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Have you ever wondered how that ‘thing’ that you purchased (whether on-line or in a store) gets to you – a place where you can touch, feel and use it? Have you ever wondered about the complex network of suppliers, distributors, stockers, and customer service organizations that are involved in this seemingly automatic transaction? Do you think about ‘what if’ something happened in the world (e.g. an earthquake in Japan, a tsunami in China, a labor strike in California, a cyber attack on a retail database) and how it might impact our domestic and global economies? At CANA we think about these things. Global supply chains are complex. Running a business, whatever business sector you’re in, no matter how small or big, puts you into contact with a global supply chain. This is inevitable in today’s environment. Understanding your supplier and supply chain risk has moved from interesting to critical – their performance can directly impact your ability to deliver. And face it, we are all motivated to deliver on time, at the right location, in the right form – whether we are delivering products or services. CANA professionals – spanning a range of logistics operations and analytics expertise – think of supply chain risk in simple terms – terms that you’ve typically heard, read about, and maybe even use. Risk is a function of the likelihood of an event occurring, the impact of the event if it happens, and any ‘down stream’ effects on the related supplier and supply chain network. Our differentiator is how we use our expertise and analytics to identify potential risk events, assess the impact of events, and determine mitigation actions that will actually work. Engage us to let us help you improve your supply chain risk awareness and planning capabilities. CANA is leading a working group at next week’s Military Operations Research Society’s (MORS) special meeting on How Risk Assessments Inform National Security Decision Making (we’re leading working group 3, so join us there!). Our working group will focus on socializing and developing analytic methods to assess your supply chain risk (i.e. considering identification, impact, mitigation) whether your organizational mission falls within the Federal or commercial sector. You can register at the MORS site (best way) or let us assist you. Either way, let us know that you’re attending so that we can help customize the working group content toward your needs. If you can’t attend, no worries! Let us know where you’re interested, and we will help assess and improve how you think of and plan for risks across your supply chain. If you haven’t considered the impact of your supply chain on your organizational performance, what are you waiting for? #supplychain #mors #risk #operations #planning

When it comes to ocean shipping, planning for major weather events within your advanced planning systems is critical to ensure on-time delivery. CANA’s Walt DeGrange will be presenting on this topic “Avoiding Tropical Cyclones in Automated Naval Logistics Planning” during next week’s Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS) Annual Meeting. If you’ll be there, stop by his presentation on Wednesday, November 12th, at 12:45. Abstract: ”The US Navy’s Combat Logistics Force (CLF) provides at-sea resupply to US and allied vessels throughout the world. The CLF scheduling system anticipates demand and schedules 45 days in advance to meet demand. Tropical cyclones (TCs) frequently disrupt these plans, requiring diversions, and inefficient steaming speeds. We evaluate the impact of using TC forecasts in operational planning, and the best lead time and geographic extent of severe weather to use in optimizing CLF operational planning.” The research in this presentation was completed in collaboration with Capt Steven Lantz, USMC while CDR Walt DeGrange, USN (retred) was a military instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School. #weather #supplychain #impact #logistics #shipping #navy #cyclones #travel

Imagine an author putting the finishing touches on her latest book while sitting at the back table in a local coffee shop and sipping on an espresso. For many, this is the traditional picture of a virtual worker. However, two major changes are occurring that can allow entire companies to go virtual: technology simplifying communication and workers becoming more independent. Technology now allows modern information workers to perform their tasks from anywhere. Provide an internet connection and laptop and you have a fully functioning worker. The business world is struggling to keep up with this model. As when developing countries completely skipped traditional wired telecommunications and moved directly to a cellular network, new companies can be more agile in adopting a virtual work environment. The benefits for both the company and the workforce are many. First and foremost, there is a reduction in the cost of doing business. The infrastructure overhead is greatly reduced. Instead of the traditional building with cubicles and offices, the workforce is distributed. Having employees spread throughout the country can also be an advantage. Employee locations can overlap with client or partner locations and reduce the travel costs. An infographic from Under Cover Recruiter, http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/new-workstyle-infographic/, focuses on the differences between traditional and new work styles. Workers in the new work environment have a level of independence that up until now has only been enjoyed by the solo creatives. Individuals are given more control over their work conditions which often results in geographically dispersed workforces. Workers can work flexible hours from a variety of different locations. Creatives typing away in the back of a coffeehouse is always a popular visual. Although this is a viable option, there are many different ways to work remotely. Workers may choose to work from home. A well-setup office at home can provide a productive environment. Another option is a coworking facility. These were originally designed for teleworkers, small companies, and as innovation incubators for startups but are perfect for a virtual company. These facilities provide conference rooms, private call areas, comfortable chairs and desks, and office supplies for a fraction of the cost of a full brick and mortar office. The infographic from Deskmag (‘Deskmag | The Coworking Magazine’, 2014) highlights the advantages of cowork locations. Is the virtual company concept just a passing fad? Only time will tell; however with the reduced cost of operations, it is hard to see them going away anytime soon. The Under Cover Recruiter, blog. The New Workstyle. http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/new-workstyle-infographic/ Deskmag | The Coworking Magazine. (2014, July 11). deskman. Where would you like to work every day? Retrieved from www.deskmag.com #virtualcompany #homeoffice #remote #connection #smallcompany #workenvironment

When I first joined CANA, right out of college, it was a bit overwhelming. Transitioning from attending classes and completing homework assignments to attending meetings and completing Jira tasks was a deceptively big change. Although college taught me in theory about programming and software development, I didn’t have much firsthand experience and wasn’t familiar with the technologies being used at CANA. Luckily, CANA had a training schedule ready for me to get me acquainted with the development process and the technology I would have to use. During this training process, I learned JavaScript and TypeScript. In addition, I completed the official Appian training course from their website. Appian is a Marine Corps approved platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that provides the capability for enterprise application development in a cloud environment. I have found this training to be especially helpful, since Appian is mainly what I work with every day, and I haven’t used TypeScript or JavaScript yet. However, I didn’t feel like I had a real grasp on the concepts until I put them into practice. I gained this experience working on real bugs and features for the Integrated Materiel Analysis Toolset (IMAT) system which is designed to replace the Marine Corps’ legacy war reserve. I started with pair programming. Two senior programmers helped work me through some small bug fixes and taught me how they usually approach these issues. There were some differences between how they approached development and what was taught in the official Appian training. In particular, they taught me how to use the hidden Appian lambda functions, which weren’t mentioned in the official training. This training and the experience of working on actual software systems, with paying clients, has been effective in making me much more confident and knowledgeable in the development of software. Besides the training, another challenge was working from home. However, this wasn’t actually a big change for me. In college, I had to work from home during my last semester due to COVID restrictions. In addition, I had experience working from home from my internship with the startup, Northland Creative Wonders. However, with the startup, I occasionally met with my boss in person. At CANA I never meet anyone in person, as a result I must rely more on Zoom meetings and chats to keep in contact with coworkers. I think the biggest challenge of working from home is keeping a schedule. If I was working in an office, the manager would tell everyone when it was time to attend a meeting or do other activities, but when you work remotely, you need to keep track of these things yourself, and it can be easy to get engrossed in a task and not notice what time it is. I have dealt with this challenge by setting up alarms that notify me when it is time to start a new task or join a meeting. I’ve enjoyed working at CANA so far and think this is a great start to my professional career. My favorite things so far have been the friendly company culture, the kind people, and the ability to work from home. My fellow programmers have been very nice and helpful to me during my time working at CANA. They have given me helpful tips and feedback on how to do the best work I can and have assisted me when I was struggling with hard tasks. Although I didn’t get to go last year, I look forward to meeting everyone in person at the next offsite. My advice to a new developer joining the company is this: make sure to manage your time well, try your best to become very familiar with the new technologies we use, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are stuck. Tristan Rentsch is a Software Developer at CANA LLC. For more information or to reach out to Tristan email him at trentsch@canallc.com

