Twenty-four students strolled into the Mojave Desert sunshine, relieved that five days of intensive study were over. The project management performance excellence class, taught by Darryl Moore, conveys 35 hours of professional development continuing education credit to successful graduates. Each day was capped by a retention exam; and students had to pass a 112-question final exam to receive course credit.

“Our goal is for individuals taking this course to utilize structured project methodology. Should they stay in their current positions, compete for a higher grade position, or leave the military altogether, they now have a real differentiator that sets them apart,” Moore said.

Moore teaches the project management course through a contract with the NOVACES Company. He teaches approximately 20 sessions throughout the year throughout Navy Medicine, from Japan to the East Coast.

"It’s difficult for anyone to dedicate a week away from work to attend additional training and I was a bit intimidated,” said Tanya Stuckey, Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms Public Health Specialist and graduate of last week’s course. “It took a little while to find my groove and to understand the material, but the experience and knowledge is well worth the time and effort! By Friday, I had begun to think of ways to implement this knowledge into my programs.”

She said the course materials provide the tools for conducting projects more efficiently.

Moore, who lives in New Orleans, has approximately 40 years of project program management experience. He’s worked for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and large petroleum corporations. He’s certified in three areas of project management, as a project management professional, a risk management professional, and as a program management professional. He also holds a degree in engineering, has an MBA, and is a published author of the book, “Unite Your Uniqueness.”

“The enthusiasm from this cohort of students has been remarkable,” Moore said. “There’s a high potential for them to be influential on their projects going forward.”

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy facebook or twitter.

For more news from Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, visit www.navy.mil/.