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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 05/14/2018
The chapter presented several STEM grants in May to local schools. Hazel Green High School received a $1,600 grant to purchase an Antsle One Pro private cloud server so students can log in to virtual machines over the network. Cybersecurity courses at the school teach students the fundamentals of how systems and networks are built and secured as well as common vulnerabilities and methods of digital forensics. Students who complete the courses are eligible for certification in CompTIA IT Fundamentals, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+ and EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker. The school plans to offer Linux+ certification in the future. Approximately 120 students take one of the cybersecurity courses each year. The school also received an $1,850 program startup grant for hardware and software procurement that will introduce a broadcast created and produced by students. Students will assume ownership over individual and group video projects; broadcasting students will participate i ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/11/2016
The chapter was proud to participate in the 56th North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The event was hosted by the College of Engineering on the campus of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Students ranging from 5th-12th grade participated. The chapter gave a $125 award to the following student winners of the competition: Naomi VanHouten, grade 7 Covenant Christian Academy; Logan Slowik, grade 8, Grace Lutheran School; David Charles Walker, grade 9, Decatur High School; and Corey James Crouch, grade 8, East Limestone High School. Congratulations to all the winners!
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 02/09/2016 The chapter had the opportunity to feature Dave Hall from Nova Management as the February luncheon speaker. Hall is a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has experience with NASA, the Department of Commerce, the Missile Defense Agency, as well as numerous state and local agencies. An expert in risk management, Hall also holds the International Information System Security Certification Consortium Inc., (ISC)² sought after Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP) certification. Hall discussed the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and its impending impact on the Department of Defense (DoD). In particular, how Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Platform IT (PIT) will be affected. Industrial Control Systems are computer systems that control something in the physical world. A wastewater management plant is one example of an ICS. ICSs in the plant control the physical opening and closing of valves based upon sensor input and system programming. It isn't hard to im ... READ MORE |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/11/2015
The chapter was happy to present Roy Priest, vice president, sales and customer support at GATR Technologies, as the guest speaker for its fall luncheon in November. The GATR product is an inflatable portable satellite communication (SATCOM) solution. Priest explained the advantages of GATR over traditional SATCOM solutions by saying, “Having the right equipment is one thing, but having the right equipment that is mobile is even better.” The GATR solution addresses a military need for portable SATCOM equipment. The GATR 4-meter solution is about 40 times lighter than the traditional SATCOM solution. GATR started with 5 percent of the deployable market a few years ago and has more than 40 percent of the market today. The dish can withstand 70 mph winds, while traditional dishes can only withstand 40 mph. Because of its portability, GATR has been used at multiple disaster sites following Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the spring 2011 tornado disaster in Huntsville ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 08/12/2015
The chapter presented Madison, Alabama, Mayor Troy Trulock at its August luncheon. Trulock was elected in 2012 and is a retired Army colonel. He presented the chapter with an update on the future of Madison—a city adjacent to Huntsville with a reputation for strong schools and persistent academic success. Trulock also discussed a Madison startup with an exciting new technology. RadioBro, a company started by 26-year-old twin brothers Mark and Eric Becnel, produces a standard payload interface for small unmanned spacecraft. The RadioBro MiniSatCom is half the price of competing offerings and takes an average of six months to two years off the normal satellite development cycle. Trulock also discussed the terabit network backbone that will travel through Madison in the near future, delivering 100-gigabit network connectivity to area businesses. Ben McGee, North Alabama Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) president, discussed science, technology, engineering and mathematics ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/16/2015
As part of the chapter's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) efforts, it participated in the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NARSEF) held in March at the University Fitness Center on the University of Alabama Huntsville Campus. AFCEA member Kat Devirgilio of Adtran participated as a judge for the event. The following students were given $125 cash prizes for their submissions: Hunter Phillips of Covenant Christian Academy (Development of novel unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV]: Nanoscale traverse tilt-rotor helicopter); Erin Wallace of Muscle Shoals Middle School ("Be Strong" I whispered to my Wi-Fi signal); Garret Lawrence of Covenant Christian Academy (Newer, Better, Faster?); and Alexis Hereford of Rainbow Elementary (Why no Wi-Fi?). The chapter congratulates the winners and hopes to see more great work from them in future STEM events!