Here are some interesting facts, statistics, and other oddities about Friday the 13th: Paraskavedekatriaphobia: It is the fear of Friday the 13th. According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina, upwards of 21 million people in the US are impacted by this fear. The Thirteen Club: An elite group of men in New York City founded in 1882 with the intent to repair the number’s reputation by Captain William Fowler, who fought in 13 Civil War battles. With its membership including other notable figures, like Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt, the club met every 13th of the month, at 13 after the hour, in groups of 13. They set out to debunk what they viewed as other irrational fears—like opening an umbrella inside or breaking mirrors—by acting them out at every meeting. Plane crashes: Plenty of plane crashes have taken place on Friday the 13th. Few have been more horrific than the October 1972 crash of Uruguayan Flight 571. Lottery: In a study conducted it was found that the number 13 is the unluckiest ball in lottery draws since it was drawn a total of 120 times since 1994. Or maybe that just means it is bound to be a lucky hit soon, but statistically speaking it’s not. Stock market: According to a study conducted by The Wall Street Journal, stock prices fall on Friday the 13th more often than on any other day. The Last Supper: According to Christian tradition, there were 13 people present at the Last Supper, and Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Stock market crashes: The stock market crash of 1929, which led to the Great Depression, occurred on Friday the 13th. Famous birthdays: Many famous people were born on Friday the 13th, including actors Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, novelist Samuel Beckett, and former President of Cuba Fidel Castro. Horror movies: The Friday the 13th movie franchise has grossed over $465 million worldwide. However that pales in comparison to the amount of licensed merchandise that the franchise as a whole has raked in since the first movie hit the silver screens in May of 1980. Weddings: According to a study conducted by The Knot, nearly 3% of couples choose to get married on Friday the 13th. Car accidents: A study conducted by the British Medical Journal found that there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on Friday the 13th. Natural disasters: According to a study conducted by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics, there are fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft on Friday the 13th. However, there is a significant increase in hospital admissions due to accidents. Tattoos: A study conducted by the online tattoo marketplace Inkluded found that tattoos booked on Friday the 13th are often cheaper than those booked on other days of the year. So, if you are looking to get inked maybe this Friday is your best bang for the buck, but let us hope there don’t turn out to be any tattoo nightmares. Have a spooktacular, safe, happy, and fun Friday the 13th everyone! For more interesting statistics and analytics follow CANA on instagram, X (twitter), facebook, linkedIn, or on our website at CANALLC.com 🎃 #fridaythe13th #statistics #analytics #canallc #teamcana #lottery #stockmarket #oddities #facts #canaconnection

Cherish Joostberns | Principal Communications Analyst & Resource Manager Employees of a certain age might remember “Meetings, Bloody Meetings” - a 1976 corporate training film starring John Cleese about a man dreaming he’s on trial for holding disorganized and terrible meetings. As corporate training films go, it is - improbably - a Monty Python-esque “classic”. And for all of us that ever watched annual training films, we know that’s an accomplishment! We’ve included the link to the original here, for anyone looking for a Halloween trick or treat! With CANA being a remote company across multiple time zones, we think we’ve put a pin in running tight, productive meetings. When we have the opportunity to travel and meet the team, clients, and peers, we know it’s a big deal. Face-to-face events allow for learning and out-of-the-box thinking in a way a Zoom meeting or boardroom cannot. Conferences, so many conferences, will have their own sets of headaches - weak wifi, disappointing pastries, bad microphones, or even empty seats - but they are almost always a net positive in who comes to the table and what CANA gets out of every one of them. We know we’ve crossed paths with many of you! In the past few months, CANA attended a number of live events so we could engage in, and promote, electric mobility ideas, initiatives, and opportunities. We’ve met a lot of people, shook a lot of hands, and shared a lot of passion. First stop this August was Newport News, Virginia, for the Association of Marine Corps Logisticians (AMCL) Symposium. A great many of the CANA team were there, by way of first-hand Marine Corps and Navy logistics experience and their current CANA roles. Rob Cranston, CANA President; Jesse Kemp, Principal Program Manager; Tommy Kline, Principal Logistics IT Integrator; Terry Hagen, Principal Logistics Analyst; Jerome Dixon, Senior Operations Research Analyst, and Greg Lewis, Principal Logistics Analyst, among others, were panelists, moderators, and audience members for sessions like “Making 21st Century Logisticians”; “The Fully Burdened Cost of Energy”; and “Advanced Manufacturing”. These are the topics that continue to push issues of energy resiliency, security, diversification, and innovation to the forefront. Several members of CANA flew to Hawaii in late summer for the Operational Energy Logistics Symposium, to include Greg Lewis and CANA’s Technical Director of Energy Solutions, Shawn Charchan. Of note, the symposium was a public introduction of the Advanced Operational Energy Toolkit (AERT), an ongoing effort CANA is establishing within the energy analytics community to research and explore energy systems and emergent energy-related technologies. It will enable users to understand how this emergent tech will enable future forces to use energy as a battlefield enabler and operate in new and novel ways. Will Berry, CANA Principal Program Manager and lead for CANA Electric Mobility Initiatives, also attended the Tactical EV Expo in San Diego. Will met with an array of commercial vendors and federal and military stakeholders interested in developing an already available electric and hydrogen tactical transportation solutions. It was a perfect opportunity to share the continued progress of CANA’s partner, the SoCal Tech Bridge, and the eTHOR prototype partnership. SoCal Tech Bridge Director Ben Cohen was on hand as well, speaking about the challenges and opportunities in bringing electrification to the battlespace. CANA wrapped up the government’s fiscal year in late September at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar Air Show. When people stopped looking up, they checked out the ingenuity on hand at the Air Show’s Tech & Innovation Expo, where CANAers Will Berry, Chris Cichy, Principal AI Analyst, and Shawn Charchan were gathered with partners like AWS and DANNAR LLC to bring the eTHOR prototype and electric energy excitement to literally hundreds of thousands of visitors. Elements of eTHOR have already been involved in real-world missions, and that continued validation of its relevance is always exciting to share. If you attended any of these events, or would like to connect with anyone who attended, we would love to hear from you! Let’s keep the coffee hot, the pastries plentiful, and the conversation going! #electricmobility #tacticalvehicles #logistics #marinecorps #navy #operationalenergy #eTHOR #energysystems #electricvehicles #electrictechnology #sustainability #installationresilience If you’d like to contact Cherish Joostberns, Principal Communications Analyst & Resource Manager, you can reach Cherish at cjoostberns@canallc.com

We’re excited to share details with you about WS2, CANA’s Warehouse Software & Services offering. We developed WS2 with the intent to create a complete and customizable warehouse solution Powered by CANA Analytics, and I believe we’ve succeeded! CANA’s WS2 starts with an expert, full-scope warehouse assessment to fully understand our client’s physical processes and operating procedures. We then configure our cloud-based software based on our client’s priorities. From here, we provide a variety of services including those that help our clients improve their warehousing planning, operations, and management, and to support data integration and analysis. Our approach to full integration is relationship-based - we want our clients to fully realize the benefits of our WS2 software & services as soon as possible and for the long term. Our first WS2 implementation was for an emergency incident response department with responsibility for warehousing, order management, and customer fulfillment of supplies and equipment within the state of Alaska. This project started in the peak of COVID and is now winding down into a successful maintenance mode. As we all know, that pandemic time period was marked by a number of global unknowns and some serious supply chain and logistics challenges; I believe it allowed us to illustrate how effectively WS2 can integrate into, and improve upon, an emergency response warehouse operation. The primary impetus behind the WS2 success is the CANA team - warehouse specialists, software developers, and operations research analysts - who work directly with our clients and behind the scenes to build a seamless product with services that ensure each successful client implementation and integration! We’ve gathered those team members together in this CANA newsletter to tell their story. As we continue to bring this solution into other commercial spaces, we welcome you to forward this edition to anyone seeking a warehouse management solution - either to help refocus and improve warehousing processes or implementing a warehouse management software. We will be happy to reach out and provide a demonstration. As always, we wish you a safe and wonderful summer. Best, Norm Q&A with CANA WS2 Lead, Cliff Carpenter As a Principal Logistics Analyst, what is your role in the development of WS2? WS2 means “Warehouse Software & Services.” CANA provides clients with services that help them prepare to effectively use warehouse software to manage their operation and decide how to use the data created by warehouse management software to shape business decisions. As an experienced warehouse manager, I was able to work with our