2012 Speakers

Dr Marilyn Freeman will deliver an Army Science and Technology Requirements update on January 25th at 0830.

Dr. Marilyn Miller Freeman, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology is responsible for the Army’s Research and Technology program, spanning 16 Laboratories, Institutes and Research, Development and Engineering Centers and more than 12,000 scientists and engineer. She administers a yearly budget of nearly $2 billion.

Dr. Freeman works to foster invention, innovation, maturation and demonstration of technologies to enable Future Force capabilities while exploiting opportunities to transition technology enabled capabilities to the Current Force. The Research and Technology portfolio spans from basic research to demonstrating component, subsystem, and manufacturing technology which is executed by the Army’s research, development & engineering laboratories and centers; academia; and industrial and international partners.

Dr. Freeman served three years as the Director of the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center where she advanced technologies to Empower, Unburden and Protect Soldiers. She established the Soldier Systems Integration Domain which leverages partnerships and communities of practice to identify critical technology gaps and solve complex challenges. Additionally, she established the Future Soldier Initiative bringing together scientists, engineers, and Soldiers to conduct concept and capability exercises for envisioned technologies to better understand the current and future employment of capabilities on the battlefield. She continues to advocate a focus on Tactical Small Units as the critical element while maintaining the importance of individual Soldiers in full spectrum operations.

Major Tim Elliott graduated from Plymouth University in 1992 having read Geography & Politics. He Commissioned into The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1993 he has served in Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Falkland Islands, Germany, Iraq and the United Kingdom. In 2000 he completed the Combined Arms Fighting Systems course at the Royal Military College Shrivenham and was posted as SO2 Infantry Mobility at the Infantry Trials and Development Unit, part of the Land Warfare Centre Warminster. During his time there he was responsible for the trialling and continual development of numerous Infantry platforms including the upgrading of WARRIOR with its new thermal stabilised weapon sight, battlefield information system and BOWMAN. In 2003 he was posted as Officer Commanding Bravo Company back with the Regiment where the Battalion was sent on an emergency tour back to Iraq under Operation TELIC 4. During the tour Bravo Company was fortunate to have three independent sub unit commands in Al Amarah, during the violence in August 2004, during September in Az Abia Port training the Iraqi National Guard and in November during Operation Bracken supporting the American Forces in North Babil. 2005 to 2007 Maj Elliott was posted as OC Air Power Studies at RAF College Cranwell where he was responsible for the military doctrine taught to the OCdts and academic/military integration. In 2007 Maj Elliott was posted to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he Commanded a Company of OCdts through to their commissioning before taking up the post of Old College Chief Instructor. In 2009 he moved to the MoD as the National Lead for UK Coalition Warrior Integration Demonstration (CWID) a multi-national demonstration with the aim of identifying and delivering future military capabilities made possible by Networked Enabled Capability.

In Oct 2010 Maj Elliott was transferred across to Capability Expeditionary Logistics and Support branch to head up a cross-Capability, Pan-Defence Lines of Development (DLoD) team directed to establish a process for better equipment integration within Tactical Bases. This has led to the generation, development and establishment of Tactical Base Capability.

Mr. Richard S. (Rick) Cozby is the Deputy Director for System of Systems Integration in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. He previously served as the Associate Director for C4ISR, Program Executive Office for Integration/PM Future Combat Systems, Systems of Systems Test and Evaluation, from October 2006 to October 2011. He leads a diverse organization distributed across Warren Michigan, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, Washington, D.C. and White Sands Missile Range, NM.

Mr. Cozby began his federal career with a commission in the Regular Army, Signal Corps, in 1983. He served as a test officer at the U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground, 1983-1986, testing the NAVSTAR/GPS, Aquila RPV, SINCGARS, and several jammers. He also served as platoon leader, protocol officer, public affairs officer and historian. After completing the Signal Officer Advanced Course in 1987 he served as an operational tester and instrumentation engineer in the TEXCOM Experimentation Center, Ft. Hunter-Liggett, CA, 1987-1988. He then obtained a commission in the U.S. Army Reserve and joined the federal civil service in 1988 as an electronics engineer in Headquarters, U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM). While at TECOM/DTC, he served as Chief of the Technology Management Division, overseeing a staff of 15 engineers and scientists and managing a $200M+ annual investment program for the Army’s test centers. As a reserve officer, he served as a test officer in the Aberdeen Test Center Live Fire Vulnerability Directorate, 1989-1997, senior military advisor and survivability assessment officer in the Army Research Laboratory’s Survivability and Lethality Assessment Directorate, 1998-2004, and C4ISR analyst for the Army Materiel Systems Analysis Activity. He was recalled to active duty by the Army Materiel Command in October 2001 to support Operation Noble Eagle and returned to civil service in October 2002. He retired from the Army Reserve as a LTC in 2010.

Mr. Cozby’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, TECOM Professional Certificate, TECOM Commander’s Award, Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, Superior Civilian Service Award, Federal Executive Board (Outstanding Professional – Bronze), ARL Award for Analysis and Federal Executive Board (Outstanding Supervisor – Gold).

Mr. Cozby’s education includes a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Science in Administration, Central Michigan University, a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University, Army Command and General Staff College and the Defense Acquisition University Advanced Program Management Course. From July 2009-May 2010 Mr. Cozby served as a fellow in the Defense Acquisition University’s Senior Service College for Acquisition. He is a member of the Acquisition Corps and is certified Level III in Program Management and Test and Evaluation.

