Podcasts about National Defense Industrial Association

Commercial firms are already using AI to simplify procurement. While bringing that approach into DoD offers great promise, there are also some significant obstacles. A new paper from the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies Institute offers some specific recommendations for balancing risks and benefits. Joining me with more details is ETI Associate Research Fellow, Wilson Miles.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Arun Seraphin, the executive director of the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies Institute, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the defense ecosystem the nation needs to more quickly equip the force; legislation that can help DoD accelerate the fielding capabilities; how to thoughtfully trim government labs and federally funded research and development centers; the importance of open architectures to help ensure a more interoperable force and challenges associated with adopting closed ecosystems; how much of the innovation ecosystem that's blossomed across DoD in the wake of Defense Secretary Ash Carter's founding of the Defense Innovation Unit; and the vital importance of robust national investment in education and technology across all disciplines to advancing national security.

Michael Bayer, a former chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, and Arnold Punaro, another former NDIA chairman and Senate Armed Services Committee staff director, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss how to ensure a smooth transition from the Biden administration to a second Trump administration, how to get the mechanics right, budget process to keep government running, how Elon Musk could play an instrumental role in revamping government contracting processes to better and more quickly deliver needed capabilities at scale, and the prospect the incoming president may choose to sack senior military leaders and replace them with new ones better suited to executing the new administration's agenda.

