USSTRATCOM kicks off 2017 Strategic Leadership Fellows Program

Ten U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) civilian employees are participating in the 2017 USSTRATCOM Strategic Leadership Fellows Program, a 13-week graduate level professional development course held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). The programs kickoff event took place at UNO’s Mammel Hall, Jan. 20, 2017.

The fellows program is designed to develop high-potential civilian leaders in support of USSTRATCOM organizational transformation, broaden mission awareness and develop leadership skills.

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Charles “Chas” A. Richard, deputy commander of USSTRATCOM, provided the keynote speech and joined senior command officials, civilian personnel and academic professionals in recognizing the 2017 fellows during the event.

In his remarks, Richard reminded the fellows that Gen. John E. Hyten, commander of USSTRATCOM, challenged USSTRATCOM personnel to rethink how tomorrow’s threats are solved.

The U.S. remains challenged by nuclear powers, cyber threats, a congested and contested space domain, social unrest and terrorism, Richard said. “As strategic leadership fellows, you’re part of an elite group of civilian professionals dedicated to solving these problem sets and your nation needs your expertise now more than ever.”

During the program, the fellows will learn mission-oriented skills from national security and defense experts from the University of Nebraska in a classroom-based, hands-on environment.

According to Dr. Hank Bounds, University of Nebraska president, the program affords a wide range of opportunities to students such as engagement with the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI).

The National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI), UNO and USSTRATCOM launched the inaugural fellows program in 2014.  Each year, 10 USSTRATCOM civilian employees are hand-selected as USSTRATCOM Strategic Leadership Fellows for the spring academic semester.  Fellows are charged with scholarly research and writing aimed at addressing the nation’s most urgent challenges.

“The anticipated result of each fellowship is a strengthened civilian workforce that is capable of effectively addressing complex challenges and advocating for global operations” said retired Lt. Gen. Bob Hinson, NSRI executive director.

Gregory Klumper, USSTRATCOM deputy chief for the future plans branch of the intelligence division (J2), is thankful for his selection to the program.

“I’m looking forward to being the first person from J2 to go through the program,” Klumper said. “Of my 17 years at USSTRATCOM, this is by far one of the most exciting things I’ve done and I look forward to the challenges and growth I will gain.”

Dr. Lou Pol, dean of UNO’s College of Business, stressed that networking is an important aspect or the fellows program.

“One of the key elements of this program is collaboration, not just with each other, but with colleagues and others at USSTRATCOM, industry partners, researchers across the University of Nebraska, working together on important research projects,” Pol said.

According to Pol, since the start of the Fellows Program, seven of the 23 research projects submitted to academic journals were published or are in the process of being published in journals, including Joint Forces Quarterly, Journal of Information Warfare, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism.

Dr. John Christensen, UNO chancellor, added that “the fellows program is one aspect of involving our faculty, staff and students with the military and civilian personnel of USSTRATCOM, which has enhanced collaboration and innovation relevant to our country’s security and advancement.”

Richard concluded his speech by thanking UNO and its faculty and mentors “for the tremendous support to the command and the rest of the community at Offutt [Air Force Base]. I am proud of the partnership this program represents.”

The 2017 USSTRATCOM Strategic Leadership Fellows are:

- Mr. Kevin Boyce, Senior Logistics Planner for the Sustainment Division

- Mr. Donald Duralia, Deputy Chief of the Command Workforce Development Division

- Mr. Stephen Erickson, Program Strategist for Information and Technology Enterprise Resources and Plans

- Mrs. Katherine Geeser, Program Analyst for the Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems Division

- Mr. Kory Khoury, Joint Exercises Analyst for Joint Mission Training

- Mr. Gregory Klumper, Deputy Branch Chief for the Future Plans Branch in the Intelligence Division

- Mr. Kevin Rooney, Operations Research, Metrics and Assessments Division of Joint Functional Component Command Global Strike Operations

- Dr. Mary Saunders, Secretariat of the Information and Technology Governance Board

- Mr. Mark Sisson, Deputy Chief of Planning Tools, Concepts and Exercise Branch in the Plans and Policy Division

- Mr. Alvin Tarrell, Operations Research and Systems Analyst for the Decision Analysis Division

One of nine DoD unified combatant commands, USSTRATCOM has global strategic missions assigned through the Unified Command Plan that include strategic deterrence; space operations; cyberspace operations; joint electronic warfare; global strike; missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and analysis and targeting.