Brian Thompson is a Senior Vice President at TRAX International and serves as the Program Manager of the Mission Test Support Services contract at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) in Yuma, Arizona. He oversees Army programs at YPG (Yuma Test Center and the Arctic Regions Test Center), leads the U.S. Transportation Command’s Aerial Delivery Services Program, and supports the Navy Integrated Training Environment, or NITE, program.

With more than 30 years at TRAX, Thompson has been instrumental to the company’s growth and has earned numerous accolades for his leadership of dynamic, highly complex programs.

TRAX has been delivering high-quality technical and logistical testing and evaluation (T&E) services for four decades. Please briefly describe the T&E work you do and the makeup of your workforce that delivers the services.

TRAX supports the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground — and Aberdeen Test Center, in Aberdeen, MD — in testing military equipment in real-world conditions, so soldiers are equipped with reliable, battlefield-ready systems.

Our team includes technicians, engineers, operators, former military specialists, mechanics, vehicle drivers, and others who provide the equipment, personnel, and expertise needed to support the testing process.

The key areas of our expertise include range engineering, operations and maintenance services, and natural environments testing.

You’re known for having an engaged and “mission ready” workforce. What’s the key to your successful workforce management?

Our team is comprised of a mix of long-tenured careerists, some who have been with the company for more than 30 years, working alongside early career personnel. Many are former service members continuing their mission in a second career. Across the varied background and experience levels, our team members show up with their best selves, every day. They bring their knowledge, innovative mindset, and commitment to continual improvement to everything they do.

There are really two reasons for our success. First, purpose. People are drawn to the Army’s mission to protect and defend our country. For many, it’s personal. We have several people whose family members were deployed and who know firsthand that the systems we test saved lives. We also have service members who returned from their deployments knowing that we tested the gear they used.

The second reason is opportunity. We are intentional about supporting our employees’ career aspirations. We offer formal and informal upskilling support and have a strong track record of promoting from within. Many of our leaders started their careers here and grew into management roles. That “Grow Your Own” mindset is embedded across the company and up to the CEO.

Say more about the “Grow Your Own” philosophy.

“Grow Your Own” started as a regional initiative here in Arizona, in partnership with the University of Arizona, Arizona Western College, and the Imperial Valley College in California. We saw a growing need for skilled workers — not just for our company, but across the local community — and decided to do something about it.

We started by looking for people with a strong work ethic who wanted to be part of a team and had a willingness to learn. From there, we worked with the colleges to create targeted courses to help prospective and current employees gain the skills needed for range work. A grant helped launch the training program, and it’s been successful ever since.

We look for people with a strong work ethic who want to be part of a team and have a willingness to learn.

We’re in it with our employees. If they’re willing to grow, we’re willing to invest. Our goal is to equip them with the skills to stay alongside the Army, and support evolving mission requirements.

TRAX has a long track record of success doing inherently dangerous work well — and safely. In what ways do you promote safety at work?

T&E for our defense forces is essential, and often dangerous. The Army tests everything from artillery to armored vehicles to soldier systems at large ranges around the world. We support Army testing in desert, arctic, and jungle environments to ensure systems meet rigorous military standards before they reach the warfighter.

Safety is at the core of everything we do. It starts with engaged leadership and includes employees and subject matter experts at every stage of the review process. We conduct ongoing risk assessments and build in mitigations from the start.

With live-fire testing, for example, anyone on the range has the authority to stop a test. You can always restart a countdown, but you can’t undo an injury or equipment loss.

Anyone on the range has the authority to stop a test. You can always restart a countdown, but you can’t undo an injury or equipment loss.

Our daily routines reinforce our safety culture. We hold safety huddles and tailgate meetings before every test, send out safety messages weekly, and conduct a safety standdown meeting every month.

In rare instances where someone is seriously injured, we respond with care and leaders stay with them until family arrives at the hospital. Every incident is shared with the entire workforce — not to assign blame, but to learn and prevent future issues. Safety is both a formal process and an embedded value, every single day.

With evolving technologies and customer needs, how do you stay ahead? And how do you keep your workforce skilled and ready?

Our teams work hands-on with more technologies, weapon systems, and munitions than most service members will see in an entire career. We test software updates and new systems long before they’re fielded. It’s a constant, real-time effort.

Staying ahead starts with mission focus. When your purpose is supporting the warfighter in the safest, most effective way possible, staying ahead is non-negotiable.

We invest heavily in our people. Upskilling is part of how we operate. We partner with colleges and universities to help shape curriculum that supports defense testing. Our leaders also work closely with teams to surface new ideas, and we evolve roles as needed — such as transitioning technician positions into engineering roles.

It’s all about anticipating what’s next, preparing for it, and never losing sight of why we’re here.

Let’s close by talking about leadership. What advice would you give to other leaders trying to build and manage a high-performing workforce?

Earning the trust of our customers takes consistency — delivering high-quality results with flexibility and accountability, no matter the fiscal environment.

My biggest advice is simple: recognize people for a job well done. Some of the most important work is the least visible. Often, those are the jobs others don’t want to do but they keep everything running. When employees feel seen and appreciated, they’re motivated to grow and give their best.

My biggest advice is simple: recognize people for a job well done.

Our leaders make it a point to get out into the field, shake hands, and say thank you. We want every team member to know their efforts matter and that they’re valued.

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