While a cadet at the Air Force Academy, Jason Kim '99 experienced the “pedestal effect” and learned the importance of curiosity, compassion, trust and mutual respect.   SUMMARY Jason Kim, a USFA class of '99 and CEO of Firefly Aerospace, discussed his leadership journey and experiences. He emphasized the importance of curiosity, compassion, and mutual respect in leadership. Jason shared his upbringing in Richardson, Texas, and his parents' influence. He recounted his time at the Air Force Academy, highlighting the humbling experience of being among top cadets and the value of building trust. Jason detailed his career path, including roles at Boeing, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman, and his MBA from UCLA. He stressed the importance of giving back to the Air Force Academy and the Space Force.   OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "I think just being curious and being an active listener and asking questions and listening to other people, sometimes people want to vent, or sometimes people want to just be heard or have a voice, or some, most of the time, people just have good ideas." "And so I would just say, just be curious, what did I miss? Did you miss something? Did we both miss something? If you get all those great ideas and you share it amongst different people from different backgrounds and walks of life, you don't miss as much, you know, and you're just bet off better off, you'll have a better solution." "Building that trust, you know, with your your your teams, that's extremely empowering and motivating when you trust someone else, and they trust you, and you can go much, much further when you build that trust up." "We got this drilled into us, and we didn't even know at the time how important it was. But you know, building that trust, you know, with your your your teams, that's extremely empowering and motivating when you trust someone else, and they trust you, and you can go much, much further when you build that trust up." "And then the last thing I would say is, I think we were one of the first classes that had non commissioned officers alongside with AOCs that were there to teach us about mutual respect, about mutual respect between officers and non commissioned officers. And I think that went a long ways for for all of us, because, you know, once we went to the real Air Force, you know, we were going to lead a lot of officers and NCOs, and getting that kind of exposure early on was helpful, but also learning about mutual respect, that's something that is extremely important in any work setting that you're in."     SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN      CHAPTERS 00:00:  Introduction and Background 02:24:  Welcome to Long Leu Leadership 07:42:  Early Inspirations and Motivations 10:56:  Discovering the Air Force Academy 16:00:  Memorable Experiences at the Academy 23:26:  Leadership Lessons Learned 26:32:  Leadership: Curiosity, Compassion, and Mutual Respect 28:14:  Startup Journey: Taking Risks and Minimizing Regrets 30:07:  Leadership Lessons: MBA and Personal Growth 32:05:  Startup Experience: Joining and Growing a Company 36:18:  Family and Risk-Taking: Lessons from Parents 39:36:  Hidden Talent: Drawing and Painting 45:36:  Giving Back: Involvement with the Air Force Academy Foundation 51:30:  Impact of the Air Force Academy: Building Resilience and Confidence   TAKEAWAYS Growing up in Texas with immigrant parents instilled a strong work ethic and a desire to give back to the country in Jason Kim. Inspired by the space shuttle program and the Gulf War, Jason decided to pursue a career in the military. At the Air Force Academy, Jason experienced the pedestal effect and learned the importance of curiosity, compassion, trust, and mutual respect in leadership. Jason's academic and extracurricular experiences at the Academy helped shape his leadership skills and provided him with lifelong friendships. His parents and role models like Colonel Ellison Onizuka influenced his decision to join the Air Force and give back to the country. Curiosity, compassion, and mutual respect are essential qualities in leadership. Taking risks and minimizing regrets can lead to personal and professional growth. Giving back and supporting future generations is important. The Air Force Academy provides valuable experiences and lifelong friendships. Learning multiple languages and exploring different cultures can broaden perspectives. The Academy's challenging environment builds resilience and confidence.   ABOUT JASON KIM '99 Mr. Jason Kim '99 is a member of the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Directors. He is also CEO for Firefly Aerospace. Jason's career includes his work in the satellite and national security space for Boeing Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. While in the Air Force, he served as a program manager for the Space Superiority Systems program and Reconnaissance Systems Program offices. He has served on the boards of the National Defense industrial Association and space enterprise consortium formation Committee. He began his Air Force career as a cadet, having graduated with a degree in electrical engineering, followed by a master's in electrical engineering from AFET and then an MBA from the University of California, Anderson School of Management.    CONNECT WITH JASON LinkedIn     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          SPEAKERS Guest:  Mr. Jason Kim '99  |  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:01 Our guest today is Mr. Jason Kim USAFA class of '99 and a member of the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Directors. Jason's career includes his work in the satellite and national security space for Boeing, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. While in the Air Force, he served as a program manager for the Space Superiority Systems and Reconnaissance Systems program offices. He has served on the boards of the National Defense Industrial Association and Space Enterprise Consortium Formation Committee. He began his Air Force career as a cadet, having graduated with a degree in electrical engineering, followed by a master's in electrical engineering from AFET and then an MBA from the University of California Anderson School of Management. We'll discuss Jason's life before, during and after the Academy, and we'll ask him to share a unique talent. We'll end with his advice for those striving to become leaders and those already in leadership positions, endeavoring toward excellence. Jason, welcome to Long Blue Leadership, my friend, my classmate. Thank you for being here today.   Jason Kim  01:04 Thank you for having me, and thanks for using my call sign.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:09 You're welcome. I know we want it to catch on so everyone knows now. Well, as we do in this, this is such a wonderful opportunity for our listeners to get to know you, and we like to go back and so for us, we're talking, you know, closer to 30 something years ago, right, when you were young. Jason, tell us about what life was like before the Academy was even in your in your line of sight.   Jason Kim  01:31 So, I grew up in Richardson, Texas. It's a suburb north of Dallas, and if you've been to Dallas, it's a metropolitan city, and but it's a little bit country as well. And so yes, I grew up with cowboy boots. I grew up with a belt buckle, you know, driving a pickup truck, all those kinds of things. But I'd listen to all kinds of music. So, judging by my call sign, you know, rap music, R&B, but also some country as well. And my parents were first-generation immigrants from South Korea, and so I really saw how hard they worked, you know, learning a different language, buying a house, doing all that in their late 30s and 40s and raising three children. I'm the youngest of three boys, and so I'm very, you know, grateful for what my parents did for us three boys. My dad was an electrician on oil rigs and was in the oil and gas industry, and that's why we ended up in Texas. And I'd see him travel away for a month at a time, and then come back home for a month to places like Venezuela and United Arab Emirates and Gulf of Mexico and all kinds of places. And so, you know, I heard stories of travel and just everything he was doing. So, we'll get to this later, but he was definitely an inspiration early on for me, and he always, you know, was very grateful for being a naturalized citizen and allowing our family to grow up in the U.S. and get an education. And so, he always kind of inspired me to give back to the country, and always do good things for the community as well. And so that's where I kind of got those roots. And, you know, also being the youngest of three boys, my older brothers were seven and nine years older than me and so you can imagine I was the little kid that they would bring along to school or, you know, meeting with friends. And so, I learned the good things from them and emulated the good things, but then the bad things, the mistakes that they made, I tried to avoid that. So, I kind of got it easy watching them. And so, I owe a lot to them coaching me and mentoring me as I grew up, and then being in Texas, of course, what did I play sports in, I played football. And I would say that a lot of the leadership skills that I got early on came from football, and a lot of the work ethic came from football — the teammates, the collaboration, the strategy. Texas football is pretty legit, and so I got to watch tape, I got to lift weights, practice. All those things that Tom Brady says in his Hall of Fame speech I resonate with now, I didn't end up like Tom Brady, but I resonate with what he said, all those early mornings, waking up, you know, training, all the hard work. It really taught me a lot of good lessons. And, you know, I still kind of  have a lot of that work ethic because of, you know, playing football, and a lot of the team and collaboration came from collaborating with 10 other football players trying to score a touchdown, or keep others from scoring a touchdown. And also, a big reason why I'm a big college football fan, so I'm really happy to see your son play for the Falcons, and I'm going to be rooting for him and the rest of the Falcons, as well as my other alma mater, UCLA, so I'll be at those games as well.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:55 That is awesome. I mean, I'm almost developing a visual of young Jason and his two older brothers and his mom and dad. And what a story. I mean, I think about, you know, just first off, the confidence, resilience and grit of your parents, right? And then you're seeing this, and you're growing up in a household. So, what, as the youngest? I mean, I think, like you said, you were able to kind of see what to avoid, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to kind of navigate that. Well, when did the military kind of come into the picture? Was that something that your older brothers participated in through school? How were you introduced into that side of the world?   Jason Kim  06:32 Yeah so, I would say it kind of goes along with some inspirational people in my life. You know, growing up in Texas, the Space Shuttle program was a big deal. And I think you and I were 8 years old when the space shuttle Challenger event happened, and one of the astronauts that was a hero among all the astronauts on that mission was Col. Ellison Onizuka, and he made a career in the Air Force. He was a test pilot, graduated with his Ph.D., I believe, and became an astronaut, and really gave his life in many ways, to for science and for the Air Force. And so, seeing someone like that that also kind of looked like me was a good role model for me at an early age. And so that kind of got me interested in the Air Force and the Shuttle program. And then, you know, I think you and I remember when we're young, 1991 before we went to the Academy, you know, the Gulf War, and we saw on TV for this first time, all this shock and awe and Gen. Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, and all the strategy that was used. The technology. You know, you heard about the second offset strategy with those F-117 Nighthawks, and all the flares that you would see that night. And it really just made an impression on me. It got me kind of excited about the military and all the technology that's involved. And also, you know, kind of got me into thinking about being a pilot someday. And again, you know, my dad always saying, “Hey, give back, Jason. You know, this country has given a lot to our family. Give back.” I kind of got that motivation to go into the military. And then, you know, I think we also had family friends that had some people that went to the academies, whether it's the Naval Academy or others, and got to learn a little bit from them what was it like to go to the Academy? And these were really good role models as well. So, I got with my liaison officer, which was a really great liaison officer, got me involved with what I needed to do to get more information. And went to the summer scientific seminar and spent a week on the campus and got to learn what it was like to be a cadet, somewhat. Yeah, it was actually fun. But, you know, meeting people, meeting the upperclassmen, and they were all super nice at the time. And I also, it turns out, I met my future roommate there, and we were, yeah, we met at the summer scientific seminar. And so, lo and behold, when I go into basic cadet training, I see him there. I'm like, “Oh my gosh, you were there at the same time as me!” So it was a really great experience, and that kind of solidified it for me that I wanted to go the Air Force Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:56 So, I mean, you had some great role models to kind of facilitate some of that interest. There was a lot of things happening in the country that, you know, we both were, were very familiar with, and it created some feelings of pride and wanting to give back. Were you always thinking about the Air Force Academy because of those motivations, or were you thinking other service academies as well?   Jason Kim  10:16 I think I had my heart set on the Air Force Academy. You know, I don't know if I said before, but you know, my parents had me late, later in life, and so since I was the baby of the family, by the time I got to the age of going to college, my parents were retirement age, and I was not going to put them through what they did for my older brothers, which was room, tuition, board, and all that stuff that they had to work hard to pay for. I wanted to get a scholarship somehow. And this was a way to give back to the country, get a scholarship, get a great education. Plus, you know, I applied to all the service academies. But, you know, you'll, you'll hear this later, but I wasn't the best swimmer, so I wasn't going to go to the Naval Academy. West Point was foreign to me. I just didn't know enough about the Army, and I wanted to be a pilot. So, I thought, “Hey, the Air Force Academy is the best way to do that.”   Naviere Walkewicz  11:17 Awesome. So, you had a great ALO (pronounced AY-low and is an Academy Liaison Officer) you know, you kind of went through the process, which, in itself, is quite a process, as we remember. And so how did you find out? When did you find out you received an appointment to the Air Force Academy?   Jason Kim  11:31 That was, oh, that was, you know, I've had a lot of great moments in my life, so it's, that's reaching far back. I just remember that I was super happy. You know, it was Congressman Sam Johnson of the 3rd District of Texas that, you know, gave me the nomination. He was actually an Air Force pilot and a Vietnam POW. He since passed away. But, you know, getting a nomination from a legend like that was very much an honor. You know, I also got a senatorial nomination to go to the Naval Academy, but not knowing any better, as the 18-year-old, or whatever I was, 17-year-old, I was like, “Sorry, Senator, I'm going to the Air Force Academy. Thank you very much. I'm not going to the Naval Academy.” So I was very set on going to the Air Force Academy. I was very, very happy, because it was hard to get in. I mean, one of the challenges I had as a fairly big football player in high school was the, you know, the test that you have to physical fitness tests you have to take to get into the Air Force Academy. So, you had to do all the pull ups and the runs and all that stuff. And I had to cut weight, and it really took me waking up every morning, just going through the routine of practicing all those things, and eventually got enough confidence to pass the physical fitness test and all the other things you got to go through. So, it was very rewarding to get to the point where I got in.   Naviere Walkewicz  13:15 That is awesome. And I can see that drive, I mean, just from your family instilled in you to get to be like you said, confident, ready to go. That's no surprise at all. So, talk about at the Academy, we know a little about your roommate. You met him in summer scientific seminar. What was your Academy experience like?   Jason Kim  13:35 I remember Day 1 because there are two funny things that happened. One, somehow I got lucky, and I got paired up with a NCO, enlisted person, who I wish I remembered his name. He didn't end up staying after Basic Cadet Training, so I lost touch. But what he did for me was amazing, because he already knew the drill. He was like, “Jason, you don't know how to wear BDUs, but this is how you do it. This is how you put the blouses on.” How did I luck out? I had somebody that knew what to do and was teaching me how to do it from Day 1. So very, very much grateful to that individual. I wish I could have kept in touch with him. The second funny thing is, we all had name badges. And you know, my name badge, for some reason, it said Jun Kim. And I was like, OK, that's my last name, and it's June, I think. So it makes sense. And then everybody, all the upperclassmen, were like, “Is your name Jun Kim?” I was like, “Yes, yes, sir. My name is Kim,” and I thought it was the month. But it turns out they accidentally switched my nametag with another Cadet named Jun Kim. Yeah, and so he was wearing my Jason Kim, and so, on Day 1, you know, it was very confusing, and that got me into a lot of trouble. They're like, “Do you know…,” all the things you could think of, I was getting all those kinds of comments. And so, it was quite the memorable experience. It's like, it's hard enough being a new doolie and trying to figure it out. But then when you have those kinds of incidents, it's like, it makes it even more confusing, but it was memorable.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:33 Oh, that's awesome. I can, literally picture this.   Jason Kim  15:37 That was Day 1, and then, you know, life as a cadet. They warn you of this. They warn you of the pedestal effect, where you're in high school, you're top of your game, and top of your class and you varsity letter and all that stuff. But when you get to the Academy, oh, boy, was I humbled. I mean, there were people that were smarter than me, more athletic than me, you know, better in every way. And so, I just felt very average. And in retrospect, there's nothing wrong with that, right? But just being around 1,500 cadets, you know they just were the best of the best from wherever they were. It was very, very humbling, but also rewarding, because I got to meet people from different states. I'd go on spring break to California for the first time, because I'd make friends with people that were from Northern California or Los Angeles. So, I got to meet a lot of lifelong friends that have been my support group for my entire life, you know. And every time I get together with my friends from the Academy, it's just like it was old times. It just, it's hard to explain, but you know what I'm talking about, and…   Naviere Walkewicz  17:02 I do. It just feels like time didn't pass.   Jason Kim  17:05 That's right. Some of us, like yourself, look like you do from those days. Some of us aged a little bit differently, like myself, but yeah, it was a great experience. Now, if you remember our year — our year was the first year that had the increased level of the internet and so that got a lot of people in trouble. Because, you know, “What's this internet? What do you do with it?” What we got in trouble for in my class was we played a lot of online games, you know, in first-person kind of games. So, I remember there was a game called Quake, and it was a lot of us just playing together in our in our dorm rooms and spending a little bit too much time on that. And then I remember other video games, like Goldeneye on Nintendo, and it just sucked so much time out of our days that, in retrospect, it's like, “What were we doing?” So, I guess you could say we were kind of old-school video gamers back in the day.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:20 It's funny. I was just going to ask you, we knew that you were getting into electrical engineering. What else were you doing? So, it sounds like it wasn't football, but it was Nintendo.   Jason Kim  18:30 I really loved sports. So, I loved taking all the intramural sports and the classes like golf and tennis, and I got into rugby for a little bit, for a minute, which I really enjoyed, but it's not a very forgiving sport, so that didn't last that long. But, you know, I think just the camaraderie you get playing sports like that was fun, and I think from the academic side, you know, I did go into electrical engineering, so I did all the nerdy stuff. That's probably why we didn't cross paths. Also, you probably weren't at the robotics competitions that we were doing, because that's really nerdy. But we got into doing little Roomba robot construction before Roombas existed, and we created our own Pac Man, you know, handheld games from scratch using a box of parts and processors. And my senior design project was pretty interesting. My classmate and I decided to make a digital karaoke machine. You know, using everything we learned from electrical engineering and apply it to something fun. I just remember us just trying to make the most of it with our friends and our classmates, and trying to make it fun, because it could be a lot. I took a lot of semester credit hours my freshman year. I just remember something like 22-plus credit hours. It was just a lot, and you really needed a way to recharge. And so those were some of the ways. But of course, the skiing was amazing. You know, being so close in proximity to all the ski resorts, like Breckenridge and Copper Mountain and Vail — all those great places. So those were always fun things to do. I had my first bowl of pho in Denver.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:49 In Denver?   Jason Kim  20:52 I remember that vividly. I went to one of my first concerts, Smashing Pumpkins at the Nuggets center. And then I got to go to Red Rocks. So, there was a lot of cultural things that I got to be a part of, too.   Naviere Walkewicz  21:09 I love that. So some of the things that you expressed, and I think this is great for our listeners, because, you know, sometimes some of some of our guests have been very, I don't say tunnel vision, but there's very, like, one track they've been really dedicated to, like one aspect. You know, obviously we have to do military, academic and, you know, physical fitness, athleticism, but there's kind of one track that they really hone in on. It seems like you really kind of experienced a lot, and through all of that, I might ask, what were some of the leadership lessons you picked up and learning about yourself, because you kind of talked about that pedestal effect, right? You were really kind of high coming from high school, and then you came to the Academy, and you kind of had to rediscover yourself in a different way. And it looked like you did that. What did you learn?   