASC Hispanic Advisory committee. She is a trained Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and continues to pursue education by taking offered courses to include the Value Stream Mapping course and the Cost Benefit Analysis course through St. Ambrose College for Professional Studies in Davenport, Iowa.
For more information about careers at ASC and with the federal government, go to http://www.armycivilianservice.com.