The chapter hosted its annual symposium on January 31 and February 1, 2024. More than 400 attendees and 40 vendors attended to hear from 20+ industry experts, military leaders and government representatives. Attendees engaged with speakers and vendors to tackle various challenges facing the armed services in the Pacific theater. Col. Dean Smith, chapter president, and Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, USA (Ret.), president and CEO, AFCEA International, provided opening remarks, while Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, USA, commander general, I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, gave the opening keynote.

Satellite communications operations and governance, cybersecurity, and the evolution of artificial intelligence and others generated thoughtful discussions. Presentations from military, industry and government experts reinforced the need for partnerships to develop and provide solutions globally.

AFCEA Regional Vice President Tim Martin, Northwestern Region, provided the final day's open … Read more

The chapter sponsored its January Member's Meeting at Farrelli's Pizza in DuPont, Washington. The guest speaker, Col. Dave Hazelton, USA, brigade commander of the 201st Expeditionary-Military Intelligence Brigade (E-MIB), addressed the role of intelligence formations in the Pacific. His presentation sparked numerous conversations with attendees on the information technology (IT) challenges his brigade and others face in identifying existing IT gaps. He discussed his brigade's approach to addressing modernization efforts and strengthening its communications posture in supporting its intelligence mission.

Also, Chapter Vice President for Awards Kim Rapacz and Chapter President Col. Dean Smith, USA, recognized Dave Stookey as the Chapter AFCEAN of the Quarter for the second quarter of fiscal year 24 for his contributions to AFCEA and the local chapter.

The chapter is getting a new start following the pandemic, re-establishing its charter and updating its by-laws. For thos … Read more

The chapter held its 2023 November Luncheon at Camp Murray, Tacoma, Washington, courtesy of the Washington Army National Guard and sponsored by T-Mobile for Government.

The luncheon opened with a welcome from Col. Charles D. (Dean) Smith, USA, chapter president, followed by remarks from Brig. Gen. Paul Sellers, ARNG, commanding general of the Washington Army National Guard (WA ARNG).

Maj. Sameer Puri, ARNG, chief information officer and director of defensive cyber operations, WA ARNG, spoke on the modernization of information technology (IT) infrastructure and led an interactive discussion on how to mitigate IT-related threats impacting critical communications infrastructure. The luncheon closed with a tour of the Washington Emergency Management Division and the Joint Operations Center.

Thank you to everyone for their time and attendance, the Washington Army National Guard for hosting, and a special thanks to Carla Montrose, T-Mobile for Government and chapter v … Read more

More than 25 members and guests of the chapter met at the McChord Club on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) for the October Chapter Luncheon. Col. Dean Smith, USA, chapter president, hosted the event and outlined the tremendous progress the chapter has made over the last year. Dave Stookey, chapter treasurer, introduced Col. Rett Burroughs, USA, welcomed him to the JBLM community and expressed appreciation for him taking the time to speak with the chapter.

Col. Burroughs spoke at length about I Corps' mission and the challenges of operating distributed command and control nodes in the Pacific Theater and emphasized the importance of the team working together to support the commanding general of I Corps to accomplish its mission. He also identified specific requirements and how the industry could support I Corps G6, the Signal community at JBLM and I Corps.

In September, Benjamin Schuppel, chapter member, U.S. military veteran, president of Zero Delta 365, and a leader in the advanced information technology industry, moderated a "fireside" chat with Sean Watts, professor, Department of Law, U.S. Military Academy at West Point and co-director of the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare, regarding international cyber law and policy. More than 50 chapter members and guests attended at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

Watts noted that international cyber law and policy are gaining attention from a broad range of nation-states, generally divided into two camps: "wait and see" and "enthusiast." The former feel cyberspace is still developing, not yet needing regulation, where the latter wish to control cyberspace as a matter of sovereignty.

In May, the chapter installed the chapter officers for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Tim Martin, regional vice president, led the ceremony and presented the AFCEA Chapter Flag to Col. Charles D. (Dean) Smith, USA, as the chapter president. Col. Smith thanked Col. Liz Casely, USA, the outgoing chapter president, for her leadership over the past year. Col. Smith previously served as the vice president for membership. Martin also presented the chapter with the Albert J. Myer Award for Individual Member Recruiting for the past year. Also, during this annual meeting, Morgan Zantua, executive director, City University of Seattle's Center for Cybersecurity Innovation, a National Security Agency/U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated Center of Academic Excellence, provided the keynote address to the more than 30 attendees.

In February, the chapter hosted its first Annual Symposium to discuss Enabling Distributed C2 in the Pacific Theater. Over 500 participants joined over 20 vendors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington, to hear from the I Corps Commanding General Lt. Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, USA, as he provided opening remarks, and the keynote speakers, Maj. Gen. Christopher L. Eubank, USA, commanding general, U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, and Mark McIntyre, executive security advisor and advisory board member of Microsoft. Panel discussions included senior I Corps leaders, JBLM mission partners, key industry leaders, a senior enlisted leader panel, including the Headquarters, Department of the Army G6 sergeant major, and a chief warrant officer panel of CW5s from across the Army. Additionally, industry partners presented a diverse set of topics for consideration. The chapter looks forward to future events.

The chapter reported in October that it is progressing toward full integration of industry and community efforts. After a brief break in leadership, the chapter is undergoing scholarship program initiatives as well as re-acclamation of relationships with the technology leaders. After Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast, business leaders recognize the importance of infrastructure security, and the chapter will lead the development of initiatives that may culminate in the Infrastructure Security Summit, organized in cooperation with leaders in the Pacific Northwest from homeland security, defense, and communications and electronics, along with state and local officials. A visit is planned to the federal, state and local Fusion Center in Seattle.