NDIA History Snapshots: A look back at the history of the association as it celebrates its centennial year.

• Position: AT THE HEART OF THE MISSION NDIA 100

On Sept. 15, 1941, Army Ordnance Association member Tom M. Girdler established the Ordnance Endowment Committee. "Following the uninterrupted policies of the association since its foundation in 1919," the committee vowed the endowment would "not be used to influence legislation of any nature," or "seek the monetary profit or otherwise of any individual, company, or group."

With a broader perspective in mind, the policy team at the National Defense Industrial Association, the direct descendant of the AOA, has instead sought to educate and advocate for high-priority industrial base issues. Acquisition reform, cyber, defense innovation, government-industry collaboration, industrial base development, international trade regulations, national defense budget and small business remain top policy priorities and are as important today as they were in the early 20th century.

From Executive Vice President retired Army Col. Leo Codd's words at the 50th anniversary of AOA, stating that "the association confines itself to the specialized field of disseminating information and guidance on the design, development, production and supply of ordnance equipment required by the armed services and the logistics of national preparedness," to National Defense magazine's 21st century outlook highlighting "sustaining modernization, ensuring readiness, implementing the revolution (in business affairs), rationalizing international trade, revitalizing the workforce," the foundation of the organization remains remarkably constant throughout our history.

Today, the policy team, which is made up of experts in the broad categories of legislative and regulatory practices, is charged with the mission "to ensure the continued existence of a viable, competitive national technology and industrial base, strengthen government-industry partnership through dialogue, and provide interaction between the legislative, executive and judicial branches."

Achieving these goals requires a knowledge of the critical issues, according to retired Air Force Col. Wesley Hallman, senior vice president for policy at NDIA. Hallman arrived at the association in October 2017, marking a new era and rebuilding of NDIA's Policy Division.

"I care about the ecosystem, the environment these guys operate in so that high-performing companies can come in and deliver for our warfighters and for our nation," Hallman said. "We look at it not from a company-by-company basis, but by a sector- or ecosystem-wide...