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News | Aug. 21, 2025

Learning from the Warfighter

By DCAA Staff Write

Adam Crowe seated in front of a control panelAdam Crowe, a supervisory auditor at DCAA, has focused on leadership development throughout his lengthy federal career. The DoD’s Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) caught Adam’s attention long before he was a supervisor. Today, Adam works in the Arizona Branch Office and oversees audit work related to Honeywell; but years ago, Adam first discovered the ELDP as a junior auditor while reviewing a DCAA newsletter. “There was a photo of participants in tactical gear that immediately caught my attention,” he said.

Years later Adam advanced through DCAA’s ranks. As he worked and gained a deeper understanding and practical experience as a leader, the program remained at the back of his mind. One day, Adam connected with a former supervisor, a program chief, who participated in the ELDP and shared his unique experience. Adam began applying after hearing such a positive experience. “I started submitting applications in 2016 as a GS-13. It took me five tries to be nominated,” he shared. “Each time I got a little further in the application, I learned how to refine my application each time.” With only two participants allowed from each participating agency, the ELDP is a highly competitive program. Applicants submit a resume, biography and written responses detailing their strengths, motivations and potential benefit to their agency if they participate in the program. The process also includes interviews with both agency leadership and an ELDP interview panel if the candidate makes it far enough along with the application. While each denied application may be discouraging for some, Adam persisted, determined to participate in this once in a lifetime experience. 

“I wanted the full experience, I wanted to travel, participate in leadership training from both the civilian side of the DoD and the Warfighter’s side. I wanted to understand how the different branches work alongside the civilian work and how we all fit into our shared mission and how everything we do contributes to national security.”

Adam Crowe and David Van Dingenen The ELDP delivered that and more. Over ten months, Adam and his cohort traveled across the country and abroad, attending leadership briefings from commanders and generals, participating in immersive training, and working alongside military personnel. “Each deployment, we had a different commanding officer who brought their own perspective and style. We learned about challenges they face and how they address them. It was powerful to see leadership in action.” 

Adam shares his favorite experience from the program, visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). “It was surreal. There are more than a million landmines across the border, barbed wire everywhere. Meeting U.S. and South Korean troops stationed there, hearing their stories and exchanging experiences, it was a truly unique experience I’ll never forget.” ELDP also promotes and emphasizes leadership growth, participants complete intensive leadership assessments, team projects, public speaking, peer coaching and workshops for a two-week period. “We learned how to conduct root cause analysis and how to influence decision-makers. It was eye-opening to put those tools into practice in real time, working alongside the Warfighter.” With these key skills, program participants complete a real-world group project. Adam’s team focused on helping the U.S. Navy improve retention in technical engineering fields. “We spend the year identifying challenges and presented actionable recommendations. It was great working with professionals outside DCAA and applying what we learned in a real-world setting.”

Adam Crowe standing in front of an aircraftWhile the program spans less than a year, the travel and workload demands are staggering. Alongside the program’s travel, participants must balance their regular workload and the course requirements. “There were definitely times where it felt like I was treading water, but I’ve got an incredible management team, and independent and skilled audit team, and supportive peer counterparts. They helped keep things moving during my program travel deployments.” Delegation, task prioritization and strong planning allowed Adam to stay connected to audit milestones while also giving his team opportunities to grow in his absence. 

Alongside field experiences and leadership development, Adam shared another valuable part of the program, networking. “There were 62 of us in the cohort from numerous DoD agencies and from different career fields; active duty members, nurses, intel analysts, lawyers, public affairs, I could go on. We built relationships that continue today. I’ve already collaborated with former classmates from [the] DCMA [Defense Contract Management Agency] and the DoD OIG [Office of Inspector General] to exchange ideas and initiatives.” 

Looking ahead, Adam is focused on integrating the lessons from ELDP into his everyday leadership. 

“My personal and professional growth really benefited from this program. I’m more intentional about building relationships with my team and balancing connection with accountability. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to grow in their career or make a broader impact. It is an intense program. You’re constantly in motion and work 12 plus hour days. Flying out to deployments, coming back and trying to catch up before leaving again. But the perspective you gain, the people you meet and the experience you gain from working alongside the Warfighter are truly invaluable.”

 

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