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/04/2014
The chapter presented Sol Cates, chief security officer at Vormetric Inc., as its guest speaker for its fall luncheon. Joining Vormetric as a security engineer in 2003, Cates quickly became the senior director of field engineering and solutions architecture before assuming his current post. Cates consults with many Fortune 500 companies and government agencies on cybersecurity; Vormetric has more than 1,100 customers, including 17 of the Fortune 25. Cates discussed how cyber attacks have changed from a destructive nature to a monetary focus, where capturing data is the goal. He stated that "data can't defend itself." Controls need to be put in place to protect data while still allowing businesses to operate without obstruction. Cates continued by saying that attacks are now centered around the acquisition of intellectual property, classified information, infrastructure control, and command and control information. When asked how to protect the data, Cates stated that "policy and seg ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 07/01/2014
Dr. Ray Vaughn, vice president of research for the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), served as guest speaker for the chapter's July luncheon. Dr. Vaughn is a retired Army colonel and former vice president of Defense Information Systems Agency Integration services. Dr. Vaughn received his Ph.D. in computer science from Kansas State University in 1988. He has since been credited with more than 100 publications, been named Most Outstanding Faculty member at Mississippi State University (MSU), and recently settled in his post at UAH. Dr. Vaughn presented the luncheon crowd with an eye-opening discussion about Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology, threats and the current state of the infrastructure in the United States. SCADA systems are a type of industrial control system and often are found in industrial (manufacturing) or infrastructure (electrical power transmission and oil and gas pipelines) processes. Dr. Vaughn explained that most SCADA systems ar ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 05/12/2014
The chapter was proud to present Maj. Gen. Heidi V. Brown, USA, of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) as the speaker for its May luncheon. As director of test for the MDA, Gen. Brown is responsible for planning, budgeting, staffing and managing a comprehensive Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) test program that characterizes the BMD capabilities of the United States. Gen. Brown graduated from West Point in 1981, and has since served in a variety of positions, from platoon leader to the first female general officer in the Air Defense Artillery Brigade. She also has the distinction of being the first female officer to command and lead a brigade into combat. Gen. Brown presented luncheon attendees with a sobering example of how Redstone Arsenal and MDA are closely involved with real-world events. She discussed how a new Iranian missile with sufficient range to reach Israel is nearing completion. Gen. Brown then informed the group of advancements in technology at the MDA and counter ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/25/2014
The chapter was proud to present Lt. Gen. Peter M. Cuviello, USA (Ret.), as its guest speaker in March. Gen. Cuviello has 38 years of experience in Operational Cyber, C4, and Information Technology roles. He was the chief information officer/G-6 of the U.S. Army with a $5.6 billion annual information technology budget. Gen. Cuviello has since worked with Lockheed Martin in numerous senior positions starting after retirement in 2003. He is now the lead client partner of the Deloittte and Touche Consulting LLP and is based in Huntsville, Alabama, as part of the defense segment. Gen. Cuviello started off the luncheon by stating that if it's bit and bytes, it's cyber. He made a comparison between cyber and logistics from a project management (PM) perspective, to say that they are both often an afterthought. He furthered the discussion by stating that cyber is often not part of the processes/requirements development cycle, and it is not built in. The general said he would push for a cybe ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 02/03/2014
The chapter was proud to welcome Col. Timothy R. Baxter, USA, as its guest speaker at the February luncheon. Col. Baxter is the project manager of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Program Executive Office Aviation (PEO Aviation). Col. Baxter has been the project manager since July 2011. His other accomplishments include serving in a number of infantry and special operations assignments prior to transitioning to the acquisition corps. Col. Baxter has a Ranger tab, Special Forces tab, as well as a master parachutist Badge with Combat Jump Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge. After explaining the background and foundation of unmanned aircraft systems, Col. Baxter expressed the current and future importance of unmanned aircraft systems for the Army and Defense Department as a whole. The luncheon included a scholarship component as well. The chapter was proud to select Julian Sy, a junior at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), as the recipient of its annual UAH endowment scholarsh ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/17/2013