Jason Kim  21:53 Yeah, so some of the leadership things that I would say, that I got exposed to — and it made me kind of think about it and much later in life, kind of reinforce it — was just to be curious. A lot of times as leaders, you can jump to conclusions but I think one technique that is very helpful, no matter what industry you're in, is just be curious. You know, when you have employees, you could hold folks accountable but be curious about it. Ask the right questions. “Is everything OK? Do you have enough support? Do you have the tools, training to do what you need to? How's your family life?” That kind of stuff. So, I think you could be very curious and compassionate and graceful in terms of leadership, and that's partly learning from good leaders, but also bad leaders that didn't do that. So, I think you got to see both sides as a cadet, and you always want to pick the good leaders and emulate the good behaviors and leave out the bad. So that's one thing I would say. You know, we got this drilled into us, and we didn't even know at the time how important it was. But building that trust with your teams — that's extremely empowering and motivating when you trust someone else, and they trust you, and you can go much, much further when you build that trust up. And then the last thing I would say is, I think we were one of the first classes that had noncommissioned officers alongside with AOCs (Air Officer Commanding) that were there to teach us about mutual respect, about mutual respect between officers and noncommissioned officers. And I think that went a long ways for all of us, because once we went to the real Air Force, we were going to lead a lot of officers and NCOs and getting that kind of exposure early on was helpful. But also learning about mutual respect — that's something that is extremely important in any work setting that you're in. So those are kind of three examples of leadership, things that I would say I remember from the Academy that are also still important today.   Naviere Walkewicz  24:35 I think that's wonderful. Maybe you'll even share an example where you saw either curiosity, compassion or mutual respect really play a role in your professional or personal life after the Academy, but before we get there, I remember you talking about wanting to maybe get into space, right? The astronaut program, be a pilot. How did that all shape out? Because you were an electrical engineer, and then what?   Jason Kim  24:58 So, I really wanted to be a pilot. And for some reason, I really liked the C-17, the Globemaster. And I think it's because it was a fly-by-wire kind of system. It was a stick, but it was like more of a commercial airline-kind of transport plane. So, it was a blend of — fighter pilots use sticks but it was still kind of an air mobility command-kind of system. But, you know, unfortunately, my eyesight, my color deficiency, just didn't allow me to go into that track. So, I really just leaned on and doubled down on my electrical engineering background and got to go to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as my first assignment. And there I was an engineer-slash-project-manager working on uncrewed aerial vehicles before they became popular. So, things like the Global Hawk and the Predator, UAVs, those were things that I was getting exposed to, and I got to put payloads on. If you remember, in the 1999 timeframe, there were Hellfire missiles put on the Predator. I was there when that was happening. And so, it was just very, very amazing to see all that happen before my eyes. I got to work on the U2 and put payloads on the U2 and other very important missions. And I think that exposed me to the real Air Force. Even though I wasn't flying, I got exposed to assets that actually went into the theater and were very valuable. And then from there, I got assigned to L.A. Air Force Base, and finally got to live out my dream of living in Los Angeles, and was assigned to the Space Superiority Material Wing, and that's where we were acquiring satellites and ground systems to help protect our freedom in space. And so, I learned a lot about space there and ground systems. And, you know, after several years working there, I decided I wanted to go into industry. And so, I did two things. I went to a large aerospace company and became a program manager there. You know, now, in charge of designing and building these satellites. So I went part time to UCLA to get my fully employed MBA, just knowing that I wasn't going to know everything about industry. I wasn't going to know everything about how to be part of a company, and so I wanted to kind of learn more about that side of the industry by getting an MBA. Unbeknownst to me, the MBA wasn't just about company operations and finances, it was actually about leadership. And so, I got a lot of leadership lessons from my MBA program as well. So, it gave me a lot of confidence. And what I mean by that is confidence in just going with your gut, taking risks, getting into high-risk, high-reward situations. And it's because I learned about, the company financials, the underpinnings of a company. I learned about entrepreneurism, what it what it's like to start up a company or operate a company or go through different case studies of how to turn around a company. I learned a lot about accounting and how important and valuable that is. But then most of all, I learned a lot from my classmates. And there were people from the Hollywood industry or investment banking or the medical industry. So, it was really great to learn from my classmates. It got me to conference level where I was like, “Hey, what am I doing at this company? I want to take a risk and go to a startup company.” And I did. I took that leap of faith, and that's where our first, you know, joined Millennium Space Systems, which was a small startup company when it was 20 people. But it was something that I guess I go back to the Air Force Academy where, you know, there's that quote in the Eagle and Fledgling statue that says, “Man's flight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge.” That kind of always stuck with me and it's one of those things where, when you join a startup company, and you help grow it, and eventually we sold the company to Boeing, you learn so much. I mean, I had five different hats, you know, and I had to learn about finance, program management, business development, engineering, integration and test, all that stuff, mission operations — you learn all those things by doing, and no one will ever be able to take that knowledge away. You just, you just get it for life.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:34 Wow, there's, there's so much that, I mean, you covered such a span, because I'm imagining, you know, maybe I don't want to call — maybe “gift” is not the right word, but not being able to be a pilot might have been something that opened up obviously these opportunities for you in ways that you could not have even foreseen. So, I actually wanted to go back to that really quick and just ask, how did you, how did you kind of re-change your thoughts or shape your mindset to, “OK, well, it's not that. So, what's next?” And how did you handle that? Because I think some of our listeners find themselves in situations where, “Well, if I do all these things, then it will lead to this.” But sometimes there are things outside of your control that even if you do all the things, you can't get there.   Jason Kim  31:20 Well, I think, first of all, I'll always be a fan of pilots and aviators and all these fighters and bombers and transport airplanes — I definitely bleed blue still to this day. So, I definitely appreciate all of our classmates that have sacrificed so much to fly in the Air Force and defend us. That's kind of my mindset is, “What can I do to still contribute to the mission to national security?” And so as long as that was kind of my guide-star, I was fine, because I knew that I was contributing to the mission in some way, whether it be acquiring platforms and putting payloads on those platforms to go support our classmates, or today, you know, designing and building systems and operating systems that end up helping national security. It's really the mindset of, “What can I do to help and make a difference, to help defend our country?” So that's how my mindset shifted, because it takes all of us to contribute what we each contribute to make these missions work. And so that's kind of where my head was at.   Naviere Walkewicz  32:50 I think that's fantastic advice. And there's this theme that's been woven since you talked about your parents, and I think it's this, you know, looking forward and investing in yourself and educating yourself. And so along this path, you've done those things. You're also a family man. When did that kind of come to fruition and how does your family feel about when you joining startups and taking risks and doing some of these things?   Jason Kim  33:16 It goes back to my dad. He gave me a lot of great advice when he was still around, and one of the advice was just sharing his regrets. You know, a lot of people thought he was my grandfather because he had me so late. Really,there's something to be said about that. He was very wise. He had a lot of experience in life, and he had global experience and had seen so many different hardships and overcome them. And he would always say, “Hey, I wish I would have taken, you know, that risk and left my company and joined my other co-workers to go start up that other company.” That actually happened. He had co-workers that ended up starting up a different old drilling company in Texas, and he thought it was too much risk at the time. He regrets that, because obviously those people that went over at the time they did, they did well for themselves. So he would tell me stories like that, and really all that wisdom he would just try to share with me from a young age. And it's hard to admit, but at some point in your, all of our lives, we start to realize how right our parents were sometimes, and so, you know, a lot of the risk taking that I'm doing, that I have done, stems from advice that my dad gave me. It's like, “Hey, go for it. Take the risks. Don't have those regrets.” And so, I think I have lived my life in that manner — just minimize the regrets and take some risk and take calculated risk and really be confident with yourself and double down on yourself. So, yeah, absolutely.   Naviere Walkewicz  35:12 I love that. And your family obviously doubles down on — yeah.   Jason Kim  35:16 I mean, I had kids late in life. I really enjoy spending time with my kids. That's how I recharge. You know, I've got a son that's turning 9 this month, and a daughter that turned 6 a couple months ago, and just watching them grow up and be curious and learn and ask questions and try different things out. You know, we try not to push things on our kids, and I'm the same way. I'm not trying to push anything on my kids, but I do want to give them a lot of opportunities that I wish I had, and just expose them to those opportunities, because you just never know which one takes off and which one really resonates with them. And so that's kind of my mindset right now is, “How can I give my son and daughter as many opportunities as possible so that they could figure it out on their own what they want to do,” right?   Naviere Walkewicz  36:09 Well, even the words that you used, you kind of talked about some of those lessons that you took away as a cadet, and you are seeing it in your children, with the way that they ask questions and the way that they explore. So, I think you have kind of taken those and pass it into your legacy line. I do want to ask a question, because we always find it fascinating when we learn more about our guests. So, do you have a hidden talent that you might share with our listeners?     Jason Kim  36:35 I do. I wish I could say it's something that is so fascinating. But really, it's just some something that I could — I could draw and paint really well, and it was something that I just noticed when I was very young. You know, I learned from my older brothers, and they were pretty good at it, too, but I learned at an earlier age than them, and so I've always been able to sketch and draw realistic pictures. When I was younger, drawing Lamborghinis. Because I always wanteda Lamborghini Countach. They don't make those cars in the price points that I would like, so I don't have one today. But I was always drawing things. And, you know, recently, I started painting as well, and it was crazy. I had never done oil painting before, and when I had my first child, my son, whatever got into me, I just picked up a brush and painted a picture of him, and it actually looks like him. And we did a side by side, like picture of him smiling, and the painting of him smiling. It definitely captures his essence, because I never got training or anything. And so, I would say that's my hidden talent. It was even hidden for me. And, you know, it's just amazing — just go for it. Just go do it. And that's one of the things that I would recommend to people that are wanting to go the Air Force Academy is just get out of your comfort zone and do as many things as you can early on, even before going to the Academy. You know, learn different languages. Just learn as much as you can. Learn lifetime sports. Take lessons of swimming or golf or tennis — all those kind of things. Just do as much as you can, because you'll get busy when you're at the Air Force Academy and you'll have less time to do all the things you want to do. But even when you're in industry and you're working, you don't have as much time to go do that kind of stuff. And you may not think you have a lot of time during junior high or high school, but you do, and you should take advantage of just learning as much as you can, and you'll appreciate it later in life when you go travel to Paris or travel to different places like Thailand or, you know, Japan. You know, if you learn those languages, you can explore those places even more in a way that you know is more enriching, and that gets me to that's what I want to do more of, is travel, travel globally with my family. I think that's something that I want to expose my kids to. And a lot of times you grow up in the United States and you start thinking, “Hey, there's only one way to think about stuff.” But when you travel — and I got to travel for work to Paris a couple years — it opened my eyes. It opened my eyes to a different world and how other people think and dress and go about their daily lives. I've also gotten to London recently for work, and that was eye opening as well, and been to Southeast Asia as well. So, it's just fascinating to go to this these different places and learn the cultures and talk the languages and meet the people. It's very enriching.   Naviere Walkewicz So how many languages do you speak?   Jason Kim So, I grew up learning Korean so I can speak a little bit of Korean. I obviously took Spanish because I grew up in Texas, and that Spanish is a very valuable language in Texas, even in California. And because I took Spanish, you know, when I get to the Air Force Academy, what do they do? They said, “Hey, we don't want you to take Spanish. We want you to be the handful of people that takes Arabic.” So, I got the privilege to take Arabic. I got volunteered into it, and it was very, very difficult for me, because I just had no background in it. I struggled with it. But the silver lining is that I learned about a new culture, and I learned about how to write right to left and, you know, just a new language and new foods that go along with it, too. So I really appreciated that. In hindsight, at the time I didn't think it was that easy, but in hindsight, I wish I would have done more and kept the fluency in it, because learning a different language means you can talk to a different group of people, and you can learn more or teach each other new things. So, it just opens a lot of doors.   Naviere Walkewicz  42:02 So, the experiences you've had, both from the Academy and the languages and throughout your career, both professionally as well. It's personally, what's something that you've taken back from those experiences that you might share with a listener that maybe hasn't had that kind of exposure, that they can bring to the leadership table. And how do you use that at yours?   Jason Kim  42:20 I think it just goes back to what it touched on before, is just the curiosity. Just always be curious. You know, I think Ted Lasso had it right. Just be curious, right? If you had just asked questions about, “Hey, did you throw darts when you were younger?” Oh, if you would have known that you would have known that Ted lasso was really good at darts. I think just being curious and being an active listener and asking questions and listening to other people, sometimes people want to vent, or sometimes people want to just be heard or have a voice, or, most of the time, people just have good ideas. And you know, it's all about, “Hey, did I miss something? Did you miss something? Did we both miss something?” If you get all those great ideas and you share it amongst different people from different backgrounds and walks of life, you don't miss as much and you're just better off, you'll have a better solution. And in my industry, you have a better design, you have a better result, performance result. And so, I would just say, just be curious.   Naviere Walkewicz  43:29 What did your road back to the Academy look like? You know, now you're part of a board of (USAFA) Foundation directors, and so you talked about learning from your dad and your mom, always about giving back. So, I have to think that's probably been part of was in the back of your mind. But how did that all come together?   Jason Kim  43:44 You know, I had no road map to do the job that I'm in right now. I never anticipated doing this job, and I also didn't anticipate being on the board of directors for the Air Force Academy Foundation. But I had folks reach out from, you know, the Air Force Academy Foundation, and ask me, “Hey, do you know what we do? You're a big football fan. Are you aware there's a Falcon Stadium renovation?” And I was like, “No, tell me more.” And with that first visit, I actually donated right away, I was like, “I'm on board. Sign me up. I want to donate to this because I believe in it.” You know, Falcon Stadium was where we graduated, right? It's such a memorable place. We saw a lot of football games there. And so, it means so much. So, I was all about donating to that cause. And then I would say that the second time around, when the same person came back and said, just to check up on me — he had mentioned, “Hey, there's this foundation, and they're looking for someone that has a space background, and you have a space background. So, are you interested in potentially coming to a board meeting?” When I went and attended the board meeting as a guest, I just stared around the room, and I was just in awe, because there was Paul Kaminski, who's, to me, is one of my role models in terms of all that he's done for the country and continues to do for the country. And he was on the academic committee. And so, of course, I wanted to join the academic committee. I saw Gen. Eberhardt. I saw Gen. Born, and there were just so many amazing people, Paul Madera, that I was just in awe. And, you know, from that respect, I was like, “Sign me up. I want to be a part of this.” And I saw them and how much they cared about the Academy and the cadets and making sure that the Academy kind of stayed relevant and was giving the cadets the best education that they can to compete with the Stanfords and MITs and the Harvards, I really saw a good cause, and then the fact that they were interested in my space background. I said, “Yeah, I definitely want to be part of whatever I could do to contribute to the Air Force Academy, to graduate not only people that are going to go to the Air Force, but also to the Space Force.” And so that's something I hope to contribute to is maybe someday a future space education center at the Air Force Academy, so that the cadets could get a great education and be future leaders in the Space Force as well.   Naviere Walkewicz  46:53 Well, it certainly makes a difference. And I think I remember seeing you at that first board meeting that you participated in. I was so excited to see you. That was like, oh, '99s in the house. So that was wonderful. Yes, well, I have two questions left. The first one is, really, I want to just ask you, because we've covered so much, and you've given such wonderful, I think, advice and just perspective. But is there anything that I didn't ask you that you had wanted to, you know, talk about today?   Jason Kim  47:20 You know, I think at the end of the day, going through the Air Force Academy is extremely challenging, but after you graduate, and after you go through life experiences, all the hardships, the challenges, what I've realized is going through the Academy kind of helped me overcome what I had to overcome in my adult life and in my industry life. We didn't like it at the time but breaking you down and then building you back up and making you get up back again every time you fall down, gives you life lessons and a confidence in yourself that you can kind of do anything that you put your mind to. I really believe that the Air Force Academy kind of helped me overcome a lot of different hardships in my life. You don't really realize that going through it, but later in life, I appreciate the fact that I went there and getting through there actually gave me the confidence that I could get back up and be OK and keep growing and continuously learn and get better and improve. So that's kind of something that I could attribute to the Air Force Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  48:49 Oh, that is awesome. And, I mean, and it's obviously taken you to new heights. Leading a corporation is no small feat. So,  one of the things we really like to do is make sure we kind of hear the takeaways, from you to our listeners. So, it's really kind of a message to them. But before we do that and get your final thoughts, I just wanted to offer a note of thanks to our listeners for being here on the Long Blue Leadership. The podcast drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on all your favorite podcast apps. Be sure to send us your thoughts and comments at socialmedia@usafa.org, and listen to past episodes at longblueleadership.org  So, Jason, I want to come back to you now, because I hope that gave you a little bit of time to think about what is the message you'd like to share to our listeners. And our listeners are far and wide. We have those aspiring to go to the Academy, we have family members of cadets, and we have graduates all alike. What would you like to share when you think about kind of your experiences in the realm of leadership?   Jason Kim  49:48 To them, I think the Air Force Academy is a great place to graduate from. It's really hard to get through. So, be really proud of your sons and daughters that are going through it and persevering, and it really is a great experience for them. For those that are prospective students: You're going to get to do things that you never could do anywhere else. You know, jump out of planes fly gliders, eventually go into the Air Force or Space Force. And then for graduates, we've made so many lifelong friends, and we've made so many memories. It's something we can all do is give back, whether it's — go march back from Jacks Valley, or go to the reunion this year for our 25th reunion for the class of '99, or go to some football games. The Foundation has plenty of great, noble causes to donate to, because it's all about that Long Blue Line. We want the next set of cadets to get an even better experience in education than we did. We want to keep it going.   Naviere Walkewicz  51:12 It is always a pleasure to not only hear your voice, but today, I got to see you as well. That just brings me such joy, and I can't wait until our reunion, just in a couple of months as well. Thank you so much for your time today, Jason, it's been amazing. Lil' Kim, thank you. Bye.   KEYWORDS Jason Kim, Firefly Aerospace, Air Force Academy, immigrant parents, work ethic, space shuttle program, Gulf War, military career, pedestal effect, curiosity, compassion, trust, mutual respect, leadership, CEO, curiosity, compassion, mutual respect, electrical engineering, startup, satellites, taking risks, giving back     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