talented team of developers to prepare our software for the commercial market and work with our client base to choose the right services for their needs. What makes WS2 different from other products on the market? First, it’s the CANA people. The commercial market is filled with warehouse software products that small businesses, in particular, buy and struggle to implement. CANA is about seeing a client run a successful warehouse - this may or may not mean that we sell them software, it may mean helping them effectively use a software product they already purchased. Secondly, the CANA Warehouse Management System (WMS) represents the best aspects of modern warehousing software including a unique module for inventory control and quality assurance. Finally, CANA WMS has specific features to service warehouses that issue and recover kits (medical kits that go on an ambulance or individual kits that are issued to wildland firefighters, for example). Typical eCommerce software does not anticipate inventory coming back to the warehouse except in the case of customer returns. Who is WS2's target audience and how does it cater to each individual client? Our charter is specific to State warehouse clients (particularly emergency response) and small and mid-cap commercial eCommerce and service delivery clients. CANA uses a front end analysis (FEA) to evaluate each client's specific needs. The range of needs is very wide and CANA is committed to offering only what a client needs to be successful. What do you see as some of the more significant challenges in warehouse management today? Economically staffing a warehouse with a competent labor force at an hourly wage that is profitable is the hardest problem for a warehouse to solve. WMS is the bridge to this solution, allowing a team to execute the essential functions of receive, putaway, pick, pack, and ship with very limited training while generating the data needed to assess performance indicators and make adjustments. Did you learn anything unexpected while creating WS2? Market planning, sales and revenue forecasting, partnership with a software development team, and interaction with analytics professionals for the purpose of data modeling are all 100% new to me. I'm an experienced operations manager for large warehouse organizations, so before joining CANA, I was a customer of all these CANA core competencies. Every day has been a learning experience for me since joining CANA two years ago. Unexpected? Clients know the result they want without knowing what they need to get the desired result; I didn't expect that. Everyday HEROes: CANA Implements WS2 in Alaska During the height of the COVID pandemic, the state of Alaska’s Health Emergency Response Operations (HERO) team in Anchorage was tasked with providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other critical medical and emergency supplies to many facilities across the state. This critical customer base included healthcare facilities, hospitals, preschools, schools, nursing homes, food service industries, first responders, and more. The HERO team’s usual processes and workflows were all manual: orders were filled out on a paper form and faxed to the warehouse, and spreadsheets were used to manage everything from inventory quantities, order fulfillments, and basic reporting. Once the warehouse clients faxed their orders to the warehouse, they had no visibility of order delivery. This often resulted in HERO personnel spending significant amounts of time fielding calls for more information about items ordered. The HERO team realized there should be a better way; a global pandemic confirmed it. With high demands for PPE, Alaska HERO realized software was needed to automate warehouse operations and streamline processes. They also required visibility into product distribution across the various regions of Alaska to properly report how the PPE was distributed across the various metropolitan and rural areas. This was necessary to ensure equitable and prioritized access to all citizens. The warehouse director was also responsible for reporting accurate data to the state and this took a substantial amount of time. Alaska HERO knew they would benefit from warehouse management software, and they knew it had to be a highly customizable solution to fit the unique needs of their organization. When Alaska HERO called, CANA was ready with an answer. Front End Assessment and WS2 Customization CANA’s first course of action was to conduct an on-site assessment at the Alaska HERO site, traveling from Pennsylvania, Georgia, and California to meet at the Anchorage facility. The team included CANA’s Cliff Carpenter, WS2 Lead; Dan Sterrett, Principal Software Developer; and Kurt Eades, Principal Information Systems Security Manager. First person views aided their ability to meet the needs of Alaska HERO and later afforded meaningful opportunities to provide onsite training on the software and warehouse best practices. Once at the warehouse, the CANA team observed the processes and workflows of the HERO operation to understand its strengths and weaknesses and to assemble a thorough list of unique software, hardware, and storage requirements. The next step was to consolidate all of the data from the HERO spreadsheets, such as customer accounts, products, and historical data. This information was then loaded into the Warehouse Management System (WMS), the software component of WS2, through an Extract Transform and Load (ETL) process and then customized to specific HERO business rules and requirements. Testing, Evaluation & Implementation During several of CANA’s onsite visits, the team conducted physical inventories of the HERO equipment. The intent was to determine exact inventories and locations, and to establish the data points HERO desired in the new WS2. Some inventory iterations were virtual, with the CANA team creating a digital warehouse twin that exactly mirrored the Alaska HERO site. Using this, the team had unlimited means to identify key areas of interest, correct problems, and improve efficiencies. Kurt Eades played a unique role in this aspect of WS2 integration. When not directly on-site in Alaska, Kurt was able to physically and repeatedly test the optimized warehouse layout and software integration. He achieved this by creating a mock up of the HERO warehouse assets and processes at his home office in Georgia, complete with layout of inventory, scanning and tracking capabilities, warehouse processes, and appropriate hardware and software. The attention to detail included the labeling of barcodes on the smallest trackable items within parts kits to generating comprehensive reports, and enabled CANA to test and evaluate the eventual optimal warehouse in Alaska without disrupting operations. Back in Pennsylvania, Dan Sterrett evaluated the information gathered at the on-site assessment and worked diligently to develop an eCommerce platform to handle customer orders. Within the CANA WS2, Dan customized the software to meet the unique needs of Alaska HERO, improving the workers’ ability to manage inventory; facilitate picking, packing and shipping processes; and providing visibility to customers by including notification options from order placement to when the items were shipped. Dan noted, “[s]preadsheets can only do so much. Every business or organization needs software that is designed for their particular use case...especially when it comes to warehouse management. Powered by CANA Analytics is what enables us to take HERO’s available data points, integrate the client’s key performance indicators and priorities, and then provide a rich analysis of what it all means; it’s what makes WS2 unique.” Completion CANA wrapped up the Alaska HERO WS2 project with a final site visit to complete the revised layout of the physical warehouse and to confirm final implementation and approval of the WS2 product. WS2’s cloud-based nature ensures updates over time will be prompt and not cause extra friction to the Alaska HERO team. The product’s flexibility will allow CANA to adapt WS2 to HERO’s evolving needs, from future applications like SMART facilities to renewable energy alternatives and autonomy. The CANA team remains fully available to troubleshoot any issues that might arise, continuing the superior level of commitment CANA has towards its clients. The Alaska HERO warehouse team was particularly pleased with the in-person, hands-on experience, as well as the continued touch points over time. Cliff Carpenter observed, “[i]t's been a pleasure working with our partners at the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. A lot was asked of that team during the COVID response and it has been very rewarding to be a part of them accomplishing their mission of delivering testing equipment, supplies, personal protective equipment to the people of Alaska, and helping with the regular mission of the Health Emergency Response Operations (HERO).” CANA looks forward to continued opportunities across the country. The Team WS2 Lead Mr. Cliff Carpenter, CANA Principal Logistics Analyst, serves as the CANA WS2 Lead. His 20+ years of experience as a Marine Corps logistician, and several years at Chewy and Amazon have, according to Cliff, “...helped [him] understand the scope of large operations, the criticality of mission planning, and how all elements of operations are intertwined - nothing can be planned in a vacuum. Five years as an eCommerce operations and senior operations manager taught [Cliff] about the pace of change in a commercial operation and that every dime counts in the commercial world, as well as the business imperatives of Safety and Quality planning as fundamental to an organization's success.” Software Development Mr. Dan Sterrett is the lead developer for the CANA Warehouse Software & Services (WS2) and a CANA Principal Software Developer. His 17+ years of experience in software development, with 9 years at CANA working on a variety of commercial and government applications, made him an ideal choice to be a key member of the Alaska HERO project. Throughout Dan’s career, he has developed both web and mobile applications and developed a breadth and depth of skills in many programming languages, frameworks, and methodologies. Dan’s level of expertise and knowledge was precisely what was required to tackle this project. Implementation and Testing Mr. Kurt Eades’ role as Principal Information Systems Security Manager requires Kurt to work across a wide breadth of CANA projects. His technical knowledge of information systems, coupled with decades of Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal and commercial logistics experience, give him an unique insight into creating