Mr. Don Sando was selected to the Senior Executive Service in February 2008 and is currently assigned as Director of Capabilities Development and Integration for the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia. As Director, Mr. Sando is responsible for developing and integrating Maneuver Center of Excellence-related concepts and requirements and conducting experimentation to validate maneuver capabilities to support Army, joint, interagency, and multinational organizations.

Mr. Sando graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1981. He holds a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

Mr. Sando culminated over 26 years of active duty service as Director of the Infantry Futures Group, U.S. Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning, Georgia. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.  

View the interview with Dr Obusek at Soldier Technology 2011 in February here.

Dr. Jack Obusek assumed responsibility as Director of the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) in January 2011.

Prior to this assignment he was the NSRDEC Associate Director, Strategic Plans and Programs. In cooperation with the Army's warfighting and acquisition organizations, he developed the strategic science and technology (S&T) priorities for the NSRDEC, recommended investments for the entire portfolio of NSRDEC science and technology, and was responsible for reviewing the execution of the S&T programs.

Previously Dr. Obusek served as Chief of the Human Systems Integration and Sciences Division, NSRDEC where he was responsible for planning, organizing, and managing all basic and applied human research programs. The Division's research areas included anthropology, biomechanics, cognitive performance, consumer product acceptance, and human factors, as well as human systems integration programs for warfighter products. His prior experience includes over 27 years of active duty service in the Army, culminating with assignment as the Commander of the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts.

Dr. Obusek's awards and achievements include the Legion of Merit, the Army Medical Specialist Corps Research Award, the Army Research and Development Achievement Award and The Army Surgeon General’s “A” Proficiency Designator. Dr. Obusek was also recognized with the Louis Dellamonica Award as one of the Army Materiel Command's outstanding personnel of 2006. Dr. Obusek is an active member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

Mark Richter has supported the Soldier Technology conferences for several years, view his interview about troop draw down and the effect on Soldier Programs here.

Mark is currently the Program Manager for the Marine Expeditionary Riffle Squad Program. Retired from the Marine Corps, he continues to work on the integration and modernization of the Marine Riffle Squad, focusing on the squad as the system and the Marine as the war fighter. The Marine Corps continues to rapidly equip the squad with new capabilities in the current conflict but must integrate these capabilities for the future.

Mr McCarthy has over thirty two years experience in support of the Department of Defense in a wide variety of duties and assignments. Currently serving as the Director of Operations at the Brigade Modernization Command, Mission Command Complex (MCC), Mr McCarthy has extensive experience in planning, preparing and executing live, virtual and constructive training exercises and events. He has served as the primary exercise planner and controller for more than 900 simulation supported training exercises and events. Mr. McCarthy has also served as the principle exercise designer and planner for more than 50 major Homeland Security and Consequence Management Exercises. In his current position, Mr McCarthy has the responsibility for integration of new and emerging technologies in the live, virtual, and constructive training domains. Additionally in November of 2009 Mr. McCarthy was assigned additional duties as co-lead for the U.S. Army’s “Connecting Soldiers to Digital Applications” project. This project is responsible for assessing the military utility of providing SmartPhone technologies to soldiers throughout the Army.

Colonel Barraclough received commission in 1986 as a Second Lieutenant in the infantry after graduating from West Point with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Aero Engineering. He has served in a variety of infantry leadership positions to include Rifle, Scout and Weapons Platoons Leader and Company Commander. His recent acquisition assignments include C4ISR Lead Analyst at the Joint Staff, J8, Product Manager for The Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) Program Field Support, Special Assistant to the Army Acquisition Executive for Iraqi Reconstruction, and the Director of Plans, Training, and Management for the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Reagan Test Site. He is currently serving as Joint Project Manager Guardian.

COL Barraclough awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and the Master Parachutist Badge with Bronze Combat Star. His foreign awards include the Peacemaker Medal (Brazil) as well as the German, Belgian, and Jordanian Parachutist Badges.

As Director Land Requirements 5 - Soldier Systems for the last 8 years, his 27-person section was responsible for the operational requirements, funding documents and R&D initiation in the areas of Small Arms, Weapons and Ammunition, Soldier Night Vision, Field Clothing, Load Carriage and Individual Equipment as well as equipment that supports Unique Operations. From 2001 to 2008, he was the Project Director for the Integrated Soldier System Project, a $310 million capital acquisition which was approved by Government on 28 Jul 2008. He also sponsored a considerable number of major and minor R&D projects on a wide variety of topics, receiving a Defence Research Canada Performance Excellence Award in 2004 for his contributions to then team executing the Soldier Information Requirements (SIREQ) Technology Demonstration.

LCol Bodner has been involved in NATO Solder System activities since 1995. He served as Canada's representative on Working Group 3 (Soldier Systems) to Land Group 3 and hosted the May 1998 meeting in Ottawa. As the NATO Soldier System group evolved, he attended Topical Group 1 on Soldier Systems, Land Group 1 on Soldier Interoperability and in 2006 was the CAN Head of Delegation to Land Capability Group (LCG) 1 on Dismounted Soldiers and Chairman of the LCG 1 Soldier Capability Analysis Group. In Dec 2007, the NATO Army Armaments Group accepted him as the second Chairman for LCG 1 on Dismounted Soldiers. This current group has a broad mandate for the standardization of NATO Small Arms Ammunition, Soldier Weapon and Sensors, Head-borne Systems, Clothing, Load Carriage and Individual Equipment and well as Dismounted C4I, Power and Battlefield Combat ID. LCol Bodner remains in Ottawa, recently posted to the Science and Technology HQ in the Directorate of Science and Technology Land and remains focused on Soldier System R&D.

