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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 01/28/2024
The chapter is proud to share the significant accomplishments of its Emerging Leaders group, led by Emerging Leaders President Carlos Embury. At this year's WEST Conference, the chapter won "Model Chapter" for Emerging Leaders and two of the chapter's own Emerging Leaders won Outstanding Emerging Leader for 2024. It was a chapter sweep! The chapter's Emerging Leaders have grown by 35 members since the start of the year and Carlos Embury taking on his position as president of the chapter's Emerging Leaders.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/01/2024
In March, in conjunction with several Central Virginia area AFCEA chapters, the chapter hosted its annual Code-a-Thon event for the third year in a row! The virtual Code-a-Thon blasted off to nine Virginia-based elementary schools. The fictional Virginia AFCEA Space Alliance, or VASA, once again traveled to Planet X for a thrilling adventure called "Grow the Planet." The goal of this event was to encourage the development of coding, promote interest in science, technology, engineering and math, and raise cyber awareness for the participating elementary schools. This is the only virtual code-a-thon event that connects public schools, Department of Defense Education Activity grant schools and Department of Defense schools in the region. The volunteers supporting the event also were rewarded as they experienced the thrill of making a difference in the young lives of the participants. As some of the teachers have noted, "It is amazing to watch students' excitement around coding and STEA ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 02/28/2024
In February, the chapter hosted Aric Sherwood, director, Acquisition Innovation Directorate, Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO-EIS). The hour and a half-long presentation was an informative session where industry and other government leaders learned about the Army's agile journey, contracting, testing, SBIRs, maintaining acquisition rigor and industry collaboration. The event also hosted several other government leaders, like Matt Gohil, chief information officer at PEO Soldier, who quoted that Sherwood's presentation had "insights on how the Army continues to drive agile across the acquisition community" and that he was "looking forward to further engagements with PEO-EIS." This was a popular event and the chapter appreciates the continued partnership with PEO-EIS.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 02/20/2024
In February, the chapter's Emerging Leaders hosted their second Roundtable. This event was a conversation with Kaitlin Bulavinetz, associate director, science & technology (S&T) analysis & policy integration within the Office of Strategic Intelligence & Analysis and senior advisor to the principal director for advanced computing and software, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) in Defense S&T Innovation and Policy Integration. This was an insightful evening where the group discussed the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in the ever-evolving world of information technology.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 10/17/2023
In October, the chapter, in partnership with Federal Training Partners, hosted the sold-out, all-day ITES-4S Symposium at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club. This symposium brought together industry and government leaders alike to allow the opportunity to engage with one another and shape conversations that will drive the future of Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-4 Services (ITES-4S). With more than 270 attendees, the ITES-4S Symposium was well-attended and included a panel of industry experts as well as three keynotes from Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) and the Army Office of Small Business leaders.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 06/28/2023
In June, the chapter hosted a sold-out event with over 100 attendees from the Fort Belvoir community who came to hear from Bill Hepworth, the new deputy program executive officer, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO-EIS). The event highlighted contract strategies, organizational and culture changes as well how industry can accelerate (or slow down) the PEO-EIS journey. Hepworth shared his experiences from the Army and working in industry as well as his observations and focus areas.Jim Evans, chapter president, expressed his appreciation to Hepworth and the PEO-EIS organization for partnering so closely with the chapter to make this event possible. The event hosted not only several key stakeholders from PEO-EIS but also Tina Jordan, vice president of membership from AFCEA International, and the chapter's scholarship awardees, students, families, and membership sponsors. |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 06/30/2023
The chapter hosted the annual Educational Scholarship Awards in June. During the event, the chapter recognized and awarded over 150 scholarship recipients local to the Virginia/Washington, D.C. metro area. The awards included STEAM scholarships as well as the Kevin Carroll Scholarship for Excellence. Over $145,000 in scholarships were awarded on this day to local high school seniors and undergraduate students.Most notably, the esteemed Kevin Carroll Scholarship for Excellence was awarded to Melina K. Chapula Gutierrez. Kevin Carroll was a dedicated public servant, exceptional leader, mentor and role model to many throughout his career. He was dedicated to his family, friends, colleagues and especially the American warfighter. The chapter is proud to be able to honor Carroll's memory and congratulate Chapula Gutierrez who is an active member of the Air Force and pursuing her degree at Cornell University. A jovial event with members from government and industry came t ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 12/15/2022