The chapter was pleased to present Mark Hand as its guest speaker for the first fall luncheon in September. Hand is the project lead for the Joint Battle Command Platform (JBC-P) project. Hand, a former Air Force officer, provides leaders and soldiers with the JBC-P software that has fundamentally changed the landscape of modern warfare. The system allows for real-time collaboration between different commands, branches of the military and even allies in combat situations. He explained how the software matured out of a mostly stove piped environment consisting of disparate systems to a cohesive agile platform. Hand discussed how a common operating environment was essential to allow data to flow freely between multiple disparate programs. The JBC-P utilizes integrated radio and satellite communications in vehicle computer systems as well as modern encryption to provide forces with accurate and timely battlefield information. Hand explained to the audience that the software has evolved ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 06/18/2013
In June, the chapter established a scholarship for the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a $5,000 endowment, as well as an additional $5,000 scholarship given directly to Keon Hawthorne. Hawthorne is a mechanical engineering student at Alabama A&M University and will graduate with his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in 2014. The chapter was pleased to realize its goal of significantly increasing scholarship dispersions to graduating high school seniors expressing interest and current college students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The chapter previously supported local school science fairs and robotic programs, and presented annual scholarships to graduating high school seniors, but it wanted to significantly increase the level of contributions for 2012. A generous corporate contribution made to the chapter scholarship drive by Platinum sponsor The CENTECH Group; Gold sponsors, including COLSA, Corporate Offices Property Tru ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 02/19/2013
The chapter welcomed Col. Rob Jassey, USA (Ret.), as its guest speaker for the February luncheon. Col. Jassey spoke on the U.S. Army's Intergrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System. The colonel served as the deputy G-3 to stand up what is now called the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bliss. He also fielded and tested the Army's first Patriot Advanced Capabilities III Battalion. He now serves as the deputy program director for the Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System as an employee of Northrop Grumman. Col. Jassey spoke on the difficulties and subsequent successes of integrating seven different command and control (C2) systems to perform as one enterprise application. Engage on remote, a concept of both launching and engaging an interceptor from the information of a remote based sensor thousands of miles away, was a key capability that was implemented under the supervision of Col. Jassey. The colonel stated that C2 systems have ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/13/2012
The chapter presented the panel Industry Leaders in Cybersecurity at its November luncheon. Richard Russell, headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel Command G-2, served as the moderator and a pivotal organizer for this event. Panel speakers included John Lambert, senior director for trustworthy computing, Microsoft; John Simon, former global strategist, Microsoft Government, and retired civilian employee; and George Stathakopoulos, director of information security, Amazon.The panel first discussed the future of cybersecurity, and the speakers agreed that the United States is not the leader that it should be in cyber and that steps must be taken in the future to ease the integration of corporate partners and government for the common good of the country. When specifically asked how to fight the war of information on the cybersecurity battlefield, Stathakopoulos explained that the current method of firewalls, IDS, IPS, antivirus and other technology solutions are necessary, but they ... READ MORE |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/18/2012
The chapter used the occasion of its September luncheon to announce the beginning of its Scholarship Foundation. Its scholarship funds have grown slowly since the chapter was restarted six years ago. This summer, due to a generous gift by a corporate sponsor, the fund could grow from $5,000 to $40,000 for 2013. Fernando Galavitz, the chief executive officer of Centec Group of Falls Church, Virginia, pledged a generous gift, plus a challenge of matching funds against those contributed by Huntsville area corporate sponsors and individuals. The chapter's scholarship chair, Rick Tuggle of People-Tec, briefed the new Scholarship Foundation to the luncheon attendees. The core will consist of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) scholarships of $5,000 to each of four local colleges and universities in engineering, robotics, computer science and network engineering. Tuggle, who is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Alabama Huntsville, was also the recipient of an AFCE ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 08/17/2012
In July, the chapter welcomed Richard Russell, deputy G-2, U.S. Army Materiel Command (USAMC), as its guest speaker. Russell is a founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a recognized expert in the fields of organizational and program transformation as well as information integration. His current assignment as deputy G-2 of USAMC, one of three major commands in the Army, gives him an educated and in-depth perspective in the area of cybersecurity. Russell spoke about cyberwarfare as a key battleground of the Information Age and the current strategy of the United States regarding it. He drew a comparison between the current U.S. cyberwarfare strategy and the strategy during the Revolutionary War. He explained that the current U.S. cyberstrategy is very similar to the British in their bright red coats and rigid formations yelling disparaging remarks at their enemies hiding behind the rocks and trees. Our enemies hide behind the rocks and trees of cyberspace takin ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/08/2012