Mr. Jay Brimstin is currently the Deputy Director of the Directorate of Training and Doctrine at the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Directorate’s mission is to develop and sustain doctrine and training products and services to enhance the combat effectiveness of the current and future Maneuver Force of the United States Army. As the Deputy Director Mr. Brimstin assists the Director in overseeing the development and publication of doctrine and doctrinal publications for the U.S. Army’s Heavy, Stryker, and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams and Battlefield Surveillance Brigades, as well as the development of the collective tasks associated with those units. He also assists in overseeing the development of individual tasks for all Armor and Infantry branch soldiers, as well as the development of training strategies, training programs, and training products for the Maneuver Force.

He works closely with the MCoE Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate, the MCoE training units, other U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Centers and Schools, other agencies across TRADOC, U.S. Army Forces Command, and various other Department of Defense agencies to insure that doctrine and training programs, products, strategies, and systems are fully coordinated and integrated across the MCoE, TRADOC, and the Army to meet the training needs of Soldiers and units.

Mark J. Buller Sc. M. is a Principal Investigator within the Biophysics and Biomedical Modeling Division at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, and is a Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science at Brown University. Mr. Buller is a Department of Defense Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship recipient. His research interest is Computational Physiology focusing on developing health state estimation models and algorithms using methods such as Bayesian probabilistic approaches. Mr. Buller has over 15 years experience in leading the development and fielding of ambulatory physiological status monitoring (PSM) devices. Mr. Buller has used these PSM devices to gain useful information about the physiological challenges faced by Warfighters at home and abroad. He has served as a PSM subject matter expert for both NATO and TTCP physiological monitoring panels, as well as providing PSM invited talks and presentations.

Enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1996; commissioned in 2000. Captain Cahoon is a Communications and Information Systems Officer and has held numerous assignments to include platoon command, company command, Battalion anti-terrorism/force protection officer, Battalion S-3 Training Officer, Communications School Instructor/Faculty Advisor. He is currently the C4 Branch Head at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. Capt Cahoon has been deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and is a recent Distinguished Graduate from the Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Warfare School. Captain Cahoon’s personal decorations include: the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device and gold star, Navy Achievement Medal with two gold stars, and the combat action ribbon.

COL Joseph A. Capobianco is the Division Chief for the Accelerated Capabilities Division (ACD), Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC). The mission of the Accelerated Capabilities Division is to identify and analyze current capability gaps, and to rapidly develop, integrate, and assess new capabilities for current operations.

His Army career is split between operational and acquisition assignments. As an Army Aviator he served with the 82nd Aviation BDE, 82nd ABN Division and with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). His acquisition assignments focused on testing, both developmental and operational, and product/project management.

Glenair’s Technical Product Manager for Series 80 “Mighty Mouse” Connector and Cable Assemblies, Lisa Amling has extensive technical experience in the aerospace industry, including over a decade in interconnect sales and product management.

Lisa has been in the Interconnect Industry for over 20 years in mil/aero, high reliability, interconnection products. As regional sales manager for a competing manufacturer, she was responsible for product lines including Mil-Spec circular connectors, rectangular D-Subminiature, micro-D, and nanominiature connectors, filtered connectors, hermetic connectors and all styles of cable assemblies. With such a rich experience base in aviation and technical interconnect sales, Lisa came to Glenair about eight years ago to product manage our then new and still innovative Series 80 “Mighty Mouse” connector and cable assembly system.

Karsten Stern, born 1976
1995-1998 Training to become MP-Officer, 2nd LT 07/1998
1998 – 2002 Study National Economy at GER AF University Hamburg, 1st LT 01/2001
2002-2004 Dpty Cdr MP Coy Hagenow, 01/03-04/03 GER Provost Marshall Kuwait
2004-2006 Dpty Cdr and Cdr German Army Exhibition, Cpt 04/2004
2006 – 2008 Offr MP Ops and PMO RSC 1st GE/NL NATO Corps
2008 Manager special projects Rheinmetall Weapons & Munitions Infantry

Colonel Steven W. Chandler, Chief, Human Dimension Task Force also serves, as an additional duty, as Deputy Director for Reserve Affairs, Requirements Integration Directorate, Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC).

During his 35 years of service, Colonel Chandler has held command and staff assignments including: Commander, E Company (Ribbon Bridge), 16th Engineer Battalion, Furth, Germany; Project Officer, Army Corps of Engineers, New England Division; and Reserve Component Readiness Advisor, Fort Devens, MA.  

In 2006, COL Chandler was mobilized to active duty at Fort Monroe, VA to serve at the ARCIC as the Deputy Director for Reserve Affairs, Accelerated and Capabilities Developments Directorate and as ARCIC lead to JFCOM’s Network Enabled Command Capability (NECC) program. During his mobilization tour he was extended, assessed to active duty and in July 2008 assumed the additional assignment of Chief, Human Dimension Task Force.

Willie Croghan is the Principal Account Manager for Army and Defense Soldier Programs working out of Cedar Rapids, IA. Willie is the front line company representative for executive leadership in the DoD and responsible for directing the development of company market requirements for highly technical and complex products, systems and solutions.

Willie had a 21 year military career that included a supporting OIF and OEF. He holds the following MOS’-11B, 11C, 88M, and 92F. His initial assignment in the Army was with the 1/410th INF BN where he served as an infantry man and worked his way to Platoon Sergeant. During his career, he changed MOS’ to give himself additional opportunities to lead at levels of greater responsibility. He retired as a Sergeants Major in 2009.