In December of 2022, two chapters from AFCEA, Belvoir and Rockbridge Shenandoah, hosted a virtual hackathon in six Virginia elementary schools. This was the second occurrence of a hackathon for fifth-grade elementary students held in what is envisioned as an ongoing annual event. The event is designed to promote cyber education and awareness, introduce the participating students and teachers to coding and spark interest in future hackathons, coding and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities.The first year of the hackathon was held with only Belvoir Elementary School, a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grant school and reached 150 students and a handful of teachers. In 2022, participation in the hackathon included 400 students and over 30 faculty and educators. The hackathon included not only Belvoir Elementary School but also Quantico's Crossroads Elementary School-a Department of Defense (DoD) school-and four public schools in Roc ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 11/07/2022
The chapter is preparing for AFCEA Belvoir Industry Days, taking place on November 7-9, 2022. All sessions will be in-person at the Westfields Marriott, Chantilly, Virginia.This year's theme, "Zeroing In on Cloud, Data, and the Unified Network," highlights the ongoing need to align evolving technology and strategy to meet the needs of the U.S. Army and Department of Defense. The agenda features updates from Program Executive Offices across Fort Belvoir, guest keynotes, Industry Innovation sessions and networking opportunities to connect with colleagues. Exhibits and interactive displays allow industry representatives and Fort Belvoir program personnel to share information, updated requirements and capabilities. The chapter welcomes members, nonmembers, government, academia, students and industry members to join Industry Days 2022. Registration is now open. https://www.fbcinc.com/e/AFCEABelvoir |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 12/16/2021
Before the local schools started their long holiday break, fifth-grade students from Fort Belvoir Elementary School had two days of unique learning that took them to the ends of the Earth.In the Escape the Planet Coding Challenge, students and volunteers from the Belvoir AFCEA Space Alliance (BASA) completed a fictional mission to Planet X. Throughout the mission, students learned computer coding, created a small computer called a micro:bit, created circuits and graphics and then added sound. The journey to get to the event took over a year of planning. The initial concept was to sponsor a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school-based hackathon, hosted virtually by AFCEA, to allow DoDEA schools worldwide to participate alongside local public schools in various coding challenges. There was unanimous interest, and preparations for the hackathon got underway. Then, the global pandemic hit. As the response to COVID-19 defined a new normal for society, the ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 11/03/2021 "This event brings together the contracting community and the government customer, so they can hear directly from one another," noted Jim Evans, chapter president. "It's very important for government and industry to understand current and future needs to work together on solutions that benefit our warfighters," added Bill Jones, past chapter president. A roster of more than 85 speakers provided briefings and panel discussions covering program updates, contracting opportunities, evolving requirements and program-specific challenges. Joining the agenda this year were Rich Aldridge, program executive of ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 12/16/2021
The chapter is excited to announce its inaugural Escape the Planet hackathon event. Developed in conjunction with the AFCEA Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) Student Chapter, AFCEA International, representatives from military academies and Fairfax County Public School faculty and high school students, Escape the Planet is a series of basic coding challenges built around a space exploration mission storyline. The challenge engages middle school students to assist the fictional Belvoir AFCEA Space Alliance (BASA) on their mission of discovery to Planet X to bring back recently detected evidence of "proof-of-life."This pilot effort is scheduled for December 16 - 17 and will support ongoing coding curriculum being taught at each of the competing schools with the hope of seeding future interest and participation in Science Technology Engineering Arts & Math (STEAM) events. As part of the ongoing mission of the chapter, grants are being offered to each of the competing sc ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/16/2021
The chapter is honored to announce the first annual Kevin Carroll Scholarship for Excellence. The Kevin Carroll Scholarship for Excellence is the most prestigious scholarship offered by the chapter's Education Program. Kevin's legacy of service, leadership, mentoring and empowering others lives in this scholarship.Kevin spent his life serving and supporting others. He was dedicated to his family, friends, colleagues and especially the American warfighter. He spent the majority of his adult life serving the people. He began his career serving as an enlisted soldier in the U.S. Army and attending college. Kevin's civilian career began in the U.S. Coast Guard as a contract specialist. He eventually moved back to the Army, rose through the ranks and ultimately retired from the Senior Executive Service, where he led the Army's Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems. Education was one of the pillars of Kevin's success. He obtained his undergraduate and ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/22/2021