James Chew, the global group director for aerospace and defense at Cadence Design Systems who also is the chair of the National Defense Industrial Association's Science and Engineering Technology Division, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss how DoD can better harness commercial innovation for military needs, the key to greater agility, making tradeoffs to field systems at the speed of relevance at affordable cost, impact of microelectronics investment and where else the government needs to invest to bolster US industrial capacity, and whether efforts to throttle adversary nations like China can succeed.

August 15, 2024 ~ Deep Orange 15, an advanced, semi-autonomous off-road rescue vehicle, was recently unveiled at the 16th Annual Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium in Novi. Guy, Lloyd, and Jamie talk with National Defense Industrial Association president Valde Garcia about how the new technology will help our military. Photo: Clemson News

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discuss Ukraine's offensive into Russia's Kursk region; whether the risks of the operations are worth the rewards; how Moscow will respond; and what to expect from the Army 2024 arms show; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses takeaways from the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies conference last week; Anduril's move to raise $1.5 billion for a giant new production facility for large-scale unmanned systems production; prospects for a wider regional war as Iran considering attacking Israel after Jerusalem assassinated key Hezbollah and Hamas leaders; Ukraine's attack into Russia; polling in US presidential race and Vice President Harris' national security stance; and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Former Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist who is now the president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association and Dr Arun Seraphin who runs NDIA's Emerging Technologies Institute, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US budget outlook as Congress is expected to opt for another continuing resolution to fund government rather than legislation; impact of funding uncertainty on the very innovation ecosystem the Pentagon is courting; what to expect from the ETI conference in Washington Aug. 7-9; role of supplemental in driving innovation, bolstering supply chains and production capacity; feedback from the association's membership; defense impacts irrespective of Harris or Trump victory in November; and Boeing's decision to tap former Collins CEO Kelly Ortberg as the company's next chief executive.