The chapter was honored to welcome Lt. Gen. Robert Elder, USAF (Ret.), as the speaker for 2nd annual Defense Associations Luncheon jointly hosted by the chapter and the Air Force Association in March. Gen. Elder served as the first commander of U.S. Air Force Network Operations and led the development of the Air Force's cyberspace mission. Gen. Elder currently is a research professor for the Volgenau School of Engineering at George Mason University. He conducts research in the areas of cyber enterprise resiliency and the use of modeling to support national security decision-making. Gen. Elder began his presentation on cybersecurity and culture by dispelling current myths about cyber security professionals, explaining that all cybersecurity professionals are not nerds. He further explained that the future leaders in cybersecurity would look much like the leaders of today, except they will have deep knowledge and understanding of the cybersecurity domain. Gen. Elder also explo ... READ MORE |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 01/10/2012
In January, the chapter was honored to present Austin Boyd, chief executive officer of INERGI Incorporated, as the featured speaker. Boyd is an accomplished author with six novels to his credit as well as a book of poetry. He served as a naval aviator and engineer with more than 3,000 career flight hours to his credit. He has received numerous awards for both contributions. INERGI is a product development firm serving industrial, technology and federal markets across the country. Boyd gave an enlightening presentation concerning the combination of form and function for a product, essentially applying the principles of building architecture to product manufacturing. He outlined discipline as a key principle of his success. Whether referring to the boundary conditions of product development—cost, schedule, and quality—or to the more than 150 hours of outline and design required before writing the first page of one of his novels. Boyd continued with operational considerations such as t ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/15/2011
In November, the chapter welcomed Dr. Edward M. Siomacco, deputy chief of staff and G-6 chief information officer, U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), as the guest speaker. Siomacco serves as the command's senior level adviser on the strategic direction, objectives and supervision of all command, control, communication, computers and information management activities. Siomacco discussed the current enterprise email initiative at the Army Command level. “300,000 of the U.S. Army's 1.9 million users have been migrated at this time,” said Siomacco. The new enterprise email system will allow for increased mailbox storage and the ability for a user to move seamlessly throughout the Army's regional commands without the need for account modification. He also discussed the AMC's new role as a video teleconference hub for the entire command due to technological advantages acquired by the Base Realignment and Closure move of the command's headquarters to Huntsville. According to Siomacco, the c ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/15/2011
In September, the chapter partnered with Spirit Made Steel karate studio to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Students received pledge donations for the number of kicks they could execute in 20 minutes. Instructors at the event judged each kick for completion. The winner of the event successfully kicked more than 1,300 times within the time limit. The chapter and Spirit Made Steel raised more than $2,600 dollars to benefit the charity. “Martial artists should take time to give back to the community like other civic organizations,” said sensei Kevin Swanner (8th Dan). The chapter was proud to participate with Spirit Made Steel for such a worthy cause.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/15/2011
In September, the chapter hosted a symposium focused on command, control and communications related to the tornadoes that ravaged northern Alabama and other parts of the Southeast on April 27. The tornados were one of three recognized Tier 1 events in the Federal Emergency Management Agency history. (The other two events were Sept. 11, 2001 and hurricane Katrina.) It was the first time Alabama had seen an F5 tornado since 1974. The disaster caused an estimated $4.2 billion in damages—50-percent uninsured. The symposium featured Paul Finley, mayor of Madison City; Rex Reynolds, deputy mayor of Huntsville; Col. John Hamilton, USA, commander of the Redstone Arsenal Garrison; and representatives from all major support agencies from both cities. The symposium focused on preparation and response to the disaster as well as the lessons learned.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 07/12/2011
In July, the chapter welcomed Dr. Bill Craig, director of the Software Engineering Directorate (SED) for the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC). Craig has served as the director of AMRDEC/SED for more than 20 years. The SED Aviation and missile planning software is used on the U.S. presidential helicopter in addition to many other platforms throughout the Army. The SED also is responsible for development of the very popular America's Army video game. Craig's speech focused on the challenges the United States faces and the tools it has to meet them. In addition, he explained that although many items used every day are made in China, the United States provides the machinery to China to make them. “The USA's hope for keeping its standard of living is technology,” said Craig.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 05/17/2011