Gina Lewis, chapter vice president for education, presented teachers $25 gift cards, totaling $3,050, as part of the chapter's continued partnership with Fort Belvoir Elementary and Upper Schools. The combined campus educates children from pre-K through the sixth grade and has a robust STEAM program. In STEAM education, students combine science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics to learn, explore and solve problems in new ways. Why the A? STEAM includes the "A" for arts practices and principles. STEAM takes STEM to the next level by emphasizing innovation, design and aesthetics. The chapter has supported Fort Belvoir Elementary Campus, which includes both schools, for over 10 years with teacher grants, science grants, a storage unit and a room dedicated to STEM activities.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 02/12/2021
In an era where ultra-connectedness is leading to real virtual fatigue, the chapter's Emerging Leaders (ELs) and their Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) counterparts, are creatively connecting to others and conquering some of the COVID-19 confines. AFCEA has a networking soul, which the chapter ELs and NVCC view as a perfect conduit for world-wide connectedness like never before. The members are targeting April 2022 as a historic benchmark where AFCEA chapters around the world will band together for its First Annual Global Hack-A-Thon. In the interim, these young leaders are busy creating, hosting and curating sessions for a Hack My... series. With AFCEA's strong suit of networking as the backdrop, the Hack My... series offers practical, insightful sessions on working within the information technology (IT) industry. Topics span everything from Hack My Interview, Hack My Resume, Hack My Internship, Hack My Job, Hack My Security Clearance and more. ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 01/22/2020
January's guest speaker Col. Chad Harris, USA, project manager Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO), packed the house with over 250 industry partners. In a panel discussion with Bonnie Evangelista of Army Contracting Command, Rock Island (ACC-RI), and Ed Sealing of Sealing Technologies, the team successfully demonstrated the process of how an industry partner was able to collaborate, integrate and ultimately be selected for one of DCO's most successful rapid prototyping other transaction authority agreements: the Deployable Defensive Cyberspace Operations-Modular.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 09/25/2019
The chapter kicked off the season with the annual update from Chérie Smith, program executive officer for enterprise information systems (PEO EIS). In her overview, Smith addressed changes to the organizational structure and highlighted the new leadership teams at Army Enterprise Systems Integration Program, General Fund Enterprise Business System, Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army, Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems, Defensive Cyber Operations and Enterprise Services. PEO EIS is responsible for managing and providing the information technology network and business systems that soldiers and the U.S. Army need to operate every day. Smith laid out her priorities for the year ahead to meet this mission: talent management, stakeholder management, enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration and network integration. She stressed the importance of building and maintaining relationships while having the right people in the right place at the right time. Smith als ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 05/09/2019
In May, the chapter hosted its Fifth Annual Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) IT Acquisition Small Business (SB) Networking Event. The sold-out event featured Chris Hall, deputy director, DLA Office of SB Programs; Michael Yacobacci, division chief, IT Services, DLA Contracting Services Office-Philadelphia (DCSO-P); and John Fafara, division chief, Strategic Programs, DCSO-P. Hall discussed DLA's mission to manage the end-to-end global supply chain to sustain warfighter readiness. Employing more than 27,000 people, DLA had revenues in fiscal year 2018 of $39 billion. DLA manages more than $150 billion in active contracts, holds responsibility for nearly 98 percent of military service consumables and buys from more than 12,000 suppliers. In FY 2018, DLA awarded more than $15 billion in contracts to small businesses. Yacobacci and Fafara discussed the DLA J-6 Enterprise Technology Services (JETS) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, which recently surpassed the $1 bil ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/07/2019,_Bill_Jones,_Eric_Strauss_-_AFCEA_SB_Networking_Event_MAR_2019jpg.jpg)
In March, the chapter hosted Stephanie Shutt, director of the General Service Administration's (GSA's) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program Management Office (PMO), to discuss upcoming changes to GSA's MAS program. Shutt has supported the MAS program for nearly 15 years and currently oversees the agency's $30 billion schedule program, which consists of 24 schedules offering almost every commercial product and service available to agencies government-wide. As PMO director, Shutt provides strategic guidance and direction, ensuring the program continually addresses evolving market forces to provide the federal government with streamlined, value-based contracting solutions. Shutt detailed the two-year, three-phased approach to schedule consolidation and answered questions from AFCEA members on what schedule holders should expect in the coming years. Affected schedules include GSA's IT schedule 70, professional services schedule (PSS), travel schedule and document schedule, plus 20 othe ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/21/2019