intuitive, imminently reliable, and repeatable systems. Kurt is a firm believer in ensuring that what looks good in theory works in reality. During his time on Alaska HERO, Kurt verified that, “every idea [was] looked into and tested, and then tossed out or incorporated for the betterment of the project…” Visit the CANA WS2 Warehouse Software & Services™ website for more information. #CANAWS2 #AlaskaHEROproject #logistics #softwaredevelopment #warehousemanagement #poweredbycanaanalytics #ecommerce #warehousing #supplychain #emergencymanagement #warehousesoftware #shipping #inventorymanagement #tracking Join us on the CANA CONNECTION PODCAST The CANA Connection offers insights from the team CANA experts into analytics, logistics, supply chain operations, big data, and more. Check out some of our recent sessions. https://www.canallc.com/podcast Let's Talk About Warehouse Management Solutions with Cliff Carpenter In this episode of the CANA Connection Podcast our Host Rob Cranston President and COO of CANA, talks with Principal Logistics Analyst, and fellow CANA'er Cliff Carpenter about Warehouse Management Solutions. Cliff brings a ton of experience, knowledge, and insight to warehouse management from his time in the United States Marines and his work at Chewy and Amazon. So, join in as Rob and Cliff have a conversation about the four main areas most warehouses should take into consideration and the ecosystem life on an item in a warehouse in this part 1 of our sessions on WMS. [Connect] Team CANA Spotlight: MORS and Being a MORS Fellow with Renee Carlucci & Norm Reitter In this special CANA Connection Spotlight episode we talk with Principal Operations Research Analyst, Renee Carlucci and CANA's Chief Operating Officer, Norm Reitter about MORS (Military Operations Research Society) and what it means to be a MORS Fellow. So, join us as we delve in and showcase more about what it means to be Powered by CANA Analytics®. [Connect] The CANA Connection Podcast is available on your favorite podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify! The CANA Connection Newsletter July 2023 © CANA LLC. All rights reserved

A video presentation of the blog post is available here: https://youtu.be/B_VgGOicr4U Quantum computers are vastly different from classical digital computers. The first question you might ask is, “what is a quantum computer?”, and the second, “why do we need them?” Joe Moreno, Director of Development at CANA Advisors, answers these questions in his complex, yet accessible (and fascinating) post on quantum computers. The fundamentals of quantum mechanics go back to the end of the 19th century with theoretical physicist Max Planck. In the intervening years, minds such as Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, and Erwin Schrödinger contributed to the quantum field. The idea of using quantum particles to store and process information was proposed by physicist Richard Feynman in 1981, and now companies such as IBM operate dozens of actual quantum computing systems. The quantum computing field has not yet scratched the surface of what is possible, but the groundwork has been laid. Let’s take a look by discovering the differences between classical digital computers and quantum computers. Processing Digital computers process data in series. Data is processed, sequentially, through a central processing unit (CPU). Even in a computer with multiple CPUs, they still need to explicitly coordinate operations. Quantum computers process data in parallel. This is how the universe actually works. There is no single central place in the universe that processes the laws of physics. If we think of our body as a computer, our brain would be the processor. Yet our brain doesn’t need to explicitly coordinate many of our body’s activities. For example, if I take a bite out of an apple, swallow it, and then drop dead (resulting in no more brain activity), the apple would continue to digest in my stomach, at least for a little while, because that activity happens in parallel with other bodily functions. Performance Digital computer performance increases by a factor of two for each bit added (2n). A computer that can process eight bits is twice as powerful as a computer that can process seven bits. Quantum computer performance increases exponentially for each bit added (2ⁿ) due to its parallel nature. This means a quantum computer that can process 64 bits can be thought of as 2⁶⁴ (a 20 digit number) in terms of how much information it can store and process. Behavior Digital computers use simulation to solve problems. We write computer programs that store variables and execute algorithms to simulate what we observe in the real world. For example, if we want to simulate the interaction between the coronavirus and a candidate COVID-19 vaccine, we’d take the parameters that describe both, assign them to variables in a computer program, and write algorithms to simulate the interactions. The better our algorithm, the better our results. However, this only works on a small scale because there are too many variables and interactions to consider on the scale of a human. Quantum computers use imitation to solve problems. A good example of this is a lab rat. Before we give a candidate vaccine to a human, we test it on a lab rat. In this scenario, we can think of the lab rat as a computer that is imitating how the human body works. Information Digital computers store information in classical bits. A bit can only be a zero or one. Keep in mind that computer science, much like political science, is a human-created science, so we have defined the conditions and rules. Computer scientists have defined a bit to explicitly be a zero or a one. Quantum computers store information in quantum bits (qubits). A qubit can be a zero or one or somewhere in between zero and one, or negative, or a complex number. To wrap your head around how a qubit can be in many different states, consider using a coin to represent the state. Let’s say heads is one and tails is zero. What state is the coin in when we flip it and it’s spinning through the air? Is it heads? Is it tails? Is it both? Is it neither? A qubit is represented as a ket (vector) which distinguishes them from classical bits. A zero qubit is represented as: A one qubit is represented as: Logic Digital computers perform operations using logic gates governed by Boolean algebra (AND, OR, NOT, XOR, etc.). By performing operations on multiple bits, at the same time, we can produce meaningful information. Quantum computers perform operations using quantum logic gates (X, Y, Z, CNOT, Hadamard, etc.) governed by linear algebra (matrix algebra). These quantum logic gates are somewhat different from digital logic gates. For example, the Hadamard gate is used to quantumly entangle subatomic particles in a quantum computer and then put the particles into a state of superposition to process information. Borrowing from my earlier example of flipping a coin, we can think of superposition, in an overly simplified way, as when the coin is flipping through the air. Storage Digital computers store bits using voltage and charge. This is done inside “chips” (integrated circuits) made up mostly of transistors. A transistor is simply a switch that can be turned on (one) and off (zero) without moving atoms -- transistors only move electrons. Quantum computers store information in qubits using particle spin. Quantum particles have different properties such as mass, charge, and spin. When a particle is in a state of superposition we can think of it as spinning, much like flipping a coin. When we measure (read) the coin’s state after flipping it, it has only one of two outcomes, heads or tails. Similarly, quantum particles end up in only one of two states when we measure them called spin up or spin down. We can think of spin up as when its axis is pointing up (north), which we call zero, and we can think of spin down as when its axis is pointing down (south), which we call one. Architecture Digital computers use a von Neumann model with a CPU, ALU (arithmetic logic unit), and memory to store instructions and data. Physically, bits are stored in transistors at room temperature. Quantum computers store and process data using quantum error correction (this is what makes a quantum computer a quantum computer). Quantum error correction protects the qubits (electrons, photons, nuclei, etc.) from outside interference. The biggest source of interference is heat. Physically, qubits are stored at less than 1 Kelvin (about 0.015 Kelvin) to remove any thermal noise that could disturb them. The requirement to maintain a temperature of less than -457.87 degrees Fahrenheit presents its own set of operational challenges. Output Digital computers are deterministic. The exact same inputs, into the exact same algorithms, always yields the exact same outputs. Quantum computers are probabilistic. Repetition of the same inputs yields probabilistic outputs. This is a realistic model of how the universe works. If we flip a coin 10,000 times, we’d expect the sum of heads and the sum of tails to total 10,000 with about a 50/50 split. However, it’s entirely possible that the coin could land on its side (edge). Quantum computers can better represent real-world probabilities. Reversibility Digital computers’ logic gates are not all reversible. If I show you the outputs from a digital computer, and tell you which operation is performed that yielded those outputs, you may still not have enough information to figure out the inputs. Quantum computers’ logic gates are all reversible. If I show you the outputs from an operation, and tell you the operation that was performed, you could always determine all of the inputs. So much so that if you took these outputs and put them through the same operation, as inputs, your new outputs would match the original inputs in the first step. Current State of Quantum Computing Before 2020, researchers viewed quantum computing as primarily a scientific endeavor with relatively little immediate bearing on the commercial viability of quantum computing. However, that has quickly changed with multiple companies entering the quantum computing market. Amazon currently has a web service where anyone can run quantum computing tasks on a variety of quantum computers. The ability to decode complex cryptographic challenges, process enormous amounts of data quickly, and simulate atomic and subatomic behavior in a controlled environment is likely just the tip of the quantum wave to come. #quantumcomputing #CANAAdvisors #joemoreno Joe Moreno Joe Moreno is a Director of Development at CANA Advisors. You can follow him at joemoreno.com or contact via email jmoreno@canallc.com.

