REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (March 29, 2022) – After 15 years working for the U.S. Army, Marcus Taylor’s passion and dedication is still as strong as day one.
Taylor is a team leader, program manager and security assistance workforce member at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center Prototype Integration Facility, under the Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate. During his career, his work has spanned across major rotorcraft platforms for the Army including the Apache, Blackhawk, Chinook, Comanche and Kiowa, as well as missile systems such as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program.
“We do a lot at Redstone that many people do not know about to support our national security, from aviation and missile development, space technologies and explosives research,” Taylor said. “The history of Redstone Arsenal itself, being home to and ushering in rocket technology to the U.S., is quite significant. Working within the midst of all this and the variety of people I encounter makes you feel part of something that matters.”
Taylor’s desire to give back was nurtured from an early age, as he spent his formative years in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
“Growing up in the nation’s capital was one of the best experiences of my life,” he said. “I was able to be exposed to a number of eye-opening experiences such as going on field trips to the D.C. memorials, visiting with the Supreme Court Justices and being invited to the U.S. Naval Academy as part of Boys State and the American Legion.
“When I was a high school student I had special mentors -- a husband and wife team from the Air Force who mentored me, my twin brother and four other students. They came to my school once a week and mentored us in mathematics and engineering principles. I never understood fully why they did what they did until it was time for them to leave for a new assignment -- their only parting wish was that we pass on the seed they planted in us to someone else, because when they were younger someone had planted a seed in them. To this day, I credit them with laying a foundation in engineering and technology for me, and their impact on my life, I will always remember.”
Taylor has paid that mentorship forward in a multitude of ways, serving as an advisor for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program. In addition, he also conduct workshops and technical briefings for the National Defense Education Program.
Outside of work he enjoys spending time with family, sightseeing, hiking, exercising, practicing foreign languages and traveling – especially if the location is warm, and even better, a tropical island.
While nowhere near retirement, Taylor has already built the life that he always wanted – a life of service to his family, community and nation. But he continues to look ahead to what is needed – and how he can contribute.
“We are at a point in history where major changes are taking place rapidly due to societal shifts, technological evolutions and an increase in global competition and globalization,” he said. “It is important to the Army and national security that we have the next generation of people who will have the talent and competence to provide the resources our nation needs. Being able to motivate new engineers and help them to see the impact they can have in the world is priceless to me, and gives me a sense of stewardship in giving back.”
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The DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the Army’s research and development focal point for advanced technology in aviation and missile systems. It is part of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command. AvMC is responsible for delivering collaborative and innovative aviation and missile capabilities for responsive and cost-effective research, development and life cycle engineering solutions, as required by the Army’s strategic priorities and support to its Cross-Functional Teams.
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