Creating Innovative IT Acquisition Solutions... Defending Tomorrow, Today The chapter supports the Fort Belvoir, Virginia community, by connecting the government with IT industry professionals. Fort Belvoir, Virginia is home to over 90 diverse tenant and satellite organizations. Chapter members, non-members, government, academia, students and industry members are encouraged to participate in supporting the chapter's mission. There are multiple reasons to attend the AFCEA Belvoir Industry Days 2019 in March but here are the 3 top reasons: 1. Face-to-face interaction. Attendees will get to meet with over 100 vendors and can set up one-on-one meetings with speakers. 2. Grow your network. Make valuable connections within your industry. 3. Attend over 30+ sessions. Hear from top government and industry thought leaders including Army contracting officers from the Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS). ... READ MORE |
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The chapter hosted a small business networking event in December featuring a panel discussion on source selection and proposal evaluation. Moderated by Reena Bhatia, chief proposal architect at ProposalHelper, panelists answered tough questions and provided the unvarnished truth about all manners of acquisition strategy and source selection topics affecting the Department of Defense (DoD) and its industry partners. Panel members included Evelyn DePalma, who served as director of procurement for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) from 2002-2008 before launching her own business, EMD ProConsulting LLC; Rob Stewart, Jr., who worked in acquisition capacities across many DoD agencies, including as director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Office of Small Business Programs, as a U.S. Air Force Procurement Officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense acquisition community, and in the U.S. Navy, before launching Federal Government Experts; and Jim Kline, who se ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 09/28/2018
Scott J. White, director of the cybersecurity program and Cyber Academy at George Washington University, gave a wide-ranging talk at the chapter's September kickoff luncheon. About 55 students listened to White speak about his path to becoming an intelligence officer Canadian Security Intelligence Service and his transition to academia. He stressed the need for individuals aspiring to join the intelligence community or security sector to incorporate security as a lifestyle and a way of thinking in their daily affairs and the importance of being grounded in some hobby or activity outside of work. Students also learned about the prevalence of spies in the Washington, D.C., area and the need to be especially guarded against potential recruitment efforts by foreign adversaries. The talk concluded with a brief question-and-answer session. |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 08/27/2018
Chapter board members presented 121 teachers at Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper schools each $50 gift cards, totaling $6,050, to kick off their school year in August. The schools educate children from pre-K through the sixth grade. The chapter has supported Virginia's Fort Belvoir Elementary Campus, which includes both schools, for the last 10 years with teacher grants, science grants, a storage unit and a room dedicated to STEM activities. |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/13/2018
More than 250 students from various colleges and universities converged on the Woodbridge campus of Northern Virginia Community College for the third annual Innovation Hackathon in April, sponsored in part by the chapter. Students came prepared to lock themselves in for the 36-hour, around-the-clock competition. Challenges were designed to test the skills of those specializing in cybersecurity and secure coding. Event sponsors ranging from small to large business provided the challenges. General Dynamics Information Technology and Rigil Corp., AFCEA corporate members and event sponsors, provided challenges. The chapter, the parent sponsor of the NVCC Student Chapter, was the event's top sponsor. This year, the board conceptualized a challenge-one of the benefits of sponsorship-to address a need for all AFCEA chapters. Students had to create a mobile membership app specific to AFCEA. But before students began their work, they listened to keynote speaker Kenneth Fritzsche of the Offic ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/04/2018
The chapter hosted a small-business forum as part of AFCEA Belvoir Industry Days in April. The heavily attended event featured lively discussion on a wide range of topics, from the pros and cons of the U.S. Defense Department and Small Business Administration (SBA) Mentor-Protégé programs to the roles of the U.S. Army, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) in advocating for the small business industrial base. Tommy Marks, director, Army Small Business Programs, kicked off the forum with a keynote luncheon presentation highlighting last fiscal year's Army small business spending performance and this fiscal year's goals and objectives. "Small business is big business in the Department of the Army," he said. Shannon Jackson, associate director, Defense Department Office of Small Business Programs, discussed defense priorities, small-business spending performance data and goals, the increasing importance of ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/01/2018
