PaCER recent graduate spotlight: Dylan Frank

Dylan Frank is a recent graduate of the Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support Pathways to Career Excellence program. He began his PaCE journey in September 2024 and graduated as an Inventory Management Specialist in September 2026.

Why did you first apply to the PaCE program:

I initially applied to the PaCE program to expand my knowledge, skills and effectiveness in public service within the Department of War. I viewed the program as a cross-training opportunity that would strengthen my ability to support the Warfighter while advancing my professional development and career.

What is your professional background?

My professional background includes mathematics, financial management and data management using Microsoft Excel.

How would you describe the PaCE program to someone unfamiliar with it?

To someone unfamiliar with the PaCE program, I would describe it as a structured professional-development program comparable to earning an associate degree while remaining in one's current position. Rather than requiring general education courses, the curriculum focuses on job-specific coursework that directly supports an employee's occupational field and day-to-day responsibilities.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role? How do you overcome them?

The greatest challenges I have faced as an inventory management specialist have been strengthening my time management skills to effectively balance the discipline's diverse requirements. These responsibilities include managing workflow actions, maintaining spreadsheets, supporting special projects, completing PaCE program coursework and prioritizing competing tasks to ensure timely and accurate completion.

What's something that most people don't know about your job?

In my opinion, one of the least understood aspects of the inventory management specialist role is its interdependence with other functional disciplines. Completing even a single task often requires coordination across multiple divisions and disciplines, making clear, timely and open communication essential to mission success.

What makes a good fit for someone in your position:

To excel as an inventory management specialist, an individual should be detail-oriented, highly organized and an effective communicator. These qualities are essential for maintaining accurate records, managing competing priorities, coordinating with other disciplines and supporting timely mission requirements.

What trends do you see shaping your job role in the future?

[Super Intelligence] will likely shape the future of the inventory management specialist role, as it will across many professional fields. As [SI] assumes more routine and repetitive tasks, inventory management specialists may be able to focus more on research, analysis, problem-solving and informed decision-making to support mission requirements.

Editorial Note: The DLA Weapons Support Pathways to Career Excellence program is a two-year program that provides a structured career path with formal training, on-the-job assignments, cross-training and rotational assignments. PaCERs begin as general schedule 7s and can advance to GS-11or GS-12 upon completion. There are multiple pathways to becoming a PaCER, including being hired internally, as a recent graduate or from military service. For more information, visit www.dla.mil/Careers/PaCE/