Willie brought this experience with him to his current role at Rockwell Collins. He was part of a team that took the best Rockwell Collins military technologies and combined them with the best commercial technologies to create Soldier technologies that benefit the Soldiers and Small Units at the tactical edge.

Military Operational History

• 1st Reconnaissance Team Member, United States Marine Corps - 5/95-5/98
• United States Naval Academy - 6/99-5/03
• Marine Infantry Platoon Commander - 7/04-7/06
• Officer in Charge, 3d Marine Regiment Schools - 7/06-6/07
• Advanced Infantry Training, Officer in Charge, 3d Marine Regiment Schools - 6/07-5/08
• Deputy Program Manager and Marine Corps Analyst, Enhanced Company Operations (ECO) / Distributed Operations (D.O.) (Contractor at the Columbia Group) - 5/08 -7/09

Director of Gruntworks & Program Analyst, PM Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS), MCSC - 7/09 to Present

• Manage the Squad Integration Facility, Gruntworks.
• Perform duties as Acquisition program analyst.
• Assistant technical project officer, for Data Exchange Agreement.
• Focus on system integration across Marine Rifle Squad.
• Strengths in human factors, expeditionary power, and rifle to body interface.

He is currently the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab Liaison Officer with the First Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. The office manages research, development, and funding of innovative military equipment, technologies, and concepts. Colonel Fisher has spent 23 months in Kuwait and Iraq supporting operational Marine Corps units since 2002. He last returned from Camp Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2007.

He also volunteers his time as the President of the Marine Executive Association -- West Coast, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that assists Marines transitioning to the civilian workplace. He is married to Kit-Bacon Gressitt, and has three sons.

Mr. Keith Ford is presently the Deputy Director, Clothing and Textiles, DLA Troop Support. He is the senior civilian in a workforce of 350 personnel across 12 divisions managing 43,000 line items in support of America’s warfighters and other customers worldwide.

Mr Gallagher is the Program Manager for Expeditionary Power Systems within the Marine Corps Systems Command, located at Quantico Virginia.

Within Expeditionary Power Systems, his organization is responsible for research, development, acquisition, and life cycle management of numerous power systems for the Marine Corps, to include tactical power generation, power distribution systems, environmental control systems, battery management systems, alternative power systems, and container systems.

Mr. Gallagher’s background and 32 years of work experience has focused on numerous Marine Corps Ground Combat systems and Naval amphibious systems.

COL(R) Hansen spent 25 years in the US Army in both the warfighting and acquisition fields. He held various command and staff positions in self-propelled, towed, and airborne artillery units and fire support elements. His research, development, and acquisition experience includes various assignments as a product, project, or program manager in electric guns, armored vehicles, and precision guided munitions. In his last 4 years of service as the Project Manager for Soldier Warrior, he was responsible for weapons, clothing, and equipment for aviation crewmen (Air Warrior), dismounted Soldiers (Land Warrior, Ground Soldier Ensemble), and vehicle crewmen (Mounted Soldier).

Born in Southampton England, Maj Herbert joined the Canadian Army in 1988. He has served as an infantryman and officer in the First and Second Battalions of the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) located at Petawawa Ontario and Gagetown New Brunswick respectively. He was extra-regimentally employed as an infantry and reconnaissance instructor at the Infantry School. He has served with NATO on occasion in both Bosnia and Kosovo. After commanding a rifle company Maj Herbert completed the Land Staff Technical Staff Program at Kingston Ontario. He was then posted to Directorate Land Requirements with the Army Headquarters in Ottawa. His initial responsibilities were with the Director Land Requirements 5 - Soldier Systems as DLR 5-4 specifically responsible for soldier capabilities with protection, clothing, and individual equipment. For the last two years, he has been the Project Director for the Integrated Soldier System. He has also served as the Project Director for the Soldier System Technology Roadmap and has recently started preliminary work for the Army’s Future Combat Uniform.

LTC Joseph K. Hitt joined DARPA in January 2011 after serving as the Director of the Aerospace and Thermodynamics Group and the Mechanical Engineering Research Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He specializes in soldier centric technologies that provide the dismounted soldier enhanced performance. Specific interests include wearable robotics, man-machine teaming, bio-inspired robotics, and regenerative kinetics. LTC Hitt’s experience includes two years as a commander of a 120-man Airborne Engineer Company at Fort Bragg, three years as Assistant Project Manager of Close Combat Systems at Picatinny Arsenal, managing multiple munitions programs, and was by-name recruited in 2004 to serve at HQ Department of the Army G3 Rapid Equipping Force, as the Science Officer for Army counter-IED and counter-mortar requirements. LTC Hitt holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from University of Southern California, and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University.

Colonel Eric Kobak was appointed Assistant Defense Cooperation Attaché at the French Embassy in Washington DC in August 2009. His portfolio includes Land Forces Cooperation, Joint C4ISR, Space, T&E, Homeland Security and Counter terrorism defense technologies.

Eric Kobak joined the DGA (Defense Acquisition agency) in 1993 and started his career in the Aerospace and Missile T&E center from French MoD procurement agency DGA where he evaluated seekers and guidance of air to air and cruise missiles.

In 1999, he joined the Land systems Directorate as system engineer for a airspace coordination ands C2 system for the land forces (MARTHA). In 2002, he was appointed to the C4ISR directorate as a program manager for tactical internet systems (Enhanced Rita, Line of sight and tropospheric communication systems).

In 2005, he was selected to attend the Joint Staff College. Then he joined the Joint Staff Headquarters planning division where he was in charge budgeting and planning of C4ISR programs Eric Kobak was born in Douai, France, in May 1970. He is married with Céline and they have two sons Alexis and Léo.