Maj. Gen. Garrett Yee, USA, acting director of cybersecurity for the Army Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6 office, addressed a full house at the chapter's March luncheon. In his remarks, the general defined the Army's vision for the network as flat, fast, mobile and protected. He summed up the service's approach to achieving this vision in three steps: Stop what the Army is doing wrong, fix what is broken, and pivot to new technology and strategy. Cybersecurity efforts will focus on three so-called "buckets": risk management framework (RMF), endpoint security through Joint Regional Security Stacks (JRSS) and network security for the enterprise. The Army is exploring potential industry solutions, including commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions to automate the RMF process.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 02/20/2018
The chapter hosted a small business networking event in February that provided an afternoon of insights and interactions at the Fort Belvoir Officers' Club. Robert (Rob) Stewart Jr., director of acquisition and technology innovation in the Office of Small Business Programs, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), highlighted upcoming procurement and small business opportunities as well as key initiatives and goals for this fiscal year in a wide-ranging discussion. He spoke about steps the agency is taking to actively encourage competition to support the DTRA's vision, mission and key role in national security. The DTRA participates in the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs as well as the Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF). Each of these programs is funded at the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) level and provides a continuous proving ground to field DTRA areas of interest and mission sets. One of Stewart's key small busi ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 01/24/2018
At a January chapter luncheon, Col. Enrique Costas, USA, project manager for Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS), gave an overview of his projects, network priorities and ways to gain efficiency. The mission of PM DCATS is to deliver and sustain strategic communications capabilities for the Army and the U.S. Defense Department to enable information dominance. The DCATS vision is to be the recognized expert and trusted provider of national strategic communications transport infrastructure capabilities for the Army and the Defense Department enterprise. Col. Costas addressed future network priorities for accomplishing the DCATS mission and vision. The current network is too complex, not expeditionary, fragile and vulnerable, too easy to detect and jam, difficult to secure and not optimized, he said. The colonel plans to optimize information technology resourcing by driving efficiencies that reduce risk and increase effectiveness. The future network will be ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 09/29/2017
The Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Student Subchapter of AFCEA held its first luncheon in September featuring guest speaker Kenneth Fritzsche, director of the Identity Technology Division in the Office of Biometric Identity Management within the National Protection and Programs Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The event created a platform for attendees to discuss topics related to the future of cybersecurity within the workforce. Walter Pehrsson, NOVA-Woodbridge information technology assistant professor, is the academic adviser for the new student chapter. It was chartered after members from the parent chapter participated as a corporate sponsor at NOVA's first hackathon event last year. With assistance from Chair of Strategic Initiatives Jeff Thompson, the student chapter has significantly increased its membership from five NOVA students and alumni to 17 since its launch about a year ago, Pehrsson said. "We are all about connecting our students ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/12/2017
The chapter hosted a sold out small business networking event with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in April. Amy Sajda, director, DLA Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), shared how DLA partners with the small business community to provide best value integrated logistics solutions to the nation’s Armed Forces. Michael Yacobacci, contracting officer and program manager, DLA Contract Services Office, Philadelphia (DCSO-P), discussed the recently awarded DLA J-6 Enterprise Technology Services (JETS) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) and answered questions from DLA JETS primes on the $6,014,804,859.39 ceiling, eight-year period of performance, multiple-award contract. The contract's broad scope makes it an ideal vehicle for DLA Information Operations (J-6) and other Defense Department customers who can leverage the vehicle with DLA approval. John Fafara, DCSO-P, chief, Contracting Division, discussed DLA’s plans to improve the user experience, adopt industry best pr ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/22/2017
In April, the newly formed Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) student sub-chapter, sponsored by the Belvoir Chapter, conducted their very first event as one of the sponsors of the 2017 NOVA Innovation Hackathon. This was the second year that NVCC has conducted a hackathon. The 36-hour event was filled with tech talks, programming, cybersecurity practice, food, fun and cutting edge creation. This event focuses on safe coding to advocate for a more secure cyberspace while showcasing the importance of cybersecurity to organizations, companies and the public. The NVCC student sub-chapter manned an AFCEA membership drive and information table, provided snacks for the hungry hackers and secured a guest speaker for the chapter-sponsored dinner. The evening wrapped up with dinner and an address by Stephen Petruzzo, founder of GreenTec-USA, and a member of AFCEA. He provided an engaging talk and presentation on the future of cyber innovation and the career potential for those enterin ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/11/2017.JPG)
