“To every veteran, to every man and woman who has served or still does: Because you put on the cloth of our nation, America is safer and stronger.” - Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The history of Veterans Day dates to 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th, Armistice Day. The date was intended to commemorate the armistice that ended World War I. In 1954, Congress renamed the day Veterans Day to honor all American who have served in the Armed Forces. Veterans Day commemorates the selfless service of Americans who have stepped forward to defend our nation throughout history.
Military service opens up a pathway to a life of service. Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S) is proud to honor those who have served. Thirty-eight percent of the civilian workforce within PEO IEW&S have served in the Armed Forces, plus much of our contractor workforce. Veterans are diverse professionals who have unique skills and experiences, making them invaluable contributors to any organization or community.
As we celebrate Veterans Day this year, we would like to highlight Veteran members of our workforce. Their contributions make it possible to achieve the organizational goals of designing, developing, and fielding advanced warfare systems that provide a tactical advantage to Soldiers every day.
Wesley Jackson
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am an Acquisition Specialist at PEO IEW&S for 21 years. I have been the Acquisition Specialist for the Rapid Cyber Development Network Portfolio for eight years.
Please provide a sentence description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1982 and trained as a manual morse intercept operator. When I achieved the rank of sergeant, I was trained as a traffic analyst, served with the 1st Marine Division during Desert Shield/Desert Storm and as a staff sergeant I was the second Marine assigned to the Naval Information Warfare Activity.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
My final tour as a Gunnery Sergeant was as the Assistant Project Office for the Team Portable Collection System (TPCS) at Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico VA, and the Project Officer for the Lightweight, Multi-fuel Portable Generator program, a government-funded small business initiative which was fielded as the power source for the TPCS. I retired in March 2002 and accepted a position as an acquisition specialist with Product Manager for Information Warfare.
Greg Dreisbach
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the Product Lead Cross-Domain Enterprise All-source User Repository (CENTAUR)\Cross Domain Server Set (CDSS)\Enterprise CDS for Project Manager Intelligence Systems & Analytics. I have been at the PEO for two years.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I served in the US Army as a Field Artillery Officer, System Automation Officer and Signal Officer. I have had numerous Commands as a Battery Commander, Counter Terrorism Task Force Commander, and a Signal Battalion Commander. I have also held numerous staff positions at Battalion, Brigade, Division and Corps organizations.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
The Army has taught me during my numerous years that serving was about teamwork and standards. The Army is a team sport and teams can accomplish any mission they are assigned by working together. Standards are important in the accomplishment of your mission. When things break down and they will, your team has standards to get back on track and communications becomes more efficient.
Angel Acevedo
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the Product Manager Sensors-Aerial Intelligence (PD SAI) Project Support Manager. I support all PD SAI with Logistic Technical support for all products and have been here three years.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
My career as a Soldier was from August 1986 – July 2009 (23 yrs.) I started as an E1 (private) as an M60 Tank Mechanic in the Ordnance Corp and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer Four (915E-CW4) as the Army Senior Automotive Maintenance Warrant Officer/Senior Ordnance Warrant Officer. I had a chance to work outside my Military Occupational Specialty working at the Army Safety Center training/certifying Safety Officers across the Army.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
Once I became a warrant officer, I had a chance to spread my wings across multiple logistic positions and special projects. As one of the Senior Maintenance Warrant Officer, I had a chance to be part of reviewing and analyzing new technology across ground and combat platforms. After that assignment, I became interested in working in the acquisition field at a PM to ensure the proper logistics were implemented correctly prior to fielding.
Janice Buxbaum
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the Business Management Division (BMD) Program Analyst Resource Manager. I have been at the PEO for one year.