We’re celebrating all things new! Not only is it Spring - finally - but there’s so many great new things happening here at CANA! We’ve been welcoming new people to the team, working on new (and renewed) projects, and generally keeping very busy. The beautiful weather, the longer days, baseball, golf, and yard projects help keep it all in balance. We always want the CANA team to keep its fresh perspective, and embracing the “new” is imperative to this goal. In our latest newsletter, we share several CANAers’ recent trip to Hawaii for a Military Operations Research Society (MORS) Wargaming with Pacific Partners Special Meeting (CANA leads in logistics!); we hear from a CANAer who completely switched career gears for something different; and we talk about a visit to George Mason University to share our passion for the growing world of esports. We’re excited about where all these things may lead, and most importantly, we hope our fresh ideas resonate, and inspire you to ask, “What’s new?!” MORS Wargaming with Pacific Partners: CANA Leads the Charge in Logistics Wargaming By Walt DeGrange - CANA Director of Analytics Capabilities Logistics, wargaming, MORS, and Hawaii made the perfect combination for CANA this past February. The MORS Wargaming with Pacific Partners was a unique event that was the first MORS conference ever held outside the continental United States. CANA was honored to lead the logistics wargaming focus area for the conference and to be joined by just under one hundred attendees representing many U.S. DoD agencies and services, other non-DoD agencies, and our international partners (Australia, Great Britain, and Germany), academic, and commercial supporters. The conference was divided into three days. The first day consisted of multiple tracks designed to teach more about the development and application of wargaming in certain areas. CANA contributed two significant presentations on how to apply analytics in wargaming by Jesse Kemp and how to apply wargaming to explore the use of advanced technologies by Norm Reitter. Both Norm and Jesse touched on using wargaming to test supply chain resilience and how this could inform organizations on actions to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Day two of the conference featured several panels that addressed issues such as training for wargaming, the role of commercial software, and how funding for wargaming worked across different organizations in the U.S. and with our partner countries. Day three's final day of the conference was filled with fun workshops to demonstrate topics covered in prior days. CANA led a four-hour workshop. The workshop focused on designing a logistics wargame at two different levels, strategic and operational. The eighteen participants contributed to the basic design for each game's scope, purpose, scale, players, and scenario. By the end of the day, all participants were left with a basic overview of what it takes to develop an engaging logistics wargame to answer important questions. The MORS Wargaming with Pacific Partners conference was a resounding success. The conference enabled individuals from various countries and organizations to deepen their understanding and knowledge of wargaming and its various applications. It was an incredible opportunity for CANA to share its expertise and learn from others while establishing new connections and collaborations. The success of this conference serves as a testament to the continued importance and relevance of wargaming as a tool for solving complex logistical problems, and we look forward to what the future holds for this field. CANA eSports at the GMU Career Fair By Jack Murray - CANA Business Analyst On March 7th, I had the pleasure of representing CANA at the George Mason University (GMU) Career Jam. The GMU Career Jam is an annual career fair, where students gather to network with companies and organizations. This was a very unique and amazing experience for me, as I am a 2022 GMU graduate and was on the other side of the table just a few years ago. This event was also very beneficial to CANA, and CANA esports, as we look to expand our brand awareness in the collegiate space. CANA drew the most attention from the Computer Science (CS) majors, as our unique background in federal and commercial analytics was captivating to them. I enjoyed speaking with all the students about what CANA esports is, what we are doing in the esports industry, and where we want to go. With GMU having an esports club, many of the students were interested in our esports recruitment platform and our focus on scholastic esports. I had many interesting conversations that allowed me to gather first-hand insight and opinions on what students think of esports, the offerings we have, and how else we could support the industry. Each student had different comments and questions, but they were all hinting at one main point; they would love to see scholastic esports become more acknowledged and accepted. Data and analytics are a few pieces that can support this in a major way. Other than engaging with the students, it was great to see many of the program directors engaging with each company. CANA drew a lot of interest from the professors and program directors because GMU, like many other colleges currently, is working to integrate esports into its overall curriculum and offerings. I had the pleasure of discussing with them how scholastic esports is a crucial sector of the overall industry. It can drastically help build a sustainable pathway to success in esports. A structured scholastic esports system can mend the fragmentation the industry currently deals with, which can lead to an overall more sustainable business model and industry as a whole. It was fascinating to hear the thoughts and ideas of GMU professors and program directors on esports and how they plan to implement it at Mason. Their comments and questions were much more geared toward why esports are beneficial to both the students and the school from an academic standpoint. What most don’t realize is that esports is an amazing path for students in STEM careers. It gives them an opportunity to learn through something they enjoy. We had some really good discussions about the benefits just an esports club team can have, but also the major upside to having a curriculum built around esports. As CANA esports builds for the future, with a main focus on scholastic esports, we look forward to more events like this, growing the relationships we made, and expanding our network! CANA esports - providing the analytics intel for success. Changing Careers, Changing Mindsets By Lauren Dimberg - CANA Software Developer We all have something we are “good” at. Maybe you pick up a baseball for the first time and throw a strike, or you have a ratatouille taste pallet and anything you cook is amazing? For me it was art. I struggled with most other subjects but art was a subject in which I excelled. Growing up, this attitude made me “good at art” which later led me to a career in it. Fast forward to 2021, I have a successful career as a Senior Graphic Designer but it no longer challenges me. I feel stagnant in my current job as I have felt in other positions during my career. The sterile environment a year into Covid only exacerbated this feeling. A change was due which made me think of a career I was always curious about, that of a Software Developer. Three years prior I had taken UI and UX courses at Nashville Software School as a way to spice up my resume. During that time, I saw other students taking a Software Development Bootcamp that intrigued me; however, at the time it seemed like an unrealistic prospect. Yet three years later the idea of pursuing a career as a Software Developer still excited me. With the “end of the world” vibe in the air, I felt reckless, applied to Nashville Software School, and got a scholarship. The scholarship alleviated the anxiety of finances during the boot camp, yet my main obstacle was my mindset which told me “I am not good at this”. Flashback to my elementary school years and the mindset that I grew up with. Praised for high grades in Art and English, but nothing in regards to courses with more logical thinking, of which I associated with coding. I steered away from these more challenging subjects because I wasn’t “good” at them. However, I craved a challenge, and the “Aha” moment after taking the time to investigate and solve a coding problem was magical. I knew coding wouldn’t be easy because I wasn’t good at it, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t get better. I used this mindset whenever I struggled and instead of shutting down with negative thoughts such as “I’m not smart enough for this?” I reframed my thought process to, “I don’t know this yet, that’s ok. I can learn.” Or even better “I don’t know this yet, but why would I? This is all new!” Whenever a failure came I took it as an opportunity to ask questions, practice using my developer tools, and acquire more knowledge. To say I struggled at Nashville Software School is an understatement, however, I pulled through, and in doing so I created a more exciting future for myself. Every day I start work, I know I will learn something new, continue to grow, and be a better version of myself. Best of all, I can give myself a high five because if my high school self saw me now she would think that the world went through a black hole and I was in an opposite land. There’s something cool that I, not a black hole, could change my future in this way. Now that you know my story, I have a challenge for you. Think of all the amazing experiences this world has to offer, now think of something you have been putting off. Maybe you want to paint, but you aren’t “artistic” or you put off running a race because you aren’t “athletic”? Maybe you want to learn Spanish and move to Alicante. Whatever it is, don’t let anything hold you back, give it a shot and see if it sticks. Your future is yours to create, no matter where you are on your journey. Join us on the CANA CONNECTION PODCAST The CANA Connection offers insights from the team CANA experts into analytics, logistics, supply chain operations, big data, and more. Check out some of our latest sessions. Let's talk Colorado Mountain Club Analytics with Kendall Chastain and Norm Reitter Our Host Rob Cranston, and Co-Host Norm Reitter speak with Conservation Manager Kendall Chastain of the Colorado Mountain Club. So, come along with us as Kendall and crew talk about the conservation efforts the Colorado Mountain Club are involved in along with the vast amounts, and types of data they are acquiring within their community using the CMC RIMs app and other efforts. [Connect] Let's talk esports at NYU with Professor Jason Chung Join Guest-Host Jack Murray as they sit down with Director and Esports Business Professor at NYU, Jason Chung to discuss all things collegiate esports. From the rise of esports in higher education to the challenges and benefits of starting and maintaining varsity teams, Dr. Chung brings his wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Don't miss this fascinating and informative conversation on the CANA Connection Podcast. [Connect] The CANA Connection Podcast is available on your favorite podcast platforms! The CANA Connection Newsletter April 2023 © CANA LLC. All rights reserved