Spring is in the air, which means it's time for the Prince William County Science and Engineering Fair. On March 11, for the 8th consecutive year, the chapter’s board members put on their thinking caps and made their way to the Administration Building to judge the entries. More than 300 students from across the county participated in this worthwhile and educational event where student projects were displayed in more than 12 categories. Participant grade levels ranged from 6th to 12th grade—making this a highly contested competition. This year, the chapter was honored again to judge the high school computer science and engineering categories. Members also stopped along the way to judge a few projects that caught their eye. As usual, the students came prepared and ready to present themselves and their projects. Projects on display ranged from basic microbiology, “Does the 5 Second Rule Really Work on Dropped Food?” to the complex variances of the "Effect of Spectral Normalization on B ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 01/19/2017
In January, Tommy Marks, director, U.S. Army Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), spoke to a packed house at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club about the money the Army spends with small businesses; changes to the small business procurement environment affecting small and large businesses alike; and when, where and how small businesses should engage with the OSBP, contracting officers and requiring activities for maximum effect. Marks reminded audience members that "Small business is big business in the Department of the Army," as evidenced by the fact that the Army leads the federal government in small business contracting. Of the $88.7 billion in federal contracts awarded to small businesses in fiscal year 2015, $17.5 billion, or 19.7 percent, came out of the Army—more than any other federal agency or military service. Key focus areas for the Army OSBP in fiscal year 2017 include: 1) Small business participation in major systems programs; 2) Promoting greater involvement of small ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 10/20/2016 In October, members of the board Jeff Thompson, Eron Jordan, Mark Barnette and AFCEA International Young AFCEAN Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Christensen spoke with an IT Networking class at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) - Woodbridge Campus. The assistant professor for information technology, Walter Pehrsson, is the faculty advisor for the chapter. The purpose of the visit was to announce the formation of a student chapter of AFCEA at NOVA and gauge the viability of student interest in supporting the chapter formation. The NOVA Student Chapter is being sponsored by the Belvoir Chapter and marks the first community college based student chapter in AFCEA's 70 year history. The presenters spoke about scholarships, memberships, internships and networking opportunities. The presentation was well received with all 27 students requesting further information on the chapter. AFCEA Belvoir chose to sponsor the student chapter at NOVA for several reasons. The college is located thro ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 08/18/2016
Andy Strand, chief, Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems, International Programs Division (IPD), provided a detailed update on Foreign Military Sales (FMS) opportunities to a crowd of more than 85 industry and Army civilians at a chapter small-business networking event in August at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club. Strand discussed the global drivers behind the "hockey stick" growth of IPD; how a foreign information technology requirement becomes an FMS case; the unique attributes of FMS funding sources; IPD's global footprint and opportunity pipeline; and more. IPD's mission is to enable information dominance for partner nations and friendly foreign governments through the transfer of information technology products and services and delivery of other security assistance programs to build allied partners' capabilities, based on the premise that when the United States assists other nations in meeting their defense requirements, it contributes to its own. Over the pa ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/12/2016
In March, the chapter continued its annual tradition of supporting the Prince William County (PWC) Science Fair. More than 300 students from grades six through 12 participated, making this the biggest fair to date. Members of the AFCEA Belvoir Board judged the high school computer science and engineering categories. Students demonstrated functional cross-cutting ideas and technologies ranging from cybersecurity to more cost-effective and efficient jet propulsion. In the chapter's eighth year of judging the fair, to say members learned a lot would an understatement. Chapter President Bill Jones, along with Executive Vice President Alvie Johnson and Education Vice President Reginald Vaughn, spent more than four hours judging exhibits and chatting with students. Along the way, the chapter awarded $1,000 directly to students. The chapter is especially grateful that members continue to support such a worthy event. The look on students' faces when they are rewarded for their ingenuity in ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/25/2016