In May, Col. Gerald B. Daniels, USA, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Forces Command (SMDC/ARSTRAT), addressed the chapter on the challenges and vision of the organization. Col. Daniels described the role of SMDC/ARSTRAT as a major provider of satellite communication services to the U.S. Strategic Command, and he discussed the many specific details the command performs from the types of radio frequency and their uses to the challenges of space debris impacting the organization's ongoing mission. Many in the audience were surprised and impressed by the breadth of services rendered by SMDC/ARSTRAT. Col. Daniels also provided an overview of the current and future satellite communications architecture for the Defense Department. Additionally, the chapter awarded Parijeana Alexander, Keyara Fischer and Chiquita Thomas with $1,000 Lonnie Polling Memorial scholarships. |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/10/2011
In March, the chapter partnered with the Tennessee Valley Air Force Association, the National Military Intelligence Association and the National Defense Industrial Association for a speaker event with Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.). Gen. Deptula served more than 34 years of distinguished service as a combat pilot with more than 3,000 hours (400 in combat); the principal attack planner for the air campaign in operation Desert Storm (1991); and the director of the Combined Air Operations Center for operation Enduring Freedom. He is currently the chief executive officer of Mav6 LLC—a high technology company providing increased situation awareness capabilities.Gen. Deptula gave a thought-provoking lecture on the history of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). He discussed the creation of ISR during the Civil War, when balloons were first used for ISR purposes, and he detailed its evolution from World War I and World War II to the modern era, where ISR was ... READ MORE |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/21/2010
Thomas Wright served as the guest speaker for the chapter's November luncheon. Wright is a seasoned information technology professional with nearly 30 years of experience with Defense Department customers and private industry alike. He is currently employed with NetApp as the G-2/Army Southeast account manager. Wright reviewed the progression of computing technology from the mainframe, workstation and desktop, to the current industry trend of cloud computing. He commented on the challenges of transitioning the Defense Department architecture, infrastructure and security policies to the cloud environment as well as the payoff of a cohesive, efficient, robust and cost effective department environment of the future.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/21/2010
In September, the chapter welcomed Dr. Mark Swinson, director, Space and Cyberspace Technology Directorate, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command Technology Center, as the distinguished speaker. Swinson's speech, “An Emerging Cyber Huntsville,” addressed the push to establish a Command Cyber Technology Team and the strategy to building a cyber technology capability throughout the Defense Department by leveraging the capabilities inherent in the Redstone community and beyond. Other chapter business included a special presentation by Tom Gwaltney, regional vice president, to Nicholas Christensen, AFCEA Educational Foundation Science Fair Award winner. Nicholas' parents Bob and Libby Christensen accompanied him to the event. The chapter also recognized the September corporate table sponsors, including Alutiiq, Noetic Strategies, Raytheon, Booz Allen Hamilton, MEI Technologies, Applied Data Trends, Jacobs Technology and DESE Research.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 06/22/2010
Kenny Watts received the chapter's Professional of the Year Award presented by the Huntsville Association of Technical Societies at the June awards dinner. The award recognized Watts for his contributions in leading the resurrection of the chapter. As chapter president, Watts increased the membership to more than 200 people in less than three years. In his subsequent role as chapter technical symposium director, Watts planned and executed the chapter's first one-day Technical Symposium on Civil Military Interoperability in June 2008. A second Unmanned Systems Symposium followed in October 2008 and a third technical symposium on Force Protection in February 2009. Proceeds from the symposia were added to the chapter's scholarship fund. These venues provide a forum for developing cooperative relationships between the chapter and state and local governments, the military and industry partners. Watts is a senior business development manager with the Raytheon Company in Huntsville, Alabama.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 05/24/2010
In May, the chapter awarded its first annual scholarships honoring Lt. Col. Lonnie Poling, USMC (Ret.) to students at Johnson High School. Warren Aliegbe received the chapter's $2,500 Poling Memorial Scholarship. He plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at Auburn University. Kendall DeJesus and Omolara Ojewole each were awarded $1,000 scholarships from the chapter. Col. Poling helped resurrect the chapter and organized the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Summit, which is now an annual event. The chapter selected Johnson High School for the first Poling Memorial Scholarships because it is home to a Marine Junior ROTC unit.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 05/19/2010
