AFCEAN of the Month, October 2025
Col. Richard (Dick) Palmieri, USAF (Ret.), has been an AFCEA International member for 36 years, making significant contributions in multiple roles across the United States.
Palmieri began his involvement with the Colorado Springs Chapter as an event supporter, contributing luncheon summaries for publication in SIGNAL Magazine and assisting with conference planning. During his tenure with the Omaha Chapter, he was recognized as a Distinguished Young AFCEAN in 1996. In the Tidewater Chapter, he chaired one of the chapter’s most successful TechNet conferences, generating significant support for its scholarship program. Palmieri also played a key role in revitalizing the previously closed Tucson Chapter, serving as president for 18 months. He established collaborative relationships with the sister chapter at Fort Huachuca to organize and host the inaugural joint TechNet event in Tucson, raising funds to advance chapter objectives and benefit the broader community.
Palmieri has held several leadership positions within the Hawaii Chapter over the past 10-plus years, beginning as an adviser to the chapter’s TechNet Indo-Pacific technical director during multiple TechNet events while serving on active duty. After retiring, he continued his involvement by serving on the chapter’s board as one of five strategic advisers and contributing to the establishment of a Military Affairs Committee, which later became the Community Outreach Committee, aimed at expanding communication with members and leaders. He also served as executive vice president and is currently the president of AFCEA Hawaii.
His work on the past six TechNet Indo-Pacific conferences has been impactful. He has personally worked on themes, set up panels and speakers, and invited high-value U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) speakers, including the U.S. Air Force’s chief information officer and the DOD chief digital and artificial intelligence officer. He has helped AFCEA execute the “industry panel” at events by coordinating topics for discussion and vetting industry partners who were postured to speak on topics such as zero trust, edge communications, cloud modernization and satellite communications. His leadership has been significant to TechNet Indo-Pacific’s success and, subsequently, the chapter’s ability to deliver more than $150,000 annually in STEM scholarships and grants to Hawaii’s students and educators while supporting state-wide activities, such as FIRST Robotics and the state science fair.
Over the past several years, Palmieri has refined the chapter’s charter to reintegrate the education foundation into the core leadership framework and ensure that activities are aligned with desired outcomes. His efforts have contributed to the expansion of the chapter’s Emerging Leader Program, resulting in increased membership among individuals under 40 and heightened recognition of award recipients.
Palmieri has also organized chapter events, securing notable guest speakers such as senior leaders in cyber and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance—including the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command J6 and the commander of the Joint Intelligence Operations Center—to facilitate collaboration with vendor partners. In addition, he has recruited new board members and advisers from both retired military personnel and industry professionals.
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