LTC Kyle Korcha is an Infantry Officer and is currently the Chief, Electronics and Special Developments Branch (ESDB) at the Maneuver Center of Excellence. The ESDB is responsible for determining the requirements for new equipment in the area Soldier-borne night vision, lasers and sensors and unmanned ground vehicles, a.k.a. robots used by maneuver forces.

Following company command, he served as an Observer/Controller at the Joint Readiness Center, Fort Polk, LA from 2000 to 2003. From 2003 to 2005, LTC Korcha worked in the Active Component Reserve Component Program advising the South Carolina National Guard’s 218TH Brigade and assisting other National Guard Units mobilization to support oversea operations.

In the spring of 2005 LTC Korcha deployed as a Team Leader for a Battalion Military Transition Team in Hammam Al Alil, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon returning from Iraq, LTC Korcha served as the Battalion Executive Officer for the 3RD Battalion, 34TH Infantry Regiment, 165TH Brigade at Fort Jackson, SC from 2006 to 2008.

In 2008 LTC Korcha deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As the team leader of the Validation Transition Team, he was responsible for assessing the capabilities of the Afghan National Army’s 203RD Corps in Paktia, Paktika, Khowst and Ghazni Provinces.

Conduct analysis and determine material requirements for Maneuver Soldiers Ensure current and future forces are enabled with state-of-the-art systems and new technologies to accomplish assigned missions Coordinate DOD, Defense Industry and Academia, Science and Technology efforts to ensure Materiel Requirements and Technology efforts are fully synchronized Integrate and synchronize capabilities across Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel and Facilities (DOTMLPF) domains

MG (Ret.) John Longhouser currently serves as the Board Chairman for Vectronix Inc. MG Longhouser previously served as the CEO and President of Vectronix Inc. in 2011 and was also a member of the Board of Directors from 2010-2011.

MG (Ret) John Longhouser joined Vectronix after three years of defense consulting. He began consulting in January 2008 after he retired from MTC Technologies. Longhouser joined MTC Technologies as President in 2003. He successfully led five years of dramatic growth which ultimately led to the sale of MTC Technologies to BAE North America in late 2008. Longhouser was responsible for expanding Army and Marine Corps business opportunities, enhancing strategic business development, sharpening the future business strategy for the company, and overseeing daily company operations and profitability. While at MTC Technologies, Longhouser also served as Executive for the Land Forces Business Group, a business area he created upon joining MTC Technologies.

Prior to joining MTC Technologies Longhouser served as Senior Vice President for Army Programs at Burdeshaw Associates, Ltd. for six years and served active duty in the U.S. Army for 33 years. He served as Program Manager of the Abrams Tank Systems, Assistant Deputy for Systems Management in the Army Secretariat, and Program Executive Officer for Armored Systems Modernization. Longhouser also had the role of Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Research Development and Acquisition, and to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition. He has experience with many armor units, both in peacetime and in combat.General Longhouser retired as the Commanding General, Army Test and Evaluation Command.

Mr. Lee Mastroianni has spent his career with the Department of the Navy within the scientific and engineering community at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division, the Naval Research Lab, and the Office of Naval Research.

Mastroianni is currently the Force Protection Thrust Lead for the Expeditionary & Combating Terrorism Science & Technology (S&T) Department (Code 30) within the Office of Naval Research. He is responsible for identifying, maturing, demonstrating, and transitioning technologies for protection of the future Warfighter from multiple modes of attack throughout the spectrum of warfare.

He has previously led Tech Solutions, which is focused on rapidly delivering technology to the Fleet/Force, was operations manager for the Naval Fleet/Force Technology Innovation Office, assisted in the stand-up of the Cartridge Actuated Device/Propellant Actuated Device Joint Program office and was project engineer for several Aircrew Egress Systems, Mine Clearance Systems, and Propulsion/Energetics special projects. Prior to coming to ONR, Mastroianni was the Science and Technology Advisor for Naval Central Command/FIFTH Fleet during the initial stages of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Randy A. Moore is President of EaglePicher Technologies, LLC, the leading producer of batteries and energetic devices for the defense, space and commercial industries. EaglePicher Technologies provides the most experience and broadest capability in battery electrochemistry of any battery supplier in the United States offering a wide range of battery technology including thermal, nickel hydrogen, lithium carbonmonofluoride, lithium thionyl chloride, lithium manganese dioxide, lithium sulfur dioxide, lithium ion, reserve lithium oxyhalide, custom battery assemblies and silver zinc batteries. It also provides other energy products and pyrotechnic devices for the defense industry, as well as advanced battery chargers and other power solutions for business, industrial and recreational applications. In his former roles, Mr. Moore was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Kollsman, Inc., a leading provider of advanced systems for the commercial aviation, homeland security, and defense markets. Mr. Moore led Kollsman to capture the 2007 New Hampshire Business of the Year award in the manufacturing/ technology category and the 2006 Product of the Year award for the Enhanced Vision System II. Kollsman also made Business NH Magazine’s 2006 top ten list of Best Large Companies to Work For in New Hampshire. Prior to Kollsman, Mr. Moore served as the Vice President and General Manager of a newly formed business unit at Kaman Aerostructures & PlasticFab, Inc. where he focused on the production of aircraft structures. Prior to joining Kaman, Mr. Moore held positions of increasing responsibility with several technology companies such as Lucent Technologies, Texas Data Systems & Solutions, Raytheon/E-Systems, and Westinghouse Electric. In addition to his corporate positions, Mr. Moore served in the United States Air Force and was promoted from airman basic through captain while on active duty. He retired in 2007 as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Mr. Moore received a Master in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Management from Texas Lutheran College. He also holds certifications in Teamwork Facilitation, Project Management, Professional Contracts Management, and Purchasing Management. Active in the aviation community, Mr. Moore is a member of the National Business Aviation Association and the Aerospace Industries Association. He authored a text in the field of strategic supplier management published by the American Management Association. Mr. Moore is married to his wife, Elizabeth, and has three children, Will, Randa, and Chelsey. In his spare time, he enjoys writing, fly fishing, and flying.