In May, the chapter welcomed Paul A. Gierow, president, GATR Technologies, as the distinguished speaker for the meeting. Gierow spoke on what he called the “world's first Federal Communications Commission licensed inflatable satellite antenna system.” GATR Technologies manufactures a patented, inflatable antenna that provides ground communication with satellite communication systems. The antenna is light and easily deployable in as few as two airline checkable cases, making it ideal for first-in deployments, remote applications and contingency scenarios where transportation and space are limited, including military, public safety and broadcast missions, said Gierow. He explained that GATR Technologies participated in many humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness exercises and demonstrations over the past three years—most recently in Haiti to provide critical information to the government after the earthquake. At the meeting, outgoing chapter officers, Al Whitt, treasurer, and Susa ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/23/2010
At the March meeting, the chapter welcomed Daniel E. Irwin, NASA research scientist, as the guest speaker. Irwin spoke on the Regional Visualization and Monitoring System (SERVIR). The SERVIR initiative integrates satellite observations, ground-based data and forecast models to monitor and predict environmental change and improve response to natural disasters. Principally supported by NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the program also is endorsed by government leaders in Central America and Africa. SERVIR relies heavily on those partnerships to increase the availability of Earth observations, measurements, animations and analysis. A SERVIR office and rapid prototyping facility are located at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Other locations include the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean in Panama, and the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development in Kenya. The Haitian government used ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 02/02/2010 The chapter sponsored a one-day symposium on force protection systems in February. Mike Van Rassen, program manager, counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) program, gave the overview, while four members of the C-RAM program management technical staff described the Battle Management Command, Control and Communications architecture, sensors, land-based Phalanx weapon system and operational performance in the operation Iraqi Freedom theater. The afternoon sessions included a presentation on the extended area protection system missile program and the 50-millimeter guided bullet system. John Wachs, chief, Directed Energy Division, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, discussed the Army's solid-state laser weapons system development. Don Lovelace of the Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) highlighted the center's active protection system development and testing program. Col. Kennedy Jenkins, US ... READ MORE |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/03/2010
Bill Waite, co-founder, chairman and chief technology officer of the AEgis Technologies Group, was the guest speaker at the chapter's January meeting. His presentation focused on "Modeling and Simulation Challenges Associated with Complex systems—How Much is Enough?" Waite covered the fundamental concept of simulation as representation; the systems engineering world of systems of systems; the consequences of cognitive expectation; and the organizational enterprise. The chapter also recognized January corporate table sponsors ADT, AEgis, Alutiiq, COLSA, DESE, Dynetics, DSI, MEI Tech, Qinetic and Raytheon. Rick Tuggle, chapter director for scholarships, gave a committee report.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/03/2009
The chapter invited Richard Brown, vice president of Jacobs Technology, to speak at the November meeting. His topic was "An Introduction to Information Technology Infrastructure Library [ITIL] and the IT Service Management Forum USA [itSMF USA] Huntsville Forum." He outlined the benefits of ITIL and the formation of the Huntsville itSMF USA forum, a local interest group that provides opportunities for knowledge sharing, education and networking for the advancement of IT service management best practices. Janice Luchner, robotics program sponsor, Columbia High School, was named as the chapter's annual education award winner and received a $1,000 check. Mike Schexnayder, chapter vice president for programs, reviewed proposed events for 2010, and Jeff Edwards, chapter chair for social programs, shared the results of the golf tournament.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 10/16/2009
The chapter sponsored its second annual golf tournament and fundraiser in October. The event featured 16 teams. The winning team, which included Ron Mainor, Brad Marshall, Scott Clark and Hank Winks, received a top score of 59. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the chapter's educational scholarships.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 06/23/2009
