MICC leader selected to attend Army War College

FORT BRAGG, NC-Percy Jones, Deputy to the Commander of the 419th Contracting Brigade, U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC), was recently selected to attend the prestigious U.S. Army War College Distance Education Program (USAWC-DEP) for the Cohort of 2026–2028. Jones received his official welcome letter in April 2026. In August 2026, he will begin a rigorous, two-year graduate curriculum designed to transition seasoned tactical and operational leaders into strategic visionaries.

The U.S. Army War College Distance Education Program (AWC-DEP) is a rigorous, two-year graduate curriculum designed for senior military officers and civilian leaders. The program awards a Master of Strategic Studies degree and grants Joint Professional Military Education Level I (JPME-I) credit, all while allowing students to continue in their full-time professional roles.

Jones pursued this senior professional military education opportunity to further his strategic leadership development, ultimately choosing the Army War College over the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Senior Service Fellowship, for which he was also selected. While deeply honored by both highly competitive selections, Jones determined that the USAWC program best aligns with his long-term career goals.

Behind this impressive executive milestone is a story of sheer determination, humble beginnings, and leaps of faith. Growing up in a military family, the culture of service was the backdrop of his childhood. Jones’s path to federal leadership was anything but guaranteed. He still vividly remembers spending weekends bagging groceries at the local commissary for tips. Looking back at those days standing at the end of the checkout lines, he could never have envisioned the path that lay ahead.

“Pausing to acknowledge how far I’ve come is a deeply humbling experience, and it is a direct testament to the values, work ethic, and resilience instilled in me by my family and the military community that raised me,” said Jones.

In the early 2000s, while finishing his master's degree, Jones was living in North Carolina. Driven by a desire to build a career, he would wake up at 3:00 a.m. to make the grueling drive to Washington, D.C., just to walk the floors of job fairs. It was at one of these fairs that he stumbled into the world of federal acquisitions.

"I had no idea what acquisitions was or what a contracting officer actually did," Jones reflects with a smile. "I tell people all the time that this is a life that chose me."

He entered the Federal Government through the Environmental Protection Agency as an intern, starting as a GS-7. The reality of his new career was a stark contrast to the polished world of D.C. professionals. Struggling to survive financially in the nation's capital on a junior employee's salary, Jones relied on the kindness of a good friend, sleeping on his futon for months as he worked to establish himself.

"My road has not been easy, and I am not special or any different than anyone else in our workforce," Jones emphasized.

Fast forward to today, Jones has served as an Army civilian for eleven years, with the last three years in his current leadership role at the 419th Contracting Brigade. The unit directly supports U.S. Army and Department of War strategic priorities including the Joint Innovation Outpost, Southern Border Mission, Enterprise Architect-Engineer Services Contract, and is aligned directly with the XVIII Airborne Corps, the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, the 5th Mountain Division, and 3rd Infantry Division.

The USAWC-DEP curriculum immerses students in several interconnected domains of study. Students begin by examining Strategic Leadership and Art, where they refine the ethical, creative, and critical thinking skills demanded of enterprise-level executives. This transitions into a deep dive into National Security Policy and Strategy, requiring students to evaluate how American foreign policy is formulated and how the military coordinates with the State Department and other federal entities through the complex interagency process.

Furthermore, the coursework heavily explores the Theory of War and Military Strategy. By studying classical and contemporary strategic thought, students learn to apply the rigorous "Ends, Ways, and Means" framework to evaluate military campaigns and national security goals. Finally, through the study of Theater Planning and Joint Operations, students master the art of synchronizing land power with naval, air, space, and multinational capabilities to secure comprehensive national interests.

For Jones, the realization that he will one day become an alumnus of such a prestigious institution is truly inspiring.

“To know that I will study the same strategic frameworks and walk the same academic paths as giants of American military leadership—figures like General John Pershing, Lt. Gen. Nadja West, and General Colin Powell—carries both incredible prestige and a profound responsibility to lead with excellence.”

Unlike earlier professional military education that focuses heavily on the tactical or operational levels of war, the Army War College is explicitly designed to transition seasoned leaders into strategic visionaries. Graduates, who earn a Master of Strategic Studies degree upon completion of either the resident or their chosen distance education program, are taught to look beyond winning individual battles. Instead, the focus shifts to navigating volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous global environments. Students learn how to effectively integrate military force with the diplomatic, informational, and economic instruments of national power to achieve broader national objectives.

As he reflects on the journey from the commissary checkout lines and a D.C. futon to the highest levels of professional military education, Jones is quick to ground his success in his support system. He attributes his achievements to the unwavering support of his family, expressing deep gratitude to his wife, and their sons, as well as his in-laws. He also honors the enduring legacy of his late parents, whose early guidance paved the way for his resilience.

“I am incredibly grateful to the mentors, colleagues, and family who have supported me along the journey,” said Jones. “I look forward to the rigorous academic challenges that await when classes begin this August, and I am ready to step into this next chapter of strategic leadership.”

Jones is most proud that he earned this selection through a rigorous, highly competitive process based entirely on my application packet and interviews. It was an objective, independent assessment of his body of work and his capacity to take on greater leadership responsibilities. This achievement was not the result of favoritism or belonging to a specific segment of the workforce; it is an opportunity earned strictly on merit.

But ultimately, Jones hopes his story serves as a catalyst for others in the workforce. He doesn't share this milestone to highlight his own greatness, but rather to prove what is possible. His goal is to inspire people to be better and apply for these opportunities.

"I say all this to say that every one of us has a choice, and you all have the potential to do something great," Jones says. "I hope that everyone understands that challenging yourself and taking those leaps of faith, along with hard work, is what got me here. If I can do it, you can too.

About the MICC Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, theMission and Installation Contracting Commandcomprises about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. A subordinate command of the Army Contracting Command and the Army Materiel Command, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.