In June 2008, COL Newell assumed command of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas. The 4th BCT deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom X in May 2009 where they served in southern Iraq as the Army’s “proof of principle” for the Advise and Assist Brigade concept. In July 2010, COL Newell was re-assigned to his current duty as Director, U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force. .

COL Newell’s awards and decorations include the Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (four Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Army Achievement Medal (four Oak Leaf Clusters). He was a part of the National Military Command Center when they were awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Citation for their actions during the Global War on Terrorism. His former unit, Task Force 2-2, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their actions during Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq in November 2004. His badges include the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (2nd award), Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge with Bronze Star Device, and the Pathfinder Badge.

Major Mark Owens assumed duties as the Ground Soldier APM for Power at PEO-SOLDIER on 22 April 2011. Major Owens was born in Highpoint NC, and grew up in Charlotte NC. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and his commission from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. MAJ Owens earned his Master’s in Business Administration from Webster University in 2007.

He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course and Infantry Officers Career Course at Ft. Benning GA. Additional military schooling consists of the Infantry Mortar Leaders Course, the Bradley Leaders Course, Air Assault School, Airborne School, Combined Arms Staff Services School, the Army Acquisition Basic course and Intermediate Level Education. He has served in mechanized infantry, mortar, initial entry training, instructor and staff environments- deploying to the Balkans, Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. Previously, Major Owens served as an acquisition officer at United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) working with Biometrics, Forensics, and ground based ISR assets.

Pete is the Director of the EDGE Innovation Network, that enables user-centric technology innovations to be rapidly developed at industry and academia expense and made available to Warfighters and First Responders in an expedited manner. Prior to joining General Dynamics C4 Systems, Pete performed over 32 years of active service as a commissioned officer in the United States Army, retiring in 2009 as a Brigadier General. His experience in the Army includes a wide range of assignments in the Infantry, both stateside and abroad. His most recent assignments include commanding the Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) at the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. BCTP is a simulation based virtual training environment focusing on training Brigade, Division and Army Commanders and Staff on battle command, C4ISR systems and processes. Upon promotion to Brigadier General, Pete served as deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and assessment for operations for the Multi-national Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was then selected for Assistant Division Commander of the 1st Infantry Division in Europe where he was responsible for the division’s logistics operations and its re-stationing from Germany to Fort Riley, Kan. In 2005, Pete was assigned to serve as the Director of Accelerated Capabilities Development for the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC) at Fort Monroe, Va. He managed a broad capabilities development portfolio with responsibility for the development and integration of Department of the Army future and current fight capabilities documents as well as Science and Technology capability documents for the Army and Joint and Multi-National forces.

Pete was also instrumental in championing the Army’s recent push into understanding and improving the relationship between the Soldier and technology. This is one aspect of the Human Dimension (HD) capabilities development initiative that encompasses the moral, physical, and cognitive components of Soldier development and performance.

Pete’s experience as a thought leader in Human Dimension has kept him at the forefront of technology discovery and allowed him to interact with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), industry and academia. He is applying this experience to move the EDGE Innovation Network to the next level, keeping it at the forefront of understanding the technology gaps warfighters face and developing new ways for the warfighter to assess and manage information.

In 1993, Colonel Reddy was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 6, MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he served as Assistant Operations Officer, Weapons and Tactics Instructor, and Operations Officer. He was reassigned as the Assistant Operations Officer, Marine Air Control Group 28 in November 1995. In July 1996, Colonel Reddy was transferred to the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Colonel Reddy then served as the Command, Control and Communications Department Head, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, Yuma, Arizona from July 1997 to June 2000. He was transferred to Department of Aviation, Headquarters, Marine Corps in July 2000 and served as Air Defense Action Officer, Air Command and Control Branch. He then served as the Commanding Officer of Marine Air Control Squadron 4, MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan from June 2001 to December 2002, deploying with his squadron to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He then served as the Operations Officer for Marine Air Control Group 18, before reporting to the Marine Corps War College in Quantico in July 2003. He was assigned to Marine Corps Systems Command from June 2004 to August 2007 serving as the Project Team Leader for the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System, the Common Aviation Command and Control System, and the Target Location, Designation, and Hand-off System. During this tour he achieved certification to Level III in the Defense Acquisition Program Management Career Field and as a Project Management Professional.

Colonel Reddy reported to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in September 2007 and took command of Marine Air Control Group 38 from December 2007 to November 2009. He deployed with the Group to Iraq from January 2008 to January 2009 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Colonel Reddy reported to Marine Corps Systems Command in December 2009 to serve as the Product Group Director, Product Group 11, MAGTF Command and Control, Weapons and Sensors Development and Integration. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit with one Gold Star, Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Gold Star, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star.

In August 2003, Lt Colonel Reilly was assigned to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency as the Deputy Program Manager for the Image Product Library. In September 05, Lt Colonel Reilly deployed to Combined Force Command – Afghanistan as the NGA Liaison officer to the CJ-2.