New Year, New You! We don’t always keep annual resolutions, but it never stops us from making new ones! Year after year, there’s always a bright New Year’s light of enthusiasm that shines down and makes us think anything is possible. It’s also the time we find the right inspirational message or mantra to shape a whole new year of thinking…and doing. What energizes us personally always carries over to work, and we’re committed to making sure we cross the CANA start - and finish - line together! For 2023, we think George Bernard Shaw said it best, “[p]eople who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.” That’s the secret; we get down to business and we do it. At the start of this new and promising year, we’re sharing some of CANA’s newer initiatives, like our Supply Chain Analysis as a Service, as well as detailing aspects of CANA’s well-honed technical and management foundation. It’s an exciting time and we’re here for it. So, that’s our secret - what’s yours? * Liz Cranston CEO, CFO * We would love to hear about what inspires you - share a favorite quote or message for the New Year on our LinkedIn or Facebook. Enhancing Wargaming, Logistics, and Supply Chain Resiliency Through Advanced Analytics By Jesse Kemp CANA Principal Program Manager Across all the military services, wargaming has become an increasingly popular tool to test new warfighting concepts, examine the use of new technologies, and exercise various scenarios against near-peer and peer adversaries. As an example, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory executes 10-12 wargames per year, with multiple overlapping game lines of effort running simultaneously. Yet despite its broad adaptation, wargaming has some acknowledged limitations. Those limitations, and the risks they pose, were the subject of a recent War On The Rocks article by Dr. Jon Compton, where he argued that the DoD’s over-reliance on wargaming for investment planning could have significant negative impacts. Wargames as event planning are fun to attend, and most who attend them come away convinced they learned a great deal. Yet, these event-style wargames produce little in terms of ways forward, innovation, or usable answers. Further, they frequently create negative learning and reinforce existing biases due to the lack of any foundational research or ancillary support studies. Regardless, wargame providers continue to conduct them to the exclusion of more analytically robust designs of research that incorporate smaller, more focused games into broader discovery efforts, and resistance to change appears to be high. For logisticians participating in wargaming events, the frustrations articulated in Dr. Compton’s article are often felt even more acutely. Despite acknowledgments from very senior leaders across the DoD that logistics challenges must be analyzed and addressed, it is rare to find a wargame’s objectives bounded or informed by the limitations of logistics capabilities. Others in the wargaming community argue that trying to bring quantitative analytics, such as logistics feasibility, into wargaming events risks detracting from their primary focus–exploring the human dimension of complex problems. In a September 2022 article titled, “Wargaming and the Cycle of Research and Learning” Dr. Peter Perla emphasized the distinction between a wargame and operations research: “A true wargame is best used to investigate the decision processes of its players, what they believe that leads to those decisions, and how those processes interact; it is not well suited to the calculation of outcomes of physical events–such calculations, when they occur, are inputs to the game, not outputs.” The Cycle of Research In their articles, Dr. Compton and Dr. Perla make a similar case for an integrated “cycle of research” where wargaming, modeling and simulation, and analysis outcomes are combined towards focused learning objectives. While theoretically sound, this approach can have challenges in execution. First, how accurate can a cycle of research be if its wargaming inputs reinforce existing biases or ignore hard problems like logistics? And what if other inputs to a cycle of research are also flawed? Like wargaming, operations research – the process of reducing highly complex problems into component parts and seeking quantitative and repeatable outcomes – has its own set of limitations. Where wargaming events frequently leverage the collective experience of multiple senior leaders and subject matter experts, operations research projects tend to encounter the opposite: very little senior leader involvement, especially in their early stages. This can lead to flawed models, inaccurate assumptions, or results that lack operational context. Thus, independently, both wargaming and operations research have the potential to come up short. Ultimately, the cycle of research could be enhanced by more closely linking the key leader engagement opportunities wargaming events afford with the precision and rigor of operations research techniques. What if, as an example, analytic techniques could be brought to bear fast and in unobtrusive ways during a wargame, effectively quantifying the impacts of participants’ decisions without impeding the pace of the game or altering its primary objective? Imagine if after wargame participants set operational objectives and developed their plans to achieve those ends, weapon-to-target pairings could be quickly assessed to measure a plan’s efficacy. Imagine also if logisticians could quickly and visually “map” the supply chain required to support an operation, overlay distribution resources necessary to maneuver and sustain the force, and rapidly simulate the movement of forces, supplies, and follow-on sustainment resources. These tools could provide valuable in-game feedback on the logistics feasibility of proposed plans. The good news is that the technology required to deliver these types of analytic enhancements to wargaming already exists. Working in partnership with Headquarters Marine Corps over the past four years, CANA developed and applied a unique set of analytic techniques to support the planning for prepositioning and war reserve programs and their material investments. More recently, the Office of Naval Research began working with CANA to incorporate similar analytic methods into a science and technology project designed to aid operations and logistics planning for fleet-level and maritime operations center battle staffs. Tailoring these analysis methods to support wargaming applications is a logical next step and a mission we are excited to embark upon. CANA at MORS: Examining Logistics and Supply Chain Resilience Through Wargaming For this reason, we’re excited to announce our participation in the upcoming MORS Wargaming with Pacific Partners special event in February of 2023. This event will provide an ideal forum for CANA to highlight how currently-available analytic techniques can be adapted and applied to wargaming for enhanced outcomes. And because it is such an underserved element in almost every wargame, our primary focus will be highlighting its use in logistics and supply chain resiliency, demonstrating ways to rapidly quantify the implications of operational plans and provide objective assessments of feasibility. But the most powerful use of these innovative analytic methods could be to enable the design of wargames with logistics as the main objective. By examining key variables such as supply routes, supply locations, amounts of prepositioned stocks, transportation fleet design and positioning, and how/where operational energy is produced and transported, planners can determine what logistics investments are most influential in determining mission success. Supply Chain Analysis as a Service at CANA Logistics wargaming is, in fact, part of a broader line of effort underway at CANA called Supply Chain Analysis as a Service. Our team of subject matter experts and operations research professionals are designing ways to examine the key components of a supply chain and dynamically test its resilience under stress. Customizing these analytic techniques for use in both wargaming and more long-term planning and design applications is a key part of this line of effort. Moreover, this methodology has the potential for value in non-military applications such as food security, disaster preparedness, or other related scenarios. This exciting new frontier, at the nexus of wargaming, logistics, and supply chain analysis, offers many opportunities to enhance support for stakeholders in the DoD, Federal agencies, state governments and beyond. With both analytics and logistics in our company DNA, CANA is well-positioned and prepared to be an influencer in this important area. #wargames #logistics #supplychain Program Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis By Shawn Charchan CANA Technical Director of Energy Solutions As CANA's Technical Director of Energy Solutions, I also serve as the Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis (MS&A) Coordinator for several CANA clients. In that capacity, I have the privilege of working with the analytical leads of various pilot programs to ensure the composite group is capitalizing on work already complete and working with unity of effort. This ensures the collective body of work continues to expand in line with the client’s larger objectives. The analysis and research that CANA supplies often relies on modeling and simulation (M&S) when completing studies in support of pilots. M&S is a powerful, yet often misunderstood, tool that has many uses in the analytical realm; it can be used for applications spanning requirements analysis, to forecasting, to - in several instances -system impact assessments. One of the challenges our teams face when performing pilots is the data we obtain is based on limited lab testing and/or field demonstrations comprising one or two of the systems being tested. M&S can provide the study team a rich synthetic environment in which 10s or 100s of the systems being tested can be represented as a digital twin in a virtual scenario, thereby enabling our study teams to explore the contribution fully fielded systems will (or will not) supply in the context of future warfare. The combination of real-world system testing combined with analysis in a synthetic environment