How healthy is the U.S. defense industrial base? What challenges does it face at a time of accelerating innovation, regulatory challenges, and the need to scale up productive capacity while strengthening supply chains? The National Defense Industrial Association's (NDIA) own Jen Stewart, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Policy, joins today's episode to unpack NDIA's Vital Signs 2024 Report. The report findings are based on over 1,300 survey respondents, including government officials, private sector leaders, and experts from academia, research institutions, and NGOs. This year's report offers an unmatched perspective on the interplay between government and industry, showcasing the collective vision for a robust U.S. DIB. Download the report at: https://www.ndia.org/policy/publications/vital-signs Registration is now open for the second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference! Please click here to learn more and register: www.ndiatechexpo.org ____________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________   To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, former Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist who is now the president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association, discusses the trade group's new “Vital Signs” report that serves as both a report card of US defense industrial health as well as a policy roadmap, inflation and supply chain challenges driven by high defense and commercial demand, the Pentagon's first ever National Defense Industrial Strategy, whether the $95 billion supplemental for Ukraine, Israel-Gaza and the Indo-Pacific is enough to support allies and refill America's depleted weapons stocks, and PPBE reform and the unique role of comptrollers in driving innovation.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses geopolitical drivers for global defense, prospects for US supplemental funding for Ukraine as well as NATO's new five-year $100 million plan to help Kyiv, whether Washington will cut Israel aid anytime soon, the National Defense Industrial Association's annual “Vital Signs” assessment, margin pressure on leading company as the price of everything increases, the performance gap between prime contractors and services providers, what to expect from the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space conference and tradeshow April 8-10, 2024, and a look at the week ahead; and the cohosts of the Cavas Ships podcast — Chris Cavas and Chris Servello — discuss what they expect to hear from US Navy leaders at the SAS this week with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. And to learn more about HII, visit the company at Sea-Air-Space, booth 1323.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Friday, April 5, 2024  A major expansion at Northrop Grumman is expected to double its supply chain capacity. Check out some elevated getaways with stunning views in Almost Heaven. Learn how the National Defense Industrial Association supports our warfighters in #YesWV…on today's daily304. #1 – From THE DEFENSE POST – The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a $178 million contract to expand the company's Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Bridgeport. The agreement will see the construction of a center that will develop modular solutions for international solid rocket motor and warhead projects. According to Northrop, the project will boost the lab's capability to support future programs by doubling the supply chain capacity and securing production rates by 2026. Upon its completion, the hub will employ advanced manufacturing methods for multiple products and streamline operations to decrease logistics burden and overall operational downtime. Read more: https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/03/28/northrop-facility-west-virginia/  #2 – From WV TOURISM –  Natural in beauty, Almost Heaven has no shortage of extravagant views. Witness stellar sights while lodging at a luxury location and taking part in upscale activities.  Indulge in the luxury accommodations offered at the Alpine-style chalet known as the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown. Take a dip in the infinity pool overlooking the Potomac River, or dine on scrumptious German fare and visit the on-site beer garden. Have the lake getaway of your dreams with a trip to Stonewall Resort State Park. Stay lakeside in one of the offered grand houses and hit the waters on a kayak, CraigCat boat or pontoon. Visit the lodge to take part in top-tier dining, spa services, the indoor/outdoor pool and roasting s'mores on the patio. While here, don't miss taking a swing on the award-winning Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course. Visit wvtourism.com to learn more about luxury lodging in Almost Heaven! Read more: https://wvtourism.com/elevated-getaways-for-the-luxury-explorer/   #3 – From WV.GOV – The National Defense Industrial Association is a trusted leader in the defense and national security industry. For more than 100 years, NDIA and its predecessor organizations have been at the heart of the mission by dedicating their time, expertise and energy to ensuring our warfighters have the best training, equipment and support. The West Virginia chapter, WVNDIA, supports national security by growing and enhancing the defense industry and federal contracting in West Virginia through networking, collaboration and increasing opportunities for business development. Visit the West Virginia Department of Economic Development online to learn more about the defense industry in #YesWV. Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/wvndia/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, April 2, 2024. What Makes You Wonderful visits Tucker County to discover an Almost Heaven travel destination. WV leaders discuss building on the state's defense industry at the annual NDIA meeting. And Opportunity Move links federal agencies with state resources…on today's daily304. #1 – From WMYW – In this episode of the What Makes You Wonderful podcast we talk to Jessica Waldo, Executive Director of the Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau, about the adventures you can take this year!  This all-season destination offers an abundance of attractions: extensive trails to explore year-round, top-notch ski resorts, as well as picturesque waterfalls, a rich arts scene, and delightful local brews. For more information on how you can #GetTuckerd click here: https://gettuckered.com/ Listen now: https://daily304.libsyn.com/wmyw-gets-tuckered-on-some-tucker-county-adventures #2 – From WV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – Governor Jim Justice, the West Virginia Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association and the West Virginia Department of Economic Development welcomed industry leaders to the second annual NDIA West Virginia Chapter meeting recently.  The event, titled “Building on the Successes of the Defense Industry: An Update,” brought together key stakeholders, business owners and government personnel to discuss strategies for further advancing West Virginia's position in the defense sector. “West Virginia is making great progress in the long-standing goal of economic diversification. The defense industry is one of the sectors with great potential for growth.” said Steve Spence, Director of the WV DED International Division. “We continue to build on the state's defense industry cluster by recruiting new companies to the state and assisting our existing companies with their expansion plans.” The West Virginia National Defense Industrial Association further supports the growth and success of the defense industry in the state, offering resources and expertise to enhance collaboration and competitiveness. Visit westvirginia.gov to learn more about the defense industry in #YesWV. Read more: https://westvirginia.gov/gov-justice-and-wv-ded-attend-the-second-annual-national-defense-industrial-association-ndia-west-virginia-meeting/   #3 – From WV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – West Virginia provides support for federal agencies via Opportunity Move. Our state is positioned to assist your agency in mitigating risk, reducing your expense budget and providing upskilling, workforce recruitment and training opportunities. From real estate solutions to energy savings: West Virginia delivers relief for escalating lease and property costs, a high quality of living for your employees and a geographic location that supports long term strategic business continuity objectives of your agency. Visit the West Virginia Department of Economic Development for details.  Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/industries/opportunity-move/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Why does the defense industry say #YesWV? It's an ideal location, for starters. Speaking of defense, the WV chapter of the NDIA meets March 20. Secure your spot to network and share ideas. Celebrate St. Paddy's Day with a great Mountain Stage show…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – West Virginia is ready and eager to welcome defense companies and federal agencies seeking a loyal workforce, opportune location and rewarding lifestyle for employees. What prompts these companies say #YesWV? Aside from a ready and willing workforce, it's all about location, location, location. The Mountain State's proximity to major metropolitan areas makes it an excellent location for the production of military and defense products and technologies. The state's network of highways, railways and rivers connect us to surrounding states.West Virginia is within a day's drive of 34% of the top domestic purchasing sectors, defense contractors and federal agencies. And the state's proximity to Washington, D.C,. makes it a prime location for defense centers close to our nation's capital. The West Virginia National Defense Industrial Association also provides additional support for the defense industry to grow and thrive in West Virginia. Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/industries/defense/ #2 – From WV NDIA – The West Virginia Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association will host its spring meeting March 20 at the Culture Center at the State Capitol Complex. Join a group of like-minded individuals to discuss the latest trends and innovations in West Virginia's defense industry. This is a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas. Reserve your spot today for this FREE event.  Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/west-virginia-ndia-spring-2024-meeting-tickets-851500279257?aff=oddtdtcreator   #3 – From MOUNTAIN STAGE – Be a part of the live audience as Mountain Stage records a fresh episode for NPR Music with guest host David Mayfield! The March 17 show at the Culture Center features Nothin' Fancy, Missy Raines & Allegheny, Meredith Moon, Rory Block, Ed Snodderly.  Reserve your tickets today! Read more: https://mountainstage.org/event/nothin-fancy-missy-raines-allegheny-meredith-moon-and-more-on-mountain-stage/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, March 6, 2024.  A Charleston distillery teams up with the WV EDA to improve its bottling efficiency. The WV chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association meets this month at the Culture Center. And WV Hive will host a training workshop for New River Gorge businesses…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV EDA – Located in the heart of Charleston's historic West Side, the youthful Bullock Distillery has already become an integral part of the neighborhood. Bullock Distillery makes and bottles all kinds of spirits at their facility like bourbons, whiskeys, brandies, vodkas, gin, and more. In the front of the building, customers can wander around and shop. In the back, you'll find industrial machinery using different ratios of corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley, sourced from West Virginia farmers. But like any business, Bullock Distillery ran into road blocks along the way. One problem was their bottling process was slow and inefficient. A serious bottling machine is a considerable investment, but the business was able to get connected with the West Virginia Economic Development Authority. “It was a bad time for borrowing and that can be hard to finance through traditional means,” said co-foundeTighe Bullock. “The WVEDA was very understanding and responsive and they saw the potential for it to grow our business.” Now, Bullock Distillery is in talks to take on contract bottling from out of state, bringing business into West Virginia. They are significantly more efficient and are planning on increasing their workforce. Watch the video: https://eda.wv.gov/bullock-distillery/   #2 – From WV NDIA – The West Virginia Chapter of National Defense Industrial Association will host its spring meeting March 20 at the Culture Center at the West Virginia State Capitol Complex. WV NDIA will discuss the latest trends and innovations in West Virginia's defense industry. This is a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas. Admission is free. Reserve your spot today! Learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/west-virginia-ndia-spring-2024-meeting-tickets-851500279257?aff=oddtdtcreator   #3 – From WV EXECUTIVE – West Virginia Hive, the entrepreneurship program of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, has announced a regional initiative to improve customer service among frontline businesses The program will kick off March 25-26 “Growing Your Business Through a Culture of Service,” a customized and personalized training workshop at Tamarack Conference Center in Beckley. “We want to offer best-of-class training to help the New River Gorge region and Southern West Virginia surpass expectations for visitor experiences, business transactions and overall customer service and hospitality,” says Judy Moore, executive director of WV Hive and deputy director of NRGRDA. “Every dollar people spend in our region and every person who decides to relocate here or return for more visits is an economic multiplier for our community and economic betterment.” The WV Hive has contracted with the Michigan-based business training firm Zingerman's to offer its tested, research-based ZingTrain learning concepts, which will be personalized and customized for the New River Gorge region. The 40-year-old company was called the Coolest Small Company in the Country by Inc. magazine. Interested parties can register here.  Read more: https://wvexecutive.com/west-virginia-hive-launches-regional-culture-of-service-mission/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