In June of 2006, Lt Colonel Reilly was assigned to 2d Marine Division. He deployed to Iraq in September 2006 where he served as the 2-7-2 Iraqi National Police Transition Team Chief during the Baghdad Surge. After 8 months, Lt Colonel Reilly’s transition team was transferred to Al-Anbar Province to train and mentor the 3-4-1 Iraqi Army Battalion. During the year long deployment, Lt Colonel Reilly was selected for the 8059 MOS. Returning to the 2d Combat Engineer Battalion in September 2007, Lt Colonel Reilly assumed the duty of Battalion Executive Officer. During this tour Lt Colonel Reilly was selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. In October of 2008, Lieutenant Colonel Reilly received orders to Marine Corps Systems Command and was assigned as the Deputy Program Manager for Engineer Systems. In June 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Reilly took command of the Program Manager for Infantry Combat Equipment.

Lieutenant Colonel Reilly’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (palm in lieu of second award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 gold stars in lieu of third award), Army Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Terri Scheetz began her career in January 1978 starting out working for the Army before transferring over to the Defense Logistics Agency in 1981. During her 34 years of Federal Service, Terri has worked in the acquisition career field holding positions such as Acquisition Specialist, Small Business Specialist, Contracting Officer, Section Chief and ultimately Division Chief. In her various positions she was responsible for a wide variety of product lines to include special purpose clothing, camouflage uniforms, footwear and ultimately equipment/tentage items. Today Terri manages the Clothing & Textile Division responsible for the acquisition of soft shelters, modular load bearing equipment and critical life and limb items to include both hard and soft body armor (Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts and Improved Outer Tactical Vests), Helmets, Advanced Anti-Gravity Suits unique to the F22, and Anti-Gravity Suits worn on F15s and F16s.

Andrew Taylor is the Chief Engineer for Soldier Systems Integration Domain and is responsible for overseeing Soldier related science and technology products. Mr. Taylor is responsible for oversight of the system architectures and critical design decisions related to Soldier systems. Mr. Taylor is also responsible to ensure that the technical approaches selected maintain open systems architecture and maximize both user acceptance and combat effectiveness. With 20 years of civil service, Mr. Taylor has served in a variety of diverse duty assignments such as system safety, building level A chemical protection systems, Soldier networking, systems integration efforts to fully integrated Soldier systems. Mr. Taylor is focused today on improving capabilities for the Soldier and small combat unit with a direct focus on reducing size, weight, and power requirements and addressing cost, comfort, and cognitive (SWAP-C3).

Mr. Wilson is a professional Engineer with 27 years of experience with Marine Corps Command and Control (C2), Communications and Networking Systems engineering design, procurement, installation and tactical operations. He is a retired Marine Corps officer with over 22 years as an active duty C2 Systems officer and has extensive knowledge of the Marine Corps and Joint systems.

His practical experience is based on his performance as the Operations Officer / Systems Planning and Engineering Officer in combat operations during both Desert Storm and Somalia. During these tours he led the design and installation of large scale tactical networks and telecommunications infrastructures for data, voice and video capabilities at units ranging from Battalions to the Marine Division. Mr. Wilson has extensive experience in Naval Amphibious operations as he was assigned as the Amphibious Communications Planning Officer for the Commander of Amphibious Group 2 in Okinawa. In 1995 he was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps where he began his acquisition work as the Marine Corps’ Amphibious Systems Integration Officer. He worked directly with the Navy in the development, design, and maintenance of new ships such as the LPD-17 and LHD (5, 6, 7). Additionally, during this period, Mr. Wilson completed his first Masters of Science Degree from the University of Maryland with a degree in Telecommunications Systems.

In June 1998, Mr. Wilson transferred to the Naval Postgraduate School where he completed his second Post-graduate degree, a Masters of Science in Computer Science. Mr. Wilson's focus at NPS was in the area of computer security and networking. He assumed the role as network and protocol engineer for the school's Multi-level Secure Local Area Network Project and completed his thesis entitled ""A Communication Protocol Framework for Multi-level Secure Local Area Networks."" Following his graduation from NPS s 2000, Mr. Wilson gained his Defense Acquisition Certification for Program Management and was assigned to the Marine Corps Systems Command. He worked for five years with hands on acquisition experience as the Assistant Program Manager for tactical radios followed by a three year tour as Program Manager for Communications and Network Systems. During this period he developed the Marine Corps tactical radio transition strategy to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. This plan provided the Marine Corps an approach to upgrade its aging contingent of tactical radios to support the war effort while maintaining its acquisition strategy to procure the JTRS radio once available. In lieu of a system engineer within the PM, he also performed the Systems Engineering functions for the successful design and development of Programs such as the Support Wide Area Network (SWAN), C2 on the Move Digital Over Horizon Relay (CONDOR), and the Lightweight Multiband Satellite Terminal (LMST).

Following his retirement in 2005, Mr. Wilson has been working as a Government Civilian engineer within Marine Corps Systems Command Engineering Directorate providing architectural integration and engineering analysis for the MAGTF’s capabilities. His primary areas of focus have been to lead the Systems Command in alignment of the Systems Architecture development and Interoperability and Supportability Certification processes. This includes using his computer science background to design and development of a single authoritative data source for Systems Engineering data know as the MAGTF Collaborative Architecture Environment (MCAE). Mr. Wilson additionally leads the engineering convergence between the US Army and Marine Corps in support of the Army Marine Corps Board; acts as the Mission Area Chief Engineer (MACE) representative with ASN RDA CHSENG for Mission Level Architectures development for the Land Force domain; and leads the NATO Dismounted Soldier C4I and Systems Architecture Working Group to define the standards for data systems coalition interoperability at the Soldier system level.

Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn grew up in a Marine family, but calls Woodbridge, VA home. He was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Virginia in 1987, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. After graduating from The Basic School the same year and the Infantry Officers Course in 1988, he proceeded to his first duty assignment at 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, then located at Camp Pendleton, CA. During Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn’s three plus years at 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, he held the billets of Rifle Platoon Commander, Heavy Machine Gun Platoon Commander, and 81mm Mortar Platoon Commander. Completing deployments to Okinawa on the Unit Deployment Program and to Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Saudi Arabia/Kuwait, he was subsequently assigned to School of Infantry (East) in 1991 where he served as a company commander with Marine Combat Training Battalion, and as a company commander with and the operations officer for Infantry Training Battalion. He was selected to attend the resident Amphibious Warfare School in 1994 and graduated with distinction in 1995. After Amphibious Warfare School, Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn received orders to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines at Camp Pendleton, CA. In his nearly four years with the battalion, he served as Battalion Logistics Officer, Company Commander, Battalion Operations Officer, and Battalion Executive Officer. During this assignment, he completed two deployments to Okinawa with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) as part of the battalion landing team. Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn was selected in 1999 as the Commanding Officer for Marine Corps Recruiting Station Buffalo. After completing a successful recruiting tour, he attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College where he graduated with distinction and a Masters Degree in Military Studies in 2003.

Upon completion of resident school, Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn received orders to Marine Corps Systems Command and was assigned initially as a project officer within Program Manager Optics and Non-Lethal Systems for the Non-Lethal Systems team where he worked with the Gladiator unmanned ground vehicle and the non-lethal equipment suites fielded to Marine Expeditionary Units. After five months, he was assigned as the Team Lead for the Optics Team. Programs under his purview included all of the day, night, and thermal optics, and weapons mounted laser pointers fielded across the Marine Corps, for which he oversaw the source selection, budgeting, and life cycle management activities. He went on to complete the requisite training for a Level II Certification in Program Management and completed several other courses to further his education in acquisition. During this time, he also deployed as an Individual Augment to 1st Marine Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as Company Commander, Headquarters and Service Company, Headquarters Battalion at Camp Blue Diamond in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, from October 2004 to April 2005. Promoted to his current rank in May 2009, he was next assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, CA.

From July 2006 to July 2009, Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn served as Deputy, Current Operations, G-3, I MEF, the Operations Advisor for 7th Iraqi Army Division Military Transition Team in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, and the Future Operations Officer, G-3, I MEF. He is currently assigned as the Infantry Combat Equipment and Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad Capabilities Integration Officer, Fires and Maneuver Integration Division, Capabilities Development Directorate at Quantico, VA. Lieutenant Colonel Woodburn’s personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, and a Bronze Star. He is married to the former Kara Reed from Virginia Beach, and they have two daughters, Alexa (6) and Virginia (4), and a son, William (4 mos).

Dr. James Zheng is the Chief Scientist for Project Manager - Soldier Equipment, Program Executive Office – Soldier, US Army.

Dr. Zheng obtained his Bachelor's degree in Analytical Chemistry and Master's Degree in Solid State Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Physical Chemistry from Purdue University in 1991.

Dr. Zheng holds three patents and published more than 30 scientific papers.

Dr. Zheng was the recipient of the US Army’s AMC Greatest Invention Award in 2002 for developing the current DOD standard body armor system – The Interceptor Multiple Threat Body Armor. He received the US Army “Superior Civilian Service Medal” Award in 2008 for “exceptional meritorious and superior technical achievement”.

As one of the founders in 1999 of Alchemie, Haslen identified the portfolio of Russian high strength materials technologies that are being developed and commercialized. Haslen after being commissioned as an officer from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst served in the Royal Anglian Regiment as an infantry officer. Service took him as a platoon commander to Northern Ireland, Germany “BAOR”, Hong Kong, Brunei and into Gulf War 1. Haslen has a wide range of management and commercial skills that are combined with first hand experience of some of the applications of the technologies as a previous user in his military service. As a former infantry officer he is leading the drive to reduce mass of the protective apparel & equipment soldiers are required to carry by using Alchemie’s unique materials technologies, including AuTx.

Chris has extensive global corporate experience. He left Unilever in 2010 after 30 years, 17 overseas that included Regional Chairman of Russia/CIS and then Middle East and Africa where he oversaw strategic and operational management of Unilevers regional operations. Chris has deep understanding and experience of international business operations, management practices and corporate governance. Chris is a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2003. Over the last 2 years Chris has become involved in investor relations, strategic planning and operating systems of the AuTx business.

Presenting on sopolyaramids, their history of development, applications and production.

Vladimir Lakunin was appointed by the shareholders and Kamensk City administration as the managing director of Kamenskvolokno in 1991 to rescue the enterprise after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Vladimir restructured the business and has lead a team of over two thousand people to build a solid, profitable and developing business that has successfully diversified from being a fiber supplier to the Russian defense, atomic energy and space agencies. Diversification included developing export markets and commercial markets for its original copolyaramids as well as investing in production plants for polyethylene and polypropylene fibers. Against the trend for producing lower and lower initial cost engineering fibers, Vladimir saw that this route was not the way forwards for a specialist fiber manufacturer. Instead Kamenskvolokno invested heavily into putting sopolyaramid fibres into production, with increased performance that give clients better “through life value” and other strategic benefits. Since meeting in 2002, Vladimir has worked with Haslen Back to develop state of the art materials and solutions that offer significantly higher performance then those made from copolyaramids, giving superior “through life” economic and strategic benefits.