More than 100 veterans and industry and government representatives came out to support the fourth annual AFCEA Belvoir Education Golf Tournament in April at the Fort Belvoir Golf Club. The tournament raised more than $26,000 for the AFCEA Belvoir Education Fund, which provides science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) scholarships and grants for local students and schools. Chapter board members are grateful for the fantastic turnout, generous sponsors and beautiful weather after much rain in northern Virginia. While the chapter's primary goal is to raise money for the education fund, it is always a pleasure to see folks from industry and government bond on the golf course.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/23/2016
The chapter welcomed Lt. Col. Joel Babbitt, USA, product director, Wideband Enterprise Satellite Systems (WESS), as its luncheon speaker in March. He reports to the project manager, Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS). Lt. Babbitt is responsible for managing the acquisition, development and modernization of enterprise satellite communication systems and state-of-the-art satellite network control and planning systems for use with Defense Satellite Communications Systems, as well as Wideband Global Satellite and commercial satellite systems. The WESS workforce exceeds 200 personnel and executes an annual budget of over $260 million. Lt. Babbitt took the time to share lessons he's learned during his career to help expedite the cumbersome process of government acquisitions. He identified some of the acquisition challenges we face as: JCIDS process takes 2-4 years, POM process takes 2-7 years to (maybe) get the dollars needed, Congress, customer expectations, ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 02/24/2016
Col. Linda Jantzen, acting director, Army Architecture Integration Center discussed the Army Data Strategy at the chapter's luncheon in February. According to the CIO/G6, the strategy is a collection of set goals and objectives, and includes implementation guidance for the Army Data Management Program. The strategy also defines the roles and responsibilities of the CIO/G-6, chief data officer, Army Data Board, Stewards Council and functional data managers. It includes five goals for success to ensure data is visible, accessible, understandable, trusted and interoperable (VAUTI). The Army Data Management Program (ADMP) will serve as the foundation for implementation of the Army Data Strategy. To achieve the VAUTI goals, the ADMP will provide critical details and standards for components such as data quality, master data, data analytics and data management specifications. The CIO/G-6 also will develop the Common Operating Environment Data Foundation (COE DF). The Army Data Strategy is ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 11/17/2015
LTC Jeff Etienne, product director for Defense-Wide Transmission Systems (PD DWTS) was the guest speaker at the chapter's November luncheon. He discussed the eight major strategic, long haul and base support communications programs, how the PD DWTS team works to manage these diverse programs and the multiplicity of requirements from major stakeholders ranging from the Army G-4 to the CIO/G-6. “I like to compare DWTS to being like a Sprint, AT&T or Verizon carrier. We provide long haul communications worldwide, a SATCOM network which enables logisticians to remotely connect to their critical networks stateside,” said Etienne. LTC Etienne highlighted the real-life applications of DWTS programs. Recently DWTS deployed more than twenty Combat Services Support Very Small Aperture Terminals (CSS VSATs) as part of the Operation United Assistance response to the Ebola outbreak in North Africa. “We played a huge part in connecting the logisticians and were able to leverage years of preparati ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 05/18/2015
In May, the chapter shared the following letter from a student who has been the recipient of ongoing scholarship support. Good afternoon, AFCEA Belvoir Chapter: Please accept my sincere letter of gratitude to the entire AFCEA Belvoir family. Thank you for providing me with continued support throughout my college career at Howard University. Since 2011, I have been a recipient of the continued educational scholarship fund in order to help finance my undergraduate career. I am now a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations. Without the chapter's support and dedication to assist students receiving higher education, I, like many others, would not be able to accomplish this outstanding milestone. I remember receiving my first laptop from your organization and used it to stay up late to complete assignments. This was so much better than having to spend countless hours in the library. I thank you. I can't forget how you a ... READ MORE |
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 02/02/2015
Congratulations to Dan Shaer! Shaer was honored with the 2014 Distinguished Young AFCEAN Award at the AFCEA West Conference in February. The Distinguished Young AFCEAN Award recognizes and rewards exceptional performance in four areas: leadership and guidance for the Young AFCEAN Program; superior technical achievement in the professional arena; a record of going "above and beyond" at the local AFCEA chapter or regional level; and mentoring provided for other Young AFCEANs. The chapter is proud to have Shaer as a member of its team!
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 06/30/2014.JPG)
More than 100 industry, government and wounded warrior golfers attended the Second Annual AFCEA Belvoir Education Golf Tournament at the Fort Belvoir Golf Club in June. The tournament raised more than $10,000 for the AFCEA Belvoir Education Fund, which provides science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) scholarships and grants for local students and schools. "I am very pleased with the enormous turnout, our generous sponsors and the weather," said Dan Shaer, vice president of the chapter's Young AFCEANs program. "Even though our primary goal was to raise money for our scholarships, I really enjoyed seeing folks from industry and government bond on the golf course."