The chapter welcomed David Weeks from the COLSA Corporation as the distinguished speaker for the June meeting. Weeks is a support provider to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command's technical center and an adviser to NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. He discussed "Nano-Satellites for the Warfighter." He described the program challenges in developing and demonstrating the feasibility of nano-satellites when providing direct support to the on-the-ground warfighter. The program's goal is to provide low-cost space assets that are responsive to the warfighter for time-critical information. The chapter recognized Isaac Detrinidad for his fourth win of the chapter's War Veterans' Scholarship. He is a student at Purdue University who is working on solid rocket motors at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, through NASA's Propulsion Academy. Candace Stokes was named Regional Young AFCEAN for the Montgomery Chapter, and Bethany Johnson was na ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 04/21/2009
Special Agent Jeff Dowdy with the Federal Bureau of Investigation gave a presentation titled "The Iran Threat: What Makes Iran Tick" in his role as keynote speaker for the chapter's April meeting. He outlined the history, culture, beliefs, geography and future of the Iranian people. Dowdy, who has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, is considered to be an expert on radical Islamic fundamentalism. Tom Gwaltney, regional vice president, installed the new chapter officers: Vic Budura, chapter president; Chad Leathers, chapter vice president for corporate affairs; Al Whitt, chapter treasurer; and Susan Campbell, chapter secretary. Christina Downing was honored as the AFCEA International Meritorious Service award winner and the chapter's Special Appreciation award winner.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 03/03/2009
Col. Jeffrey K. Souder, USA, project manager, European Component Initiative, Missile Defense Agency, served as the distinguished speaker at the March meeting. The colonel discussed the organizational challenges of the initiative, components of the integrated ballistic missile system and European capabilities. The chapter recognized Jim Marks as the Distinguished Young AFCEAN of the Year. The chapter also made plans for the upcoming officers election.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 01/30/2009
In January, the chapter held a Member Appreciation Social to kick off 2009. Chapter officers and board members reviewed the chapter's successes from the past year. Participants included Jim Marks, Distinguished Young AFCEAN of the Year award winner; Bob Bell, chapter chairman for membership; Darren Brewer, chapter treasurer; Rick Tuggle, chapter chairman for scholarships; and Larry Hall, chapter chairman for publicity. Connie Wallace, chapter vice president for programs, and Vic Budura, chapter president, addressed the chapter's goals for 2009.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/20/2008
Dr. Kenneth R. Fernandez, manager, Advanced Concepts Branch, Science and Mission Systems Office, NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, was the distinguished speaker at the November meeting. Fernandez highlighted the challenges of future exploration of the moon and how it will differ from the Apollo mission from 40 years ago. Future lunar exploration will be heavily dependent on unmanned systems technology, he explained, noting that both NASA and the U.S. Army are actively developing unmanned technology for this purpose. Fernandez outlined the need to achieve synergy between NASA and the Army's unmanned technology through a joint unmanned technology distributed systems integration testbed. The chapter recognized new members and corporate sponsors and discussed both the upcoming member social and the 2009 Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Summit.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 10/14/2008
In October, the chapter co-sponsored the Unmanned Systems Symposium with the local chapter of the Association of Unmanned Systems and Vehicles International. Government and academic speakers discussed advancements in unmanned aircraft systems, unmanned system centers and unmanned ground systems throughout the day. Proceeds from the symposium benefit scholarships to local academic institutions. The chapter wishes to thank its sponsors, BFA Systems, EnGenius Consulting and Northrop Grumman.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 09/16/2008
Marty Kress, executive director, National Space Science and Technology Center, was the featured speaker at the chapter's September meeting. Kress highlighted the products, process flow and status of the continuing evolution of unmanned systems. He addressed the challenges of standardization and of meeting the requirement for rapid development, testing and deployment of unmanned robotic systems. The chapter discussed its upcoming events: the tech symposium, the golf tournament and the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense summit. |
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 07/15/2008
Stephan Davis, deputy manager of the Ares I-X Mission Management Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, was the distinguished speaker at the July meeting. Davis provided an overview of the process flow and status of the Ares I-X flight test in his presentation, "Back to the Moon with Ares I-X." According to Davis, the suborbital test flight of the Ares I-X will provide key engineering data to support the development of the Ares project. Davis noted that NASA is less than a year from the first launch of the new Ares I vehicle.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 06/11/2008
