U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command

08/05/2026

At the direction of the Department of the Army, we will close ATEC social media sites in the coming days. The Army is streamlining our digital channels to amplify our Soldiers’ stories globally, while delivering more direct, secure, and reliable updates to our families at home.

We will continue to share our story with our partners across government, industry, and academia! Make sure you like and follow the pages below, where you will find ATEC content:
➡ Aberdeen Proving Ground
➡ U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command

💡 Stay up to date on our latest news: https://atec.army.mil/ and https://atec.army.mil/home/atec-news/
📧 Contact us directly: [email protected]

07/10/2026

COL Johnathon Nelson has officially taken command of the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range! He isn't new to ATEC - he transitions directly from a successful three-year command at the Yuma Proving Ground.

Join us in giving a warm welcome to COL Nelson and wishing BG Drew Morgan the best in his next assignment! 👏

07/09/2026

The 2026 AI Challenge "Submission Update" phase is here, and the momentum is incredible!

This year’s theme is "Make a Connection," and our workforce is doing exactly that—collaborating across organizations and tapping into authoritative data sources to build sustainable, cutting-edge tools.

Here is a quick look at how the command is answering the call this year:

📈 Record-Breaking Engagement: We received 47 proposals (up from 28 last year!), driven by over 120 innovators.
🤝 Total Representation: For the first time, we have submissions from every single test center.
🧠 Diverse Technology: Roughly 50% of our teams are developing chat agents and leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), while the other half are pioneering new capabilities in video processing, image processing, and advanced data analytics.

From beginners getting their feet wet with artificial intelligence to cross-functional teams designing solutions with enterprise-wide impact, this challenge highlights a massive demand signal for AI across the command.

We can't wait to help transition these brilliant ideas from team-level kernels into enterprise-wide solutions that will drive ATEC forward for years to come.

📺 Check out the video below to hear more about the incredible innovation happening right now in the 2026 AI Challenge! 👇

U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center | Dugway Proving Ground | U.S. Army Operational Evaluation Command | U.S. Army Redstone Test Center | U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range | Yuma Proving Ground

07/07/2026

For this , we are proud to highlight a recent visit from Secretary of the Army, Dan P. Driscoll, to Dugway Proving Ground!

Developing new technology is only the first step—testing it under realistic conditions is how we ensure it’s ready for the warfighter. During the visit, Secretary Driscoll got a firsthand look at our robust testing infrastructure and how we are modernizing our capabilities to meet future challenges.

By making Army ranges like DPG more accessible to our defense industry partners, we are directly speeding up the delivery of cutting-edge capabilities to the force.

A special shoutout to the DPG personnel who received recognition coins from Secretary Driscoll for their exceptional dedication and hard work. Excellence lives here! 🪙

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July! 🎆

Today, we celebrate the freedom and unity of our nation while honoring the dedicated service members and families who protect our liberties.

Wishing everyone a safe and proud Independence Day! 🇺🇸

07/03/2026

Congratulations to Mr. Ryan Harris, ATEC’s Mission Employee of the Fourth Quarter for Fiscal Year 25! 🎉

Serving as the Lead Flight Test Engineer at the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center, Ryan demonstrated exceptional technical leadership and unmatched rotary-wing expertise. 🚁

Ryan superbly managed the complex UH-60L Barometric Altimeter test. Working on an extremely tight timeline, he coordinated seamlessly across multiple organizations to meet critical technical and programmatic needs.

His determination and leadership ensured the timely delivery of vital test results, directly facilitating the U.S. Army quick-reaction response to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Join us in thanking Ryan for his dedication, professionalism, and outstanding service to the mission! 👏

07/01/2026

Beat the heat!🌡️

Stay alert for heat warnings and know the signs of heat illness to keep yourself and your team mission ready.

🌡️ The summer heat is a serious adversary. With major heat waves setting in this week, staying vigilant for heat warnings is key to keeping yourself and your unit mission ready.

Know the right actions for heat illness:
Heat Exhaustion: Move to shade, loosen uniform, and encourage sipping water. Monitor to prevent progression to heat stroke.
Heat Stroke: MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Call 911 immediately and start cooling with ice sheets.

06/29/2026

Recently, Army University partnered with ATEC G1 to develop an Organizational Change Workshop, which was delivered by Army Management Staff College. The workshop provided valuable techniques, assessments and change theory concepts to help the G1 team manage transition in support of the Army Transformation Initiative.

The ATEC Commander, MG Pat Gaydon, and Executive Technical Director/Deputy to the Commander, Mr. James Amato, both shared insights with the G1 team to further explain Army transformation and how ATEC is evolving to support it.

While past traditional testing methodologies worked to field legacy systems, Industrial Age processes no longer support Information Age technologies, and using outdated processes will guarantee obsolescence. Both leaders stressed the rapid rate of technological change, especially when it comes to AI enabled systems and drones, and that ATEC must move faster and assume prudent risk.

Here is how ATEC is completely transforming its approach to testing, data, and industry partnerships:

⚙️ Iterative Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Fielding - Weapons are increasingly software-intensive. We are pivoting to COTS models, fielding capabilities iteratively and updating them constantly—much like smartphone software updates.

📈 Data Standardization - Analysts used to spend 80% of their time just wrangling data formats. By standardizing data collection across all locations, ATEC can leverage its data mesh for instant analytics and rapid safety releases.

📍 Opening Ranges to Industry - Innovation requires access. ATEC is aggressively opening test ranges to private industry—from major primes to agile startups—to test new tech, challenge 30-year-old safety constraints, and learn through rapid failure and iteration.

💻 True Optimization - While recent changes focused on rebalancing the workforce, the next phase is pure optimization. ATEC will leverage AI and automation for repetitive tasks so our experts can focus on complex problem-solving.

Both leaders emphasized that ATEC’s 95% civilian workforce is the absolute center of gravity for this transformation. Mr. Amato highlighted his core leadership philosophy: empower the experts and focus entirely on knocking down walls and removing legacy policy barriers. MG Gaydon echoed this, reminding the enterprise that the primary purpose of the staff is to enable subordinate units to accomplish their missions.

06/25/2026

Equipping the testers who equip the warfighter: Elmer Mlinaric's ATEC journey began in 2007 during a challenging personal time when he needed a role that allowed him to care for his father. What started as a part-time position quickly evolved into a near decade career.

Why has he stayed for so long? A deep, unwavering belief in ATEC’s "Truth in Testing" mission. Elmer understands that by supporting the personnel who test and validate military gear, he is directly ensuring that our warfighters receive the most effective, reliable equipment possible on the battlefield. 🪖

In his daily work, Elmer wears many hats to keep our mission running smoothly. Operating as a procurement specialist, license steward, and technical engineer, he expertly balances critical technical requirements with fiscal responsibility. Elmer thrives on the challenge of saving taxpayer dollars while ensuring ATEC end-users have the exact hardware and software they need to be efficient and effective.

Thank you, Elmer, for your relentless dedication to our team and to those who serve! 👏