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 04/23/2014
Hari Bezwada, chief information officer, Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems, was the guest speaker for the chapter's monthly luncheon at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club in April. Bezwada gave a general information briefing with topics including: data center strategy, Joint Regional Security Stacks updates, strategies for addressing connectivity/NEC at camps, posts and installations, partnering with industry and general timelines for rollouts of information technology solutions. The briefing was well received by the audience and was followed by a question and answer period and a receiving line for individual questions.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 03/15/2014
In March, members of the chapter board were on hand at the Prince William County (PWC) Science Fair to serve as judges and to show the chapter's continued support of this important annual science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) event. The event was hosted at the PWC Administration Building and had projects on display from more than 100 students—making it one of the best fairs the chapter has had the privilege of judging. Bill Jones, chapter president, along with Alvie Johnson, chapter executive vice president, and Reginald Vaughn, vice president for education, spent more than three hours judging exhibits and learning from the students about their respective exhibits. Along the way, the chapter was pleased to award $1,000 in scholarships directly to the winning students for their hard work and dedication. The generous support from chapter members and the board's dedication to STEM allowed the team to donate $3,000 to PWC schools to help support the Science Fair. The c ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 10/08/2013
Teachers are special. They are the mentors and cheerleaders of our future leaders. In an effort to help teachers at Fort Belvoir Elementary kick off the school year with a smile, the chapter donated $50 gift cards to 100 teachers at the school in October. Fort Belvoir School is one of the largest elementary schools within Fairfax County Public Schools and the Washington metropolitan area, serving approximately 1,200 students from pre-K through grade six. Designated as a Model Tech School, the school has a STEM Lab, Science Center and a STEM resource teacher providing inquiry-based hands-on lessons to all students. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming is enhanced through relationships with business partners and professionals who continue to support teachers in making connections to STEM careers. The chapter is proud to partner with Fort Belvoir Elementary School. This $5,000 donation to put a smile on everyone's faces and reaffirmed the chapter's missio ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 10/08/2013
Kim Gadson, a teacher at Mark Twain Middle School in Fairfax County, has made it her mission to update the school's STEM lab. In that vein, she reached out to members of the community for support. With the help of its corporate sponsor, DSA Inc., the chapter was happy to step up to the plate and assist with a donation of five flat screen monitors for the lab in October. Gadson was extremely pleased with the donation and was excited to share the good news with her students.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 09/25/2013
Douglas Wiltsie, Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS), was the keynote speaker for the chapter's kickoff luncheon hosted at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club in September. Wiltsie provided an overview of PEO EIS' current and future requirements and priorities for fiscal year 2014 to a sold out luncheon attended by more than 250 industry and government personnel.
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 06/13/2013
In June, the chapter hosted its annual Education Day, where the chapter awarded education scholarships to students followed and heard a presentation from guest speaker Sgt. Maj. Kevin McCrary, USA, U.S. Army Office of the Chief Information Officer/G-6. Each year, the chapter awards scholarships to qualified students who are pursuing degrees in the command, control, communications, computers and intelligence fields and those supportive of national security. Since 2005, the chapter's Scholarship program has awarded more than $750,000 to deserving students. Proceeds from all chapter events and sponsorships go directly toward scholarship and grant programs. Students waited anxiously at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club with parents and loved ones to receive their educational scholarship. Bill Jones, chapter president, shared his thoughts on education and the value it brings not only to young college students but also to adults in the workplace as they continue to build their careers. Jones ... READ MORE
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BELVOIR CHAPTER - 06/07/2013
In June, the chapter's Young AFCEANs participated in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career Day Program hosted by Walt Whitman Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia. The Young AFCEANs presented 20-minute STEM presentations to students with the purpose of enlightening the students about the significance of math, technology, science and engineering and how it plays a prominent role in all career fields. “The earlier students learn and master these skills [STEM], the greater the chances of college acceptance, job security and innovation,” stated Ashley Becker, chapter vice president, small business. In the past four years, the chapter has been recognized for supporting schools in their surrounding communities in the form of grants, scholarships and technology equipment to support educational growth in the STEM programs. “Many students at that particular age have to be sparked in the area of science and mathematics, whether it is a cool volcano experiment or 3 ... READ MORE
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