I support BMD requirements from budgeting and financial forms to spend plans and execution and the support agreements and orders that are part of that spending. Basically, I support everything BMD does to request, review, respond to inquiries, execute funds and the myriad of reports we provide throughout the year. My goal is two-fold, to enable us to be more efficient and work on a path to achieve constant improvement and to do all I can to train and mentor the team so that everyone can participate in identifying areas where we can improve. Success to me is where everyone can see challenges as opportunities and feel empowered to be an active participant in identifying/recommending solutions. When the team functions at that level, the mission benefits and everyone shares in the pride of knowing they have made things better.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I am the luckiest person in the world. I applied for a congressional nomination to attend the US Naval Academy in High School and was told I was very qualified except I was a “girl”, and it was illegal for me to go there. Very long story short, I decided to continue to follow this dream by enlisting in the Navy. I started bootcamp in Orlando, FL on March 7, 1975. Less than one year later I was in the right place at the right time for the law to change opening up the academies to women. Because I was already in the Navy, I was selected and sent to the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) and then received my appointment to USNA as a very proud and humbled member of the first class at the Naval Academy that included women (all the service academies opened up to women the same time- USMA, USAFA and USCGA) – the class of 1980 beginning school/training in the summer of 1976. I also ended up being the only female prior enlisted; NAPS graduate to graduate in the USNA class of 1980. I guess you can say for the first six years of my time in the Navy my job was to be a pioneer and help pave the way for the women who were to follow – how cools is that? After I graduated, I went to London to serve as the Assistance Fleet Marine Amphibious Operations Officer for Europe and the Navy Europe Exercise Program Manager. From London I did a short time at the Navy Surface Warfare Pacific Command as the Fleet Human Resource and Logistics Officer. I was pulled and reassigned less than one year later to fill a critical shortage at the Navy Fighter Weapons School – known to most as TOP GUN. I was there two years and went on a meteor ride from Line Division Officer to Assistant Maintenance Officer to Maintenance Officer. After that I realized that there was probably not much that would top the time I had spent in the Navy and chose to leave the Navy and pursue challenges in the civilian world. In 2013 I became a contractor at Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical, was insourced 6 months later and spent 10 years doing a variety of jobs that ultimately led me here. Clearly, I have been so very fortunate to have led such a blessed life.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
My time in uniform ingrained in me a dedication to duty, honor and country. I learned/knew and lived a life of integrity and service…the importance of integrity was not theoretical it was a matter of life and death, and service was what provided meaning and purpose to my life. My early pioneer years also taught me to be humble. I was there because I was standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before me. I realized that my success was not measured in my fitness reports or my salary or accolades, for me I knew I succeeded when I did my best and stood tall so I could reach back and help those that followed me to stand on my shoulders so that they could reach higher still. My whole life in the military and since has been dedicated to fulfilling the responsibility I inherited from the people who enabled me to go the Naval Academy /be a pioneer, and the only way I knew to do that was to live my life so I was deserving of their sacrifices and service.
April A. Williamson
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am a logistics analyst supporting the SHEILD and LEGACY SHEILD Programs at PD SAI. I have been at PEO IEW&S for four years.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I am a retired Marine, trained in the Supply Administration field – MOS- 3043 USMC. I supported various units both OCONUS and CONUS in basic equipment issuance, inventory management, supplementary distance learning packages (inventory and shipment). Specifically, having two tours at the Marine Barracks 8th & 1 Street Washington, DC, working with the Marine Corps Institute at the Washington. Navy Yard. I was responsible for supporting the operation of the coordination of printing and stocking of distance learning material, to ship world-wide throughout the Marine Corps as required. The highlight toward the end of my career, also at Marine Barracks 8th & 1st, Wash., DC, in supporting and maintaining of band uniforms and unusual equipment of the United States Marine Band.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
When remembering my experience with the Marine Corps, it was the comradery with my fellow Marines that’s sticks out most, “Semper Fi, Do or Die”. We always looked out for each other, no matter the circumstance. Marines are the smallest group in Armed Forces, but having the most impact, always gave me a sense of Pride of my 20- year tour even to this day.
Robert Ward
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the Project Manager Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PM PNT) Sr. Operations Analyst, O6 Operations. I have been at PEO IEW&S for over 3 Years.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I entered the Army in March of 1981 and took basic training at Fort Knox, KY, and attended basic armor crewmen training at Fort Carson, CO. Upon completion of training, as a private I was assigned to 6/32 Armor as a tank gunner. I shot Distinguished in my first gunnery evaluation.
I deployed to Desert Shield/Storm with 1st Cav Division. During my career I served as Tank Commander, Platoon Sergeant, Company and Battalion Master Gunner and Company and Troop First Sergeant. My last assignment was Senior Enlisted Armor Advisor to the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
Navigation to a tanker is very important. During Desert Storm, maps of the area were nonexistent. We used graph paper and a grease pencil. The graph paper had the same contour lines as a map would have had. The FIST (Fire Support Team) team would provide us with position updates. We would erase the “grid indicators” and start over. The Mounted A-PNT System (MAPS, which PM PNT fields, has solved many issues for present and future Soldiers that previous technologies encountered.