On this week's Technology Report, Dr. Wes Naylor, a retired US Navy captain and former commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training and Simulation Division who is now the CEO of Helicon Chemical, and Chris Servello, the co-host of the Cavas Ships podcast and Defense & Aerospace Report producer who is a co-founder of the Provision Advisor PR firm, discuss takeaways from this year's Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), technologies that will shape the future of training and simulation that in turn will shape large-scale synthetic environments and CJADC2, the Biden administration's new supply chain approach and cyber security, as well as the legacy of Rear Adm. Jim Robb, USN Ret., who as president of the National Defense Industrial Association's National Training and Simulation Association was a driving force in I/ITSEC's growth with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week's Technology Report, Dr. Paul McGinn, professor of chemical and molecular engineering at the Univeristy of Notre Dame, discusses claims that South Korea's LK-99 material is superconducting at room temperature and ambient pressure, how the state of material science is advancing, and the impact that the engineering and scientific impact of recent CHIPS, infrastructure and climate measures; and Dr. Arun Seraphin, the executive director of the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies Institute, discusses his priorities and ETI's inaugural conference in Washington Aug. 28-30 with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Listen in as your host Just Nate and the one and the only co-host DK is back to chat with great new friends. We are speaking to the NDIA Young Professionals. Dominic Archuleta, Bernadette Maisel and Mairead Levison. The NDIA Rocky Mountain Chapter is very focused on encouraging young professionals to participate in chapter events, run for chapter offices and to network with some of the chapter's 1,400 members. If you have ideas or suggestion on events, activities or actions that support the young professionals in our community we would love to hear from you. The National Defense Industrial Association, Rocky Mountain Chapter is proud to present the 40th Annual Rocky Mountain Ball.  The Chapter will hold the ball at the Double Tree Hilton on 18 August 2022.  As always, this is a black-tie event (mess dress) considered a widely attended gathering with a mixture of retired and active-duty military, civilians, and industry.  Join us on August 18 – 40th Annual Rocky Mountain Ball Date: August 18, 2023Location: Double Tree by Hilton 1775 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd – (just off I-25 and Circle) At the ball, we will present the Hartinger Award and Patriot Awards again.  Hartinger Award this year honors General James H. Dickinson, Commander, United States Space Command.  Patriot Awards honor military members who have gone above and beyond in the performance of their mission. We will post more information about the Patriot Awards recipients as we get closer to the Ball. We will have dignitaries from all branches of service and some of our sister nations, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. We will also have industry and corporate VIPs in attendance.  Please join us for the IMAGE 2023 Golf Tournament to benefit STEM scholarship activities of our Colorado Springs local chapter of NDIA, AFA, & AFCEA!  Day:  August 16th, 2023Location:  Eisenhower Golf Course, Blue Course, USAFA, Building 3170, USAFA Academy, CO 80840Phone: (719) 333-2606 To learn more about NDIA check them out here: https://ndiarmc.org/ To learn more about NDIA Young Professionals check out their website here: https://ndiarmc.org/young-professionals-committee/ To find out more about the Smalls or become a member, please check us out at www.thesmalls.org To contact Just Nate:  justnate@thesmalls.org  — Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thesmalls/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thesmalls/support www.patreon.com/thesmalls --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thesmalls/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thesmalls/support

Show SummaryOn this episode of Behind the Mission, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran Phyllis Wilson, President of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation. We talk about the important contributions of women in the U.S. Military and the Military Women's Memorial in Arlington, Virginia About Today's Guest Phyllis Wilson served 37 years in the Army as a Military Intelligence (MI) Voice Intercept Operator. She has served around the globe – visiting more than 35 countries – in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and North America.She has been mobilized numerous times to shoulder the duties of defense of the nation and has deployed to Iraq several times as an Intelligence Analyst with Special Operations.Chief Warrant Officer Five Phyllis J. Wilson served as the most senior Warrant Officer in the entire United States Army Reserve, and a key member of the Executive Team managing an organization of more than 200,000 personnel with an annual operating budget of more than $8 Billion.She was a Senior Military Fellow with the Chief of Staff of the Army's Strategic Studies Group focused on Global issues 2050 and beyond.Phyllis is a Registered Nurse and holds two Master's degrees, two Bachelor of Science degrees, and a certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University. She attended the Defense Language Institute for both German and Spanish. She is a graduate of the Program in Advanced Security Studies at the George C. Marshall Center and School in Garmisch, Germany. She has received numerous military decorations and awards ranging from the Legion of Merit to the Army Parachutist Badge. She has been inducted into the Army Women's Foundation Hall of Fame and the U.S. Veterans Hall of Fame.She is President of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation – the only major national memorial honoring the 3 million women who have defended America from the Revolutionary War to today. The Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, has appointed her to the Reserve Forces Policy Board. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Policy Vets and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). She is also a Senior Fellow at AUSA. Phyllis serves as an Army Reserve Ambassador for Maryland which is afforded the rights, privileges, and protocol status equivalent to that of a 2-Star General Officer.Phyllis is a member of The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the World Wars, Association of the United States Army, Association of the United States Navy, Women Marines Association, Reserve Organization of America, Military Women Across the Nation, Army Women Veterans Association, Military Officers Association of America, Disabled American Veterans, Air Force Association, U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association, the Mayflower Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, National Defense Industrial Association, and Women In Defense.In March 2020, Phyllis was named a Power Player of the Week on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. View the video Here.She has eight children. Four of her sons are in the military and all are combat veterans. She has fifteen grandchildren and one on the way – October 2023!Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMilitary Women's Memorial Web SitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course, Women Who Serve. This course is an overview of the contributions women have made to our military forces. This course is intended for those who want to better understand women's role in our military.  You can see find this episode here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/women-who-serveThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations. Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Michael Bayer, the chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, and Arnold Punaro, the former NDIA chairman and Senate Armed Services Committee staff director, discuss a long-term approach to balancing US spending and revenue to avoid future debt default dramas, outlook for reforms and defense spending, priorities for incoming chairman and service chiefs, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., “unprecedented” hold on promotions, and report card on Biden administration's filling of political appointee jobs with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

When the Navy's Office of Small Business Programs fell short of its small disadvantaged business (SDB) goals in fiscal 2022, it made a decision to aggressively reach out to potential companies. With the numbers in for the first half of 2023, the agency said it still has some work to do. “We missed the small disadvantaged business goal by a little over 1% [in fiscal 2022]. The Department of the Navy had a goal of 8.3%. And I believe we came in about 7%, a little over 7%. We missed the goal just slightly in bringing in 8(a) firms," said Arveice Washington, deputy director of the Navy's Office of Small Business Programs in an interview with Federal News Network after she spoke at the National Defense Industrial Association's Expeditionary Warfare Conference on Feb. 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the Navy's Office of Small Business Programs fell short of its small disadvantaged business (SDB) goals in fiscal 2022, it made a decision to aggressively reach out to potential companies. With the numbers in for the first half of 2023, the agency said it still has some work to do. “We missed the small disadvantaged business goal by a little over 1% [in fiscal 2022]. The Department of the Navy had a goal of 8.3%. And I believe we came in about 7%, a little over 7%. We missed the goal just slightly in bringing in 8(a) firms," said Arveice Washington, deputy director of the Navy's Office of Small Business Programs in an interview with Federal News Network after she spoke at the National Defense Industrial Association's Expeditionary Warfare Conference on Feb. 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Industrial Base is pretty vast but, like the ice cap, it's steadily shrinking. The latest version of an annual report by the National Defense Industrial Association finds this: Even though thousands of new companies are getting DoD contracts each year, it is not enough to make up for the number of firms leaving the Defense market. In fact, more than 17,000 companies left the Defense Industrial Base in the past five years. Federal News Network's Jared Serbu has more on the statistics, and what companies say about their biggest challenges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Industrial Base is pretty vast but, like the ice cap, it's steadily shrinking. The latest version of an annual report by the National Defense Industrial Association finds this: Even though thousands of new companies are getting DoD contracts each year, it is not enough to make up for the number of firms leaving the Defense market. In fact, more than 17,000 companies left the Defense Industrial Base in the past five years. Federal News Network's Jared Serbu has more on the statistics, and what companies say about their biggest challenges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Inflation has seeped into every area of the economy, both goods and labor. For federal contractors, operating under fixed-priced contractors, and for the Defense Department, the pressure is real. Now the National Defense Industrial Association has completed a detailed look at just how inflation has affected budgets. Federal Drive host got the highlights from the association's chairman, retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro.

Sixteen different experts and officials joined us to discuss the war in Ukraine, cyber warfare, the challenges posed by China, and much more from this year's Defense One Technology Summit. Guests include:  Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks (at the 0:55 mark); Stephen Wood of Maxar Technologies and Aric Toler of Bellingcat (@ 4:27); Dave Frederick of U.S. Cyber Command (@ 15:25); Dmitri Alperovitch and retired U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Rogers (@ 17:53); Neal Higgins, Deputy National Cyber Director for National Cybersecurity (@ 25:39); Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus VR (@ 29:30); Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach and Gilman Louie, the former CEO of In-Q-Tel (@ 33:33); U.S. Air Force Col. Wallace Turnbull, Deputy Director of Space Systems Command's Space Systems Integration Office (@ 35:17); Mark Lewis, Executive Director at the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies Institute (@ 39:32); Wesley Kremer, President of Raytheon Missiles & Defense (@ 44:52); Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio (@ 46:46); Mark Munsell from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (@ 52:00); And Michael Brown of DIU (@ 54:51).

Muitos Gerentes de Projetos conhecem as práticas de Gestão de Valor Agregado (GVA ou EVM – Earned Value Management)! Inclusive, é um dos temas comuns na prova para a Certificação PMP (Project Management Professional) do PMI! Apesar do benefício de agregar prazo, escopo e custo em uma mesma base de acompanhamento, quando o tema é a gestão do prazo do projeto, as práticas de GVA / EVM possuem limitações. É aí que entram as práticas de Prazo Agregado (Earned Schedule) e de Gerenciamento da Duração Agregada (GDA / EDM – Earned Duration Management). Para falar dessas técnicas, eu convidei o consultor Paulo André de Andrade. Paulo André graduou-se em Engenharia Eletrônica pelo Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA): possui MBA em Gerenciamento de Projetos pela Fundação Getúlio Vargas e detém certificado de Project Management Professional (PMP) pelo Project Management Institute (PMI). Trabalhou em importantes e complexos projetos pela IBM por 24 anos, e tem experiência internacional em países como Alemanha, Estados Unidos, Japão, Canadá, Inglaterra, Itália, França, México e Bélgica. Paulo é autor de diversos artigos sobre Prazo Agregado e técnicas de gestão e controle de projetos, além de ter traduzido para o português dois dos mais importantes livros sobre prazo agregado. Dê um play e depois me conte: você já usou técnicas de valor agregado, ou de prazo agregado em seus projetos? Se sim, como foi? Se não, quais são as barreiras que estão te impedindo de usar? Para conhecer mais sobre o tema, seguem alguns links úteis: Site do Earned Schedule com artigos, apresentações e planilhas: https://earnedschedule.com/ Site do Operations Research & Scheduling Group da Univerisdade de Ghent na Bélgica: https://www.projectmanagement.ugent.be/?q=research Site do Integrated Program Management Division (IPMD) da National Defense Industrial Association: https://www.ndia.org/Divisions/IPMD/ Site do Defense Acquisition Magazine: https://www.dau.edu/library/defense-atl/ Link para a página do Paulo André no LinkedIn (textos próprios e artigos traduzidos): https://www.linkedin.com/in/pandre/ Esse Podcast tem o apoio de Teams Ideas by Prosperi (https://www.teamsideas.com/), da Technique Engenharia (http://www.technique.eng.br/) e da GSUP / Nexos. Tem curtido o nosso conteúdo? Que tal tornar-se membro do Capital Projects Podcast, apoiando o canal? Assim, podemos continuar crescendo e ajudando tantos profissionais da Gestão de Projetos! Acesse o link e confira os planos: https://lnkd.in/d8QQ6twk Também estamos com canal no YouTube! Confira as novidades: https://lnkd.in/d55qbgGy Acompanhe também as minhas redes: @andre_choma e https://linktr.ee/andrechoma Produção: Voz e Conteúdo – www.vozeconteudo.com.br - @vozeconteudo #capitalprojectspodcast #capitalprojects #projetosdecapital #projectmanagement #podcast #gestao #projetos #gestaodeprojetos #earnedvalue #earnedvaluemanagement #EVM #earnedschedule #earnedduration #valoragregado #análisedovaloragregado #GVA #prazoagregado #duraçãoagregada #frontendloading #metodologiafel

Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper spoke about his time serving in the Trump Administration. He was interviewed by National Defense Industrial Association chairman Arnold Punaro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Maj. Gen. Jim Boozer, USA Ret., the executive vice president of the National Defense Industrial Association, discusses key takeaways from the NDIA's 2022 SOFIC conference and tradeshow as the US Special Operations community returns to great power competition; and Alistair Wilson, the strategy, sales and marketing director at JFD — an innovative British company that is a leading supplier of swimmer delivery vehicles, diving and submarine rescue equipment — and a US Navy SEAL veteran Jim Emmert, who heads the company's US operations, discuss the changing environment for US special operators, key elements of their product portfolio, enticing the community to be more open to innovative approaches, and areas of investment for future growth with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, the Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating another outage of its electronic health records system. The Department of Defense's new acquisition leader is finally in place. Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro (USMC-ret.), CEO of The Punaro Group and chair of the National Defense Industrial Association, discusses the confirmation of Bill LaPlante and what it means for the Pentagon. The Thrift Savings Plan is headed for a May 16 deadline. Kim Weaver, director of external affairs for the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, explains the next marker for the TSP's technology upgrade. At CyberScoop's Zero Trust Summit, Department of Labor Deputy Chief Information Security Officer Karl Hellmann explains how his agency is making zero trust work. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every weekday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please let us know in the comments.

Team Rubicon and Veterans Empowerment Organization on Georgia Business Radio Joe Messere Deputy Director, Southeast at Team Rubicon Team Rubicon USA NonProfit Executive, Veteran, Entrepreneur. Making a difference in people's lives every day through disaster response and veteran reintegration.   Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. Team Rubicon's primary mission is providing disaster relief to those affected by natural disasters, be they domestic or international. By pairing the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions, Team Rubicon aims to provide the greatest service and impact possible. Through continued service, Team Rubicon seeks to provide our veterans with three things they lose after leaving the military: a purpose, gained through disaster relief; community, built by serving with others; and identity, from recognizing the impact one individual can make. Coupled with leadership development and other opportunities, Team Rubicon looks to help veterans transition from military to civilian life. Serving the Under-served Across the world, disasters are a part of life. No corner of the globe is spared from severe weather – be it crippling winter storms, catastrophic hurricanes, or unchecked wildfires. By focusing on under-served or economically-challenged communities, Team Rubicon seeks to makes the largest impact possible. Disasters represent a massive financial cost, and by providing immediate relief work, free of cost, TR aims to help communities begin recovery sooner. Topics to Discuss:  Veterans Day For many men and women of our Armed Forces, the desire to serve their country and fellow man does not diminish once they take off the uniform. Continued service helps us build stronger communities and supports transitioning veterans. Web Site / Linkedin / Social Media Links:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmessere https://teamrubiconusa.org https://www.facebook.com/teamrubicon https://twitter.com/teamrubicon https://www.instagram.com/teamrubicon Brian Smith Insurance Office of America Insurance Executive-Specializing in Complex Risks-Government Contractors Brian Smith serves on the Board of Directors for the Veterans Empowerment Organization (VEO) and the National Defense Industrial Association. Professionally he is responsible for business development with Commercial Risks and Government & Defense Contractor clients. Strategic business development includes revenue growth through partnerships with centers of influence, bid and proposal awareness, government contract education, non-traditional/non-recurring distribution of insurance capital, deployment of alternative risk financing techniques, and delivery of IOA resources. Lastly, Brian served honorably with the U.S. Army and US Army Reserves for 14 years, retiring in 1999 with the rank of Captain. He had the pleasure of being stationed at Redstone Arsenal during his Ordnance Officer Basic Course in 1991 and subsequently attending his Chemical Officer Advanced Course at Ft. McClellan in 1998. Brief Description of  Service:  We serve homeless veterans throughout the Greater Atlanta area by providing them with shelter, food, and the assistance needed to gain confidence and live a self-sustaining life. Topics to Discuss:  Veteran affairs Homelessness Opportunity to make a difference Web Site / Linkedin / Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansmith4insurance https://www.veohero.org https://www.facebook.com/VEOHERO https://twitter.com/veohero https://www.instagram.com/veohero   Georgia Business Radio Interviewing industry and thought leaders with compelling stories. Relevant content on current business trends live from the Pro Business Channel studios in Atlanta. In addition to the live broadcast,

In this episode, we are talking about Thomas University's new football program, the first in the nation designed specifically to assist veterans and military personnel in their transition from military to civilian life. Giving us insights into this unique combination of academic and athletic programs is Stephen Ferguson, vice president for military and corporate relations at Thomas University.Located in Thomasville, Georgia, Thomas University is a regionally accredited, non-profit university that offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and education specialist degrees at its main campus, online, and satellite locations in Tallahassee and across Georgia.What you will learn on this podcast: In 2017, Thomas University opened the Center for Military Life to provide resources during the entire life cycle of military service, from pre-enlistment, career advancement to transition support back to service life.Thomas University accepts up to 64 college credits from military training toward a college degree. The valuable on-the-job training is evaluated for credit and is part of the student's Joint Services Transcript ((JST) or Community College of the Air Force transcript. Offering multiple online programs for global access, Thomas University's on-campus classes—with an average class size of 10 to 15 students—provide veterans with an easy transition to college life. The university is an academic partner with the National Defense Industrial Association to help connect veterans and military personnel in job placement. Ferguson says it creates a “crosswalk from higher education to industry.” Earlier this year, Thomas University established the nation's first football program explicitly designed to assist veterans in transitioning from military to civilian life. To lead the Night Hawks football team, the university hired seasoned football coach Orlando Mitjans, Jr., who brings more than 20 years of coaching experience, including positions at The Citadel and West Point.The football team will include military veterans, active reservists, and members of the National Guard.The inaugural football team is on track to start during the fall 2023 season. Thomas University is exploring options to build a permanent stadium on its campus; however, they will use a local high school stadium in the interim.Thomas University is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Sun Conference.Ferguson says the Thomasville community has provided an “outpouring of support” and positive feedback from local businesses and residents.“It's not just football; it's a transition program that allows veterans to be together and play together and continue the camaraderie that they are used to in the United States armed services.”Join us next time as we continue to promote South Georgia as a great place to live, work, play, and visit.Thanks to our sponsor Smalltown Broadcasting and WDDQ, home of the Scott James Matheson Show, where you can listen live from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday on Talk 92.1 http://talk921.com/ or through the TuneIn app https://tunein.com/radio/Talk-921   

What an irony. Congressional appropriations committees hold hearings on what harm might hit the military from Congress's own inability to pass a budget on time. But the security threat is real, according to my next guest. Retired Marine Corps major general Arnold Punaro is chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association.

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, the Navy's largest unmanned systems exercise ever is underway in the Middle East. Wes Hallman, senior vice president for strategy and policy at the National Defense Industrial Association, discusses NDIA's assessment of the health and readiness of the defense industrial base. Agencies can hire 4,000 employees to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Office of Personnel Management will create a special hiring authority to do it. Jeri Buchholz, strategic advisor at the Bolden Group and former chief human capital officer at NASA, discusses the impact this might have on fixing the hiring and retention process in the federal government. The Technology Modernization Fund has $1 billion to award to agencies that have IT upgrades to do. One of the criteria the TMF Board will use is how projects improve customer experience according to the White House executive order on CX. Raylene Yung, executive director of the TMF Board and Dave Zvenyach, director of the Technology Transformation Services at the General Services Administration, tell FedScoop Editor-in-Chief Billy Mitchell how the executive order is impacting their missions. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every weekday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please let us know in the comments.

Ensuring safety, reliability of nuclear weapons Laura McGill, deputy laboratories director for nuclear deterrence and chief technology officer at Sandia National Laboratories, discusses her lab's critical work in nuclear deterrence and a broad range of national security challenges Recommendations for the Pentagon, Congress on defense budget Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro (USMC-ret.), chair of the National Defense Industrial Association board, discusses the necessity of passing the fiscal 2022 appropriations bill and his suggestion for DoD leaders to go in a different direction with spending

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, a new acting chief information officer at the Department of Health and Human Services. The Department of Defense is scheduled to open its “zero trust office” this month. Vimesh Patel, chief technology advisor at World Wide Technology and former deputy director for data strategy and innovation at the National Counter Terrorism Center, says this is an important signal that there's a lot more that can be done in cybersecurity across the Pentagon. The Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says a continuing resolution to fund the DOD for the rest of the fiscal year would “offer comfort to our enemies.” Gen. Hawk Carlisle (USAF, ret.), President and CEO at the National Defense Industrial Association, explains the impact CRs are having on both the department and the defense industrial base. Efforts are underway across government to fulfill the Biden Administration's executive order on cybersecurity, with an emphasis on zero-trust. National Science Foundation Chief Information Officer Dorothy Aronson and former U.S. Navy Deputy CIO Juliana Vida of Splunk joined FedScoop's Billy Mitchell at last week's SNG Live Cloud event to discuss the current state of federal cybersecurity. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every weekday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please let us know in the comments.

