PEO IEW&S Holds Town Hall Meeting

Sep 9, 2008
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[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]More than 600 members of the Program Executive Office Intelligence Electronic Warfare and Sensors came together on Sept. 8 for a State of the PEO discussion, Base Realignment and Closure update and an award recognition ceremony.

The semi-annual Town Hall meeting hosted by Brig. Gen. Thomas Cole, program executive officer IEW&S, offered staff members assigned to Fort Monmouth and via video teleconference for those assigned to Ft Belvoir, VA; Redstone Army Arsenal, AL; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA; and other locations an opportunity to catch up on the present state of the PEO and discuss its future.

During the hour-long meeting, numerous PEO members were recognized for recent accomplishments including Maj. Terry Russell, who received the meritorious service medal for his contributions while a member of the PEO, which included stints as a deputy product manager for Robotics and Unmanned Sensors, PEO executive officer and a deployment to Iraq as the liaison officer for IEW&S. Russell was also presented the Combat Action Badge and recognized for a Bronze Star he had previously received for his deployment.

“(The Bronze Star) is a tremendous accomplishment because it shows the value of the position he was filling for the deployed forces and the individual initiative he demonstrated. You have got to take pride yourself in the recognition that TR (Russell) earned because he was the PEO LNO and was representing all of you as well and he is only as good as the support he was getting back here and you enabled him to do what he did,” stated Cole.

PEO IEW&S staff members were recognized for their years of dedicated service to the government as they have reached significant milestones. Maryanne Johnson, for 20 years of service, James Frederick, Steven Gunther, Daniel Tartaglia, Anne Thorpe, for 25 years, Charles Basham, Gloria Culos, 30 years and Mary Bodine and John Connelly for their 35 years of service.

“That is many, many years of faithful dedicated service to our country and I want to thank you for it. It is a tremendous accomplishment when you think about what has taken place over that time. There has been a tremendous amount of change during that time period and you have been dedicated throughout to serving soldiers; and I thank you very much.”

The town hall served as an opportunity for PEO IEW&S staff to hear from the new Deputy PEO, Doug Wiltsie. Wiltsie was recently promoted to Senior Executive Service rank and took over the number two position for the PEO in August. Being located at Fort Belvoir will enable him to interact with organizations in the capital region on behalf of the PEO. Wiltsie comes to IEW&S following time spent on the ASA(ALT) staff and prior to that 17 years in Project Manager Night Vision.

“I’m very happy to be a part of this organization. PEO IEW&S has always had a great reputation and they were always very squared away. With 45 days on the job, I now see the pieces underneath that make this organization go. The PEO staff is a tremendous staff, the quality of the people I have interacted with, their dedication and professionalism and knowledge is amazing,” said Wiltsie. “The thing that is most impressive to me about IEW&S is that every PM has brought some product or capability that is game changing. When you consider the products that have come into this fight and when integrated with other products they have just changed the way our soldiers fight.”

During the State of the PEO portion of the meeting, the audience was made aware of the $240 million in Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance surge funds that have been allocated to IEW&S. With 67 programs managed by IEW&S, many of the programs top products were discussed including the only current Acquisition Category I program, PD Aircraft Survivability Equipment’s Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures (ATIRCM), along with what is predicted to become an ACAT I program, Aerial Common Sensor. Additionally, the PEO shared some insight about the Combat ID system managed by PM Navigation Systems, the Base Expeditionary Targeting and Surveillance Systems-Combined, EQ 36 firefinder and Common Sensor Payload handled by PM Night Vision/Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition. The Prophet and the Duke systems both PD Signals Warfare systems were also highlighted along with many other IEW&S systems including the Distributed Common Ground System and ASPO/TENCAP’s tactical handheld digital device.

“A soldier without good equipment is certainly less effective then a soldier with great equipment and that is what we are contributing, so lets continue to ruthlessly execute our programs,” noted Cole.

A short presentation on BRAC was given detailing timelines, building progress at APG and responding to IEW&S staff questions about the future move. The plan for the advance presence at APG explained that in fiscal year 2008 18 positions will move from Ft. Monmouth followed by 95 in FY 2009 and 170 in FY 2010. The remaining positions will transition in FY 2011. IEW&S employees will be primarily located in the Ground-Based Multi-Intel Sensors Lab and GMS tower buildings at APG. Some of the remaining staff will be located in the Headquarters-Business Enterprise Systems 2 building.

Following the presentation Cole responded to various questions on the upcoming BRAC. Topics dealt with, possible incentives, over hire funding, computer issues and assistance for locating jobs for spouses.

For further information on BRAC visit the Knowledge Center at www.kc.us.army.mil/BRAC/home.html ** a password is required.

In closing the meeting the PEO thanked the staff for their continued support of the warfighter and stated, “America is entrusting a great responsibility into all of us to be the guardian of their tax dollars, to execute responsibly, to put capability into the field for America’s sons and daughters, husbands and wives; it’s an awesome responsibility.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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