June 11 was the first in the chapter-sponsored series of one-day technical symposiums. The topic, 'Civil-Military Interoperability for Disaster Response,' featured 13 speakers and drew more than 80 attendees. Brig. Gen. Francis G. Mahon, USA, Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army North, was the keynote speaker and set the stage for an informative day of information sharing. Other guest speakers included Col. Howard Davis, USAF, Air Force Northern Command, liaison officer, U.S. Northern Command; Linda Eggler, program coordinator, National Incident Management Systems, Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA); Charles Williams, preparedness division chief, Alabama EMA; Chris Tucker, deputy director, Huntsville/Madison County E911 Center; Rusty Russell, director, Madison County EMA; Chief Wayne McFarlen, Huntsville Fire Department; Brig. Gen. Les Eisner, commander, South Carolina Army National Guard; Anthony Beresford, commander, Civil Air Patrol Squadron; Lt. Cmdr. Tom Meyer, USCG, br ... READ MORE
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 04/22/2008
The chapter welcomed Marty Kress, executive director of the National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), as distinguished speaker for the April meeting. The NSSTC was created by NASA and the seven Alabama research universities, and it primarily supports the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Earth, space, science and technology activities. Kress addressed the topic of how to turn an idea into reality by using collaborative research and development, such as requirements-driven science applications and engineering solutions for key federal customers. Also at the meeting, Tom Gwaltney, Midsouth Regional Vice President, presided over the election of chapter officers. Elected for 2008-2009 were: Vic Budura, president; Connie Wallace, vice president for programs; Greg Smith, vice president for chapter affairs; Darren Brewer, treasurer; and Jennifer Duckworth, secretary.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 02/19/2008
The chapter welcomed Tim McElyea, chief executive officer and creative director of Media Fusion Incorporated, Huntsville, Alabama, as distinguished speaker for the February meeting. He addressed the role of communication media in the engineering and government environments. He said that Media Fusion creates a wide variety of media products like 3-D animation, video, internet, graphics and presentations to help their customers tell their stories. "As budgets are tightened and attention spans shorter, engaging communication media is ever increasing in its relevance," McElyea remarked. He is the author of two books on space exploration: "A Vision of Space Transportation" and "Project Constellation."
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 11/13/2007
In November the chapter welcomed Alan Goldstayn, associate director, Air Force-Army Program Integration, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, as distinguished guest speaker. His message he termed as "back to the future for redstone arsenal" focused on the process of weapons system development planning. Goldstayn elaborated on the command's dual responsibilities to be the Army warfighting component of U.S. Strategic Command and also to develop and operate systems that provide space support to tactical theater operations. In both these tasks, the command is closely tied to the development and fielding of systems for the Missile Defense Agency.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 08/23/2007
In August the chapter welcomed Brig. Gen. Gary S. Connor, USAF, program director, Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Joint Program Office, Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama. During his guest presentation, Gen. Connor submitted that system providers should talk directly to the warfighter to get a true perspective. He said the further away from the battle field, the less likelihood of seeing a true picture. This was part of the message delivered by Gen Connor, who recently served in Baghdad from December 2005 to March 2007 as deputy chief of staff for communications and information systems for Multinational Force-Iraq.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 06/21/2007
In June the chapter welcomed Maj. Gen. Michael R. Mazzucchi, USA, commander, Communications-Electronics Life Cycle Management Command and Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, as the June meeting speaker. Gen. Mazzucchi provided an overview of new strategies for Army networks, the Joint Network Node and the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T). He addressed issues such as motivation for change in strategy, program status, the restructured WIN-T program and the deployment strategy.
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HUNTSVILLE CHAPTER - 04/17/2007
In April the chapter welcomed Kathy Wood, communications director for the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP). Wood's information brief, titled "Center for Domestic Preparedness-Alabama's Crown Jewel," provided an overview of the training opportunities and services offered to the state- and local-level first responders. She said that the CDP is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's only federally chartered weapons of mass destruction (WMD) training center. The CDP is charged with training emergency responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and others, to deal with a terrorist attack involving WMD or incidents involving hazardous materials. The center is located on the site of the former Fort McClellan. Also during the meeting, the slate of officers and directors for 2007-2008 was approved. Kenny Watts, outgoing chapter president, welcomed Maj. Gen. John Urias (R) as incoming chapter president. Thomas Gwaltney, AFCEA regional vice presid ... READ MORE
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