has proven time and again to be an excellent method for obtaining the type of insights that help us engage external stakeholders, inform requirements, and ensure each pilot ends with success. #digitaltwin #optimization #modeling CANA Futures Program Highlights Participation in Virtual Event for Georgia Tech Students By Anna Sterrett Director of Business and People Operations On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, several CANA employees volunteered their time to participate in a virtual event with Georgia Tech students. Throughout the course of the day, mock interviews were scheduled with several students, and they had the opportunity to receive immediate feedback to improve their personal presentation and employability skills. Resume reviews also took place, where students were provided with helpful tips and constructive criticism to broaden student knowledge of what employers look for when considering an applicant. The day was a great success, and students expressed gratitude for the experience coupled with optimistic reviews from CANA employees. Mr. Cliff Carpenter, CANA Principal Logistics Analyst commented,"[g]reat opportunity for CANA to interact with top talent - I hope we were able to give these graduate students a flavor of what to expect in an interview experience with top tech firms." While Ms. Jackie Knapp, CANA Senior Business Operations Manager shared, “I believe it was a great experience for both of us. It allowed me the opportunity to hone interviewing skills that I haven't had the opportunity to use in a very long time. For [the student], I think it was excellent practice and provided some insights for his next interview.” This event is a small sampling of what the CANA Futures Program is doing to make significant connections with students preparing to launch into internships, and fellowships, as well as into their chosen profession. Throughout CANA’s history, there has been a desire to extend an arm to assist with providing professional opportunities to young people. From this passion, the CANA Futures Program was born, where CANA developed this program specifically to seek out and provide a professional experience to college students, transitioning military members, their spouses, and veterans. The CANA Futures Program consists of two programs. The first is the CANA Veterans Program (CVP). CANA prides itself on being a veteran-owned company and believes wholeheartedly in providing opportunities to others who have served our country. CVP provides those opportunities to not only veterans, but to their spouses as well. Through partnership with the federal programs Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship and DOD Skillbridge, CANA has been able to offer veterans and their spouses experience and training in the corporate environment. From first hand experience, Ms. Ashley Castillo spoke to her experience with Hiring Our Heroes: “I would say as a spouse Hiring our Heroes really focuses on the silent ranks. They give us back the ability to speak and be equal in an area that sometimes feels impossible. In the workforce it is hard to prove why someone should take a chance knowing you may be leaving or to explain why you have gaps in employment. They work with companies such as CANA who believe and give possibilities to do it all.” Ms. Castillo was hired by CANA through Hiring our Heroes as a Business Operations Analyst, and has proven essential to its Business Operations Team. The second program within the CANA Futures Program is the Corporate Interns & Fellows Program or CIFP. CIFP provides college students and graduates the opportunity to gain valuable experience in CANA specific industry sectors, such as logistics, program management, business development, software development, and operations research. CANA has found this process to provide a seamless transition from being an in-house trained intern or fellow joining the CANA Team as a hired professional. One such success story belongs to Mr. Jack Murray, who began his professional career within CIFP. Mr. Murray shared, “[t]he internship program here at CANA was my first true professional job, and I was fortunate enough to get this experience during my time in college. I think that the way CANA’s internship program is run truly allowed me to develop my professional skills in a manner that was both comfortable and challenging at the same time. There was a good amount of independence and independent work that allowed me to take things in the direction that I wanted, but the support was always there if and when I needed it.” As Mr. Murray progressed through his internship, it became clear that he was an asset to the CANA Team. He was hired as a Business Analyst, and what he learned within his education, in conjunction with the skills he developed through CIFP, proved to be a perfect match for what CANA was looking for. From his perspective, the experience was also one of great value. He stated, “[t]he blend of independence and guidance is done very well within CANA’s internship program. The best thing about the program is that you can reach out to anyone in the company, and they are more than happy to help you. Everyone here wants to see you succeed! CANA’s internship program directly led to my full-time position here at CANA, and it taught me a great deal about transitioning from the collegiate world to the business world. This program sets you up for success!” For more information, please contact our CANA Futures Program Coordinator, Ms. Stephanie Allison. #CANAFutures #hiringourheroes #internship THE CANA CONNECTION NEWSLETTER CANA LLC 7371 Atlas Walk Way, Gainesville, VA 20155, USA 703-317-7378 canallc.com

The holidays might be the “hap-happiest season of all,” but the fall is without a doubt, the busiest. There’s a back-to-the-grindstone feel, even if we never stopped working! Kids are back in school, new projects are started and funds are released (or not), and the weekends are full of sports, yard work, and other activities. Depending on where you live, the temperatures may not change, but the vibe surely has. And, that’s okay. We’re ready for it. Our team is full of energy, and we want to share all the great things that made these past few months awesome. We’ll talk about some of the great conferences and events we attended, our CANA Foundation, and what we do with all the brain power at CANA - like supporting our Independent Research & Development (IRAD) Program. We’re also excited we’ve had time this summer to work hard on CANA’s Warehouse Management Solutions - services and software that we know are a proven game-changer - and we will soon be rolling that out in force. Have a great fall, y’all! Fun fact: CANA has grown by 45% in the past two years. Things are happening at CANA! Although CANA is a fully virtual company, there are events and occasions where face-to-face makes for some powerful connections. CANA recently attended the Pentagon Energy Expo in Washington D.C., and then crossed the country to San Diego to attend the American Conference Institute’s Unmanned Systems West event. Along with our partners, Naval Information Warfare Center-Pacific and NavalX SoCal Tech Bridge, we were able to share important messages about technology innovation and how it serves the warfighter. Will Berry, CANA Principal Program Manager and our lead on SoCal Tech Bridge’s electric Tactical Humanitarian Operation Response (eTHOR) pilot, shared his experiences. Coast to Coast CANA Attends Key Events By: Will Berry Pentagon Energy Expo The Pentagon Energy Expo took place over two busy days in September, one sunny and one rainy. Regardless of the weather, the courtyard of the Pentagon was the ideal setting for over a hundred exhibitors ringing the central courtyard walking path to demonstrate emerging technology capabilities that will help preserve U.S. military dominance in future contested logistics environments. The Expo was hosted by a number of Department of Defense sponsors including the individual Service branches, and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OUSD), Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)), Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF), and the Operational Energy Prototype Fund (OEPF). These sponsors had the opportunity to view a variety of cutting-edge technology, including vehicle electrification, installation energy resilience, batteries, energy storage, energy distribution, power generation, software, and cybersecurity. One of the standout exhibits was the eTHOR, a project funded by OECIF, sponsored by National Information Warfare Center-Pacific (NIWC PAC), and project-managed by CANA. eTHOR will provide a network of electric vehicles capable of storage, transport, delivery, and exportation of energy in a contested environment. In addition, the system is an agile 5G network infrastructure, deploying and extending 5G’s low latency, high bandwidth capabilities to the expeditionary force enabling unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and all domain command and control. The goal of the system is to increase the efficiency of energy logistics in a contested environment and provide sufficient network communications to enable the future force. A tag line of the Expo was, “[e]nergy is the key enabler that will keep the Joint Forces in the fight to achieve decisive victory.” With that in mind, the eTHOR exhibit showcased electric vehicle technology and exportable energy all-in-one by having a DANNAR Mobile Power Station (MPS) at the eTHOR booth. It was a unique visual draw that brought hundreds of visitors to the exhibit. Amongst those visitors was Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen H. Hicks, resulting in a special opportunity to directly share the significant energy plus 5G communications capabilities the eTHOR system will bring to bear. In regards to the Expo, Deputy Defense Secretary Hicks was quoted that energy innovation, "...has to do with national security and what it takes to have the capabilities we need for the warfighter today and going forward.” Well said, we believe, and the eTHOR project is excited to deliver. Unmanned Systems West The Unmanned Systems West Conference took place late September in San Diego, CA, and was a fascinating forum of presentations, analysis and discussion. It focused on how the military, government, technology industry, and academics can work together to develop capabilities that advance Unmanned Systems (UxS) capabilities to benefit the warfighter on land, sea and air. The conference was billed as an opportunity to further dialogue on tactical and technical priorities and the challenges of autonomy and artificial intelligence and to shine a light on ongoing research and innovation that will help integrate both UxS and robotic capabilities. It was successfully achieved on all fronts. Over the