Donald Kingery
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the PM PNT Integration Engineer, Mounted PNT. I have been at the PEO for three months.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
US Navy, AMS2, Flight Engineer IT on P-3 Aircraft, Aviation Structural and Hydraulic Mechanic, 1977- 1978, 1988-2005.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
The experience in the Navy helps me understand the technical manuals and System Integration evaluations for installation of different systems in the Army Vehicles, and how to interface with individuals in a positive and results oriented manner. It also taught me the value of teamwork.
Kat Crenshaw
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the PM PNT O6 Test and Evaluation Deputy. I have been at PEO IEW&S for 6 months.
I currently support across the PM PNT product lines (Mounted, Dismounted, Modernization) from the O6 Test and Evaluation Directorate.
Please provide a 3-4 sentence description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
Served in the US Army Reserves as a 35F All Source Intelligence Analyst from 2008-2016. While stationed at Fort Meade, MD supported the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade in Germany. As an intelligence analyst, a majority of the position entails research, analysis, results development, and briefing leadership on findings and recommendations.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
My success in my current role and previous roles supporting program offices has been directly attributed to the training I received in the Army. Understanding effective communication and how to communicate to Army leaders has been a key enabler to get Soldier feedback incorporated into Army programs as a Human Systems Integration professional. My background as a Soldier also enables me to easily understand the Soldiers’ perspective when analyzing Soldier feedback from Soldier Touch Points.
Patrick Seese
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I am the Product Support Manager Logistics Operations Lead for PM PNT. I have been at the PEO for almost two years.
Please provide a description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I was an Aviation Machinists Mate 1st Class (Aviation Warfare Specialist).
I performed and supervised Organizational and Intermediate level maintenance on the Power Plants Systems, Aircraft Refueling Systems, and In-flight Refueling Systems of the A-6E. EA-6B, F-14 and F/A-18 aircraft. Additionally, I filled the position of Flightdeck Troubleshooter Branch Supervisor, Quality Assurance Supervisor, Lead Platform Instructor, Aircraft Rate Coordinator, Master Training Specialist, and Command Financial Specialist.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
The positions I held directly put me down the path of a logistics/product support career. Understanding the 10 core logistics elements as a Warfighter enabled me to better support and influence the design in many positions at Naval Air systems Command for better supportability and maintainability for the maintainer. All this experience along with supporting the Marine Corps, Air Force and now the United States Army throughout my 44 years makes me perfect for my current position.
Jackie Williams
Please state your job title, program or system you support, and duration at PEO IEW&S.
I support Project Manager Defensive Cyber Operations (PM DCO) Cyber Platforms and Systems (CPS) Technical Management Directorate. I have been at the PM DCO for one year.
Please provide a 3-4 sentence description of your career in the service. In which branch did you serve and what was your job?
I served for 27 years in the Army as an officer and enlisted Soldier. I entered the Army as a finance Soldier in 1993 and transitioned to an officer through officer candidate school in 2001. I served as a signal officer until 2006 and transitioned to a telecommunications systems engineer. I have spent most of my career designing Army networks and systems and implementing them. My final four years I served as the Army Capability Manager (ACM) Cyber Defensive Cyberspace Operations capability lead.
Please provide a few sentences about how your time in the service influences your current position.
I’ve always been that “techy” guy which helped to shape my army career despite starting in finance and accounting. During my deployment, I was tasked to be hands on with the technology used on the assignment. I would set up computers and networking while also troubleshooting laptops and devices. On my next assignment I was tasked to work on scripting and coding and realized I was very interested in this area This continued throughout my deployment which helped me to advance in the army cyber world.
Developing and deploying systems in the Army provided me the background for what is needed to deploy systems in Army Networks. It provided me an understanding of the systems and paperwork required to integrate into Army networks.
My time as a capability manager for DCO provided me an in depth understanding of the user requirements for DCO systems as well as the process of requirements, funding, and acquisition. Working with Mr. Rehn at ACM Cyber was probably my most memorable assignment. It was fun to work with the requirements and seeing the original versions get built and working to build newer versions as technology advanced.
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