Sue shares fascinating defense contracting tactics that can help your business grow, but she also shows the equity networking behind it.Join Sue Tellier, Owner and President, JetCo Federal and host Ed Clemente, for a lively discussion on small business, defense suppliers and what is WIPP? Jetco Federal, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a prime contractor in supply chain management and logistics serving in the defense industrial base. She also has great credentials on many associations including SBAM, National Defense Industrial Association, Vice Chair of the Women in Defense National Council and the Vice President of Women in Defense - Michigan, Board member for WIPP and a Governor appointee on the Michigan Strategic Fund. You can also read the transcript from our conversation.

The U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley not only confirmed that the U.S. intelligence community, and therefore the Department of Defense and the U.S. administration believe that China test-launched a new hypersonic weapons system sometime in late July, he said it was close to a Sputnik moment. To understand better what Gen.Milley is saying, I spoke with one of the most knowledgeable hypersonics and hypersonic weapons systems experts and aeronautics engineers, the former DoD's former Director of Defense, Research and Engineering, Mark Lewis. He's now the Executive Director, Emerging Technologies Institute at the National Defense Industrial Association. Later Sarah Mineiro from the Center for a New American Security and Kaitlyn Johnson from the Center for Strategic and International Studies discuss their take on Milley's statements, and what the U.S. Space Force is doing to coordinate with the defense and space industries and to also work with Congress on getting the funding to meet current and future threats and challenges.

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, a December 8 deadline for federal contractors to be fully-vaccinated against COVID-19. Todd Harrison, Director, Defense Budget Analysis, and Aerospace Security Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies, explains how the defense industry agreeing to open standards will help the Department of Defense in implementing Joint All-Domain and Control (JADC2). Stephanie Kostro, Executive Vice President for Policy, Professional Services Council, rounds out the team of industry groups writing to DOD about the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. Listen to our interviews with the National Defense Industrial Association and Information Technology Industry Council. Ron Thompson, Chief Data Officer, NASA sat down with Scoop News Group's Senior Vice President for Content Strategy, Wyatt Kash to talk about how NASA is using data to transform the workplace of the future. The video is part of FedScoop's “Building Data Driven Government” series, underwritten by Dell Technologies. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available everyday at 4 p.m. ET. Listen more here. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please let us know in the comments.

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, the Air Force and Navy sign on to a supercomputing deal, giving them one of the more powerful computers in the U.S. government. Corbin Evans, Principal Director, Strategic Programs, National Defense Industrial Association joins the podcast to explain how the lack of information from the Pentagon about the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification can have serious consequences to companies in the defense-industrial base. Jeffrey Neal, Former Chief Human Capital Officer, Department of Homeland Security discusses how agencies are continuing to adjust their remote work policies in the wake of the delta variant, and how human capital officers across government should adjust to the situation. Mike Brown, Director, Defense Innovation Unit recaps the new venture funding pool at DIU for startups looking to supply hardware to the Department of Defense. The National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) program was announced earlier this week. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available everyday at 4 p.m. ET. Listen more here: https://www.fedscoop.com/the-daily-scoop-podcast/ We are now available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0KZJcp1fu5JKlollvXeLD8 And Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-daily-scoop-podcast

The new Defense Department budget request includes a dramatic reimagining of the Air Force. The force wants to retire more than 200 aircraft… and buy fewer fighter aircraft than Congress has imagined in the past. General Hawk Carlisle, USAF retired, is former Commander of Air Combat Command… and before that… commander of Pacific Air Forces. He's now the President and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association. On this episode, Gen. Carlisle describes the inventory, personnel, and capability the service needs to contribute to the joint force. He also reveals his favorite airplane in the Air Force's fleet.

What You Will Learn: How Molly started D2DInc and became involved with the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) shortly after to seek support and education What pain points D2DInc experienced at the seven-figure mark, and how they made a wildly successful business pivot out of consulting and into government contracts How the business pivot from consulting to contracts took time to implement but made a dramatic difference in the company's growth How the organization prioritized roles when they needed to recruit and hire new team members, and how they have worked to unify their team and its diverse roles What suggestions Molly has for any organization interested in making a business pivot into government purchasing contracts How Molly learned to delegate and begin working on the business rather than in it as the team grew from 8-10 people to over 80 How D2DInc's period of rapid growth caused the company's leadership to be stuck in a reactive mode, and how stabilizing the team allowed them to become more strategic How Molly and her team have developed a strategic meeting cadence that has helped them look ahead and be more intentional How NAWBO has launched a group called the NAWBO Circle specifically for the 3% of women-owned businesses that make more than $1 million in revenue About Molly Gimmel Molly K. Gimmel is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Design To Delivery Inc (D2DInc), an award-winning firm that provides program and acquisition management support services to Federal government agencies. Molly has been working in the field of government contract and acquisition management since 1991. Before co-founding D2DInc in 2001, she spent eight years working in the government practices of three of the “Big Five” accounting/consulting firms. D2DInc appeared four times on the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing privately held companies in the US, from 2014 thru 2017. D2DInc was ranked #32 on the Women Presidents Organization's list of Fastest Growing Women Owned Companies in 2016. Molly has been a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) since 2002. She served on the NAWBO National Board of Directors for six years, including one year as Chair (2018-2019), is a past president of the NAWBO Greater DC Chapter, and has served in several other leadership roles within the organization. She currently serves as a delegate on the US delegation to the W20 – the G20 working group focused on women's issues. She also currently serves on the Board of the Women in Business Initiative for George Mason University. Molly was named an Enterprising Woman of the Year in 2014 by Enterprising Women magazine and serves on the Enterprising Women Advisory Board. She received a Brava Award from Smart CEO magazine in 2015 recognizing outstanding female CEOs in the DC Metropolitan Area. In addition to NAWBO, she is a member of Women Impacting Public Policy, Women in Defense, the National Defense Industrial Association, and the National Contract Management Association. Molly holds a Masters of Science in Contract & Acquisition Management from Florida Institute of Technology, and a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing from the College of William & Mary. She has a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Resources: Website: https://d2dinc.com/ National Association of Women Business Owners website: www.NAWBO.org LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mollygimmel/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/d2dinc Facebook: www.facebook.com/D2DInc/ Additional Resources: Elite Business Health Assessment: https://growwithelite.com/health Email: info@GrowWithElite.com Website: https://growwithelite.com/

The DFARS interim rule that went into effect on November 30th has a lot of nuances to it — and many out there have questions about how it applies to them. In this episode, I sit down with Corbin Evans, Principal Director, Strategic Programs at National Defense Industrial Association, to get answers to some of the most common questions about these CMMC nuances, including: - What do DIB orgs with a 7012 clause in their contracts need to do now? - What happens if you submit a low SPRS score? - What are the different types of CUI? Check out this resource we mentioned during the podcast: - https://www.dodcui.mil/ To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to The Virtual CISO Podcast here. If you don't use Apple Podcasts, you can find all our episodes here.

For the first time ever, the National Defense Industrial Association, along with help from the data analytics firm Govini, took a look at the health of the Defense Industrial Base. It showed many strengths but also some glaring flaws, earning the DIB a C grade. To explain some of the findings, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Hawk Carlisle, President and CEO of NDIA, along with Wes Hallman, NDIA's Senior VP for Strategy and Policy.

The Defense Department's forthcoming overhaul of industrial base cybersecurity crossed a major milestone this month when DoD published the first version of the documentation for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. But the Pentagon still has a lot of work to do – and a lot of information to communicate to industry – before CMMC makes its way into contracts later this year. Corbin Evans is director of regulatory policy at the National Defense Industrial Association. He talked with Federal News Network's Jared Serbu about the road ahead for CMMC, and the role industry associations will play in the process.

In 2018, a first-of-its-kind report from the Pentagon showed some worrisome signs about the health of the Defense industrial base. But that report was a snapshot in time. And the National Defense Industrial Association thinks policymakers need a more regular deep-dive to understand where things really stand. NDIA released its first annual report yesterday. As Federal News Netowrk's Jared Serbu reports, it gives the industrial base a gentlemanly “C” grade.

Cyber augmentation has emerged as a term encompassing a range of digital activities. In the military domain, it's sparked a new division at the National Defense Industrial Association. Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Dave Senty and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Elder joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to say what it's all about. They are the vice chair and chair, respectively, of the cyber-augmented operations division.

After a year-long study process, the White House has released a detailed report on the health of the Defense Industrial Base. It points to five different “macro” issues the Trump administration says are worrisome, ranging from a shortage of STEM skills in the American workforce, to dwindling domestic manufacturing capability, to outdated business practices within the government. Corbin Evans is director of regulatory policy at the National Defense Industrial Association. He joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for some initial impressions from the study.

As the Defense Department looks ahead to future technologies in its National Defense Strategy, the Army is doing its part. It's investing in modern tech designed to give soldiers more information, make them more lethal and less vulnerable. This week the National Defense Industrial Association is holding its Army Science and Technology Conference, which brings together innovators from both government and industry. Federal News Radio's Scott Maucione hit the exhibit floor to see what emerging technologies might be on the Army's radar, and shared his findings on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

About the speaker: Rebeccah Heinrichs is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute where she provides research and commentary on a range of national security issues, and specializes in nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and counter-proliferation. Her work has appeared in major newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Times, and Investor's Business Daily as well as political journals such as Politico and The Hill. She is a regular national security commentator on Fox News and Fox Business as well as other networks. Rebeccah was the vice chairman of the John Hay Initiative's Counterproliferation Working Group, where she contributed to the group's book: Choosing To Lead. In this capacity she also provided counsel and briefings to governors, federal legislators, and presidential candidates. Rebeccah served as an adviser on national security and foreign policy to Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and helped launch the bi-partisan Missile Defense Caucus. She has testified before Congress and has presented to numerous organizations including the Aerospace Industries Association, the Reserve Officers Association, the National Defense Industrial Association, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. She holds an MA in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. She also graduated with highest distinction from its College of Naval Command and Staff, receiving the Director's Award for academic excellence. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ashland University in Ohio, and graduated from the Ashbrook Scholar Program. Rebeccah currently resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband and their children.