two day conference, there were a number of common themes woven through the presentations and panel discussions, including the need for increased collaborative research on design to decrease prototyping systems costs and to increase design speed. Ideas, such as low-cost platform sharing based on common vehicle chassis, were recognized as a tactic to accelerate change; otherwise we risk losing from an acquisition perspective. While there were many different perspectives offered by the presenters and panelists, the iterative design notion – to collaborate, develop, test, fail fast, and evolve – was a common theme that encapsulated the pathway to effectively meet requirements and achieve success. On Day One, the conference was capstoned with a special presentation by one of our partners, NavalX So Cal Tech Bridge Director, Captain Ben Cohen, USMC, who discussed industry innovation needs and requirements. Attendees were enlightened to Capt Cohen’s unique perspective as a Marine Corps warfighter and as the new Director of the NavalX So Cal Tech Bridge. Amongst other things, Capt Cohen discussed bringing warfighters into the academic/industry ecosystem by highlighting the need to focus capabilities on the diverse pool of end users first, with the technology to follow. By focusing on the end user first, the culture of the warfighter is taken into account, which is paramount because, as Capt Cohen stated, “...culture eats strategy for lunch.” #innovation #warfighter #autonomy #5G #connected The CANA Foundation 5K Celebration “5for5” By: Kassie McRostie CANA established the CANA Foundation in 2017 on the premise that we are blessed with individual talents, financial resources, and a successful company that provides a platform for the CANA family to connect with and give back to community areas we feel passionate and care about. We believe we have an obligation to use our skills and resources to help individuals and organizations in our communities overcome any barriers they face. Truly, we rise by lifting others. This year, in 2022, we celebrate five years of the CANA Foundation! These past five years have given us opportunities to give back to our communities in more ways than we could have imagined. Our team has turned their passions into purpose with over 45 completed initiatives. To celebrate the five year anniversary, CANA decided to do our own internal 5K competition! Over the months of June, July and August, the CANA team was challenged to complete as many individual 5Ks as they could over the course of the three months. The “5for5” could be done in any form - kayak, bike, run, walk, skydive, or whatever they wanted! The best part about the celebration is, for every 5K our team members did, we put the CANAer’s favorite charity into a raffle drawing. At the end of the summer, we randomly selected three of the submitted charities to receive a special CANA Foundation donation. Our team had fun sharing photos of themselves at various stages of their 5Ks; we were able to share so many different perspectives! From the beach to the mountains, Team CANA completed over 347 5Ks and over 1,079 miles. If you can imagine, that’s the air distance from Philadelphia to Orlando! Needless to say, our CANAers showed up and rocked the “5for5.” The winning charities selected for CANA contributions ranged from womens’ groups to animal shelters to veterans organizations. We still have three months left to celebrate the CANA Foundation’s 5 Year Anniversary, so stay tuned to see how we wrap up this year! CANA 5for5 Video Link #giveback #CANAFoundation One of the things we pride ourselves on here at CANA is the curiosity and drive of our team. We think our Independent Research & Development (IRAD) program is a great way to encourage that love of learning and thinking outside-the-box. The program enables CANAers to initiate outside projects of professional and personal interest and submit them as proposals to receive degrees of company support such as dedicated time, funding, or technical assistance. IRADs offer a way to potentially bring a new, useful concept or solution closer to fruition. Our Principal AI Analyst, Chris Cichy, recently proposed an exciting Requirements Gaming IRAD to the CANA team. Independent Research & Development (IRAD) Live, Virtual, and Constructive Simulation (LVC Sim) By: Chris Cichy The vision of this IRAD is to utilize a game engine that supports modifications and scripting to develop Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training environments to support concept, doctrine, and requirements development. LVC Simulation (LVC Sim) training has multiple markets within and outside of the Department of Defense; it is applicable to any agency in which training is cost or effort prohibitive, in this case, interagency firefighting. LVC Sim, built on an open world gaming engine, would allow real time wargaming capability with a minimal investment and could be made playable by a large audience to increase the sample size and remove currently existing stovepipes. Playable demonstrations and videos can be made to visualize and pitch new technology and concepts and could be used to develop new marketing tools for a customer’s requirements. For this particular IRAD, CANA could augment its game modification experience through a proposed innovation challenge, or “hackathon.” The goal of this hackathon would be to modify one virtual twin of a technology from an automated fire fighting research and development project led by partners NIWC Pacific and the NavalX SoCal Tech Bridge called Project Vesta. With this head start in development and the experience gained by working with the innovation challenge participants, CANA would develop each of the assets from Project Vesta and create playable use cases for the pilot. Randomizing certain variables within the game world would then allow for a Project Vesta specific virtual training system. The long-range potential is limitless. Follow-on exploration might include producing a virtual training environment for autonomous vehicle software; developing tactics and doctrine lesson plans as modification packs; synthetic training data for Artificial Intelligence (AI) models; or developing synthetic environments with integrated Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) for the training of deep learning models. They are ideas on the cutting edge, and CANA is excited by what our team will think up next! UPCOMING EVENTS/PODCASTS CANA Top Guns! A Chat with Team CANA Top Gun Graduates In this first video episode of the CANA Connection Podcast, our host Rob Cranston, President and COO of CANA, has a fun chat with Top Gun Graduates and Team CANA members, Connor McLemore and Michael Albrecht about their experiences from the Top Gun program and their thoughts on the recent blockbuster Top Gun Maverick. Buckle up and enjoy the ride and as always remember to Analyse, Assess and Execute. [ Video ] [ Audio ] Talking esports at Full Sail University with Sari Kitelyn In this special CANA ESPORTS episode of the CANA Connection Podcast, Host Rob Cranston with fellow CANAer Co-Host Jack Murray speak with Sari Kitelyn, the Director of esports and Project Development at Full Sail University. So, join in as the team has a great conversation about the unique environment and opportunities presented at Full Sail University and the future of esports in education, and its inclusivity efforts in esports as a whole and within the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). [ Video ] [ Audio ] 5 Years of the CANA Foundation In this episode of the CANA Connection Podcast our Host and President of CANA Rob Cranston, along with fellow CANAers, Digital Media Coordinator Kassie McRostie, and Senior Operations Manager Kenny McRostie talk about the 5 years of the CANA Foundation, its history, the current efforts, and the future of the foundation. So, join in as the team has a great conversation about the CANA Foundation outreach efforts and its bright future at CANA and beyond. [ Video ] [ Audio ] Talking eSports Business & Law with Justin M Jacobson Esq. In this CANA ESPORTS episode of the CANA Connection Podcast, Host Rob Cranston and fellow CANAer Co-Host Jack Murray speak with Justin M. Jacobson, Esq., an Entertainment and Esports Attorney, Professor, and Author of "The Essential Guide to the Business & Law of Esports & Professional Video Gaming." So, join in as the team has an insightful conversation about the unique challenges and opportunities involved with the future of esports. [ Video ] [ Audio ] The CANA Connection Newsletter Copyright ©2022 CANA LLC.

Recently CANA had its annual Company Spring Offsite. It was once again held at the lovely Airlie resort and hotel in Warrenton, VA. As always, the Airlie was very accommodating and a refreshing location to host our meetings and get together. Beyond the lovely atmosphere provided by the rolling hills of Warrenton, VA, the Offsite afforded our team a great chance to connect face to face and to talk about the current state of CANA and the future of where we are going. The general theme of the offsite was technology and more to the point, our utilization of current technologies and how we at CANA are using them or could use them to expand our footprint into the analytics, logistics, and operational realms with the new technologies. Look for some great blog posts and articles from our CANA team members coming soon about some of these technologies, and what the future holds for everyone as new data utilization tech becomes more common. The annual Offsite also provided us the chance to welcome aboard a couple of new team members to the CANA family. CANA would like to welcome the talents and expertise of Mr. Jerome Dixon and Mr. Tom Turner. WELCOME ABOARD OUR NEW TEAM MEMBERS! Jerome Dixon retired from the U.S. Navy in 2016. He is passionate about the balance between People, Processes, and Technology and how best to use these strategic levers to drive up organizational effectiveness and add value. Jerome joins our team as Senior Operations Research Analyst at CANA. Tom Turner also joins CANA as a Senior Operations Research Analyst bringing his former US Marine Corps experience and years of private, public and corporate sector analyses. "His unique background adds a deeper depth and breadth of expertise and experience to our various clients and their diverging interests. The passion both these new team members bring to the table will help CANA in the government, corporate and public sectors with strategic advantage and efficiencies as well as how best to use People, Processes, and Technology to solve or improve societal challenges. So, as we welcome new members and build upon our own technologies, 2017 continues to look bright for CANA and awesome for our clients. #CANAFoundation #CANA #team #offsite #technologies #analytics #analysis #2017