Chapter News

The annual Northeast Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NEFRSEF) was held in February at the Morocco Shrine Center in Jacksonville, Florida. This event encourages high school scientists and engineers in the area to showcase their innovative ideas with regard to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). As an avid advocate for STEM initiatives, this event is one that is near and dear to the heart of the chapter. Chapter members have been actively involved as guest judges and sponsors to NEFRSEF for several years. Each year the young minds of Northeast Florida continue to amaze the judges and 2016 was no exception. The competition was tough. At the end, the chapter was happy to award over $2,500 in cash winnings to first, second and third place winners as well as five honorable mentions. An award was also presented to the NEFRSEF team to enable them to continue their efforts in support of STEM in Northeast Florida. Winners will go on to state and national competitions.

Capt. Carrie Hasbrouck, USN, commander, Defense Information Systems Agency U.S. Special Operations Command, spoke to the chapter in June regarding the mission of supporting First and Finest responders—U.S. Special Forces—and the challenges of staying connected at the front. The chapter also honored ensign 6 James Brasfield, USN, a construction electrician at the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, as the Information Professional of the Month. Jacksonville also received a visit from a German Military Cyber Delegation headed by Lt. Col. Volker Kozok, Office of the Commissioner for Data Protection, German Armed Forces, German Ministry of Defense. The team was briefed on local issues by the city and the Charles F. Adams Museum team on efforts to establish an Adams Class Museum in Jacksonville. They were also given a tour of the Cecil Spaceport Facility.

In January, the chapter welcomed Cmdr. Halsey Keats, USN, chief of sensitive plans at the U.S. Central Command. Cmdr. Keats discussed the focus on safeguarding forces in the hostile environment and the use of technology to help. The chapter also recognized IT2 Grace Copeland of Naval Computer and Telecommunication Station Jacksonville as IP of the Month. Heidi Hughes, regional vice president, also stopped by to support the chapter's Science Teaching Tools program with a check. The chapter announced its annual Golf Tournament for April 29 at the Hidden Hills Country Club in Jacksonville to support the chapter's scholarship programs.

Robert Whitkop, chapter president, opened the November meeting by announcing the November Outstanding Industry Professional of the Month in Information Technology, Petty Officer Alicia N. Davis, USN, Naval Communication Station. Frank Fenno, director of sales and marketing for ViaGlobal Group and the meeting's guest speaker, discussed how developing technologies could lead to the creation of a tricorder. Fenno explained that although tricorders have not been invented, he believes technology combined with ingenuity could lead to the first tricorder prototype. Fenno noted that tricorders could enable snipers to see as far away as nine kilometers or could detect vibrations through seismic sensors. Fenno concluded his remarks by saying, "These tools...are not out of the realm of possibility. Bringing these innovations together will only require three words, 'Make it so.'"

In February the chapter welcomed Art Silcox of Vizada as guest speaker for its Technical Information Exchange. Silcox spoke on satellite coverage and nuances of day-to-day and emergency access. The chapter also awarded a $13,000 training package as part of a fund drive for the scholarship fund, courtesy of New Horizons Learning Center in Jacksonville. Also at the meeting, the chapter recognized Carmen Polanco and her chapter-sponsored Future City team from Alfred Dupont Middle School. The team placed eighth in the state and won a special award for innovative energy production concept in the regional Future City competition in creating the city of the year 2290 in the event, which was sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Jacksonville welcomed Captain Gerry Slevin, USN, CO of NAVCOMTELSTA Jacksonville as guest speaker for November. Capt Slevin spoke of the responsibilities NCTS JAX has through the region and extending to seaward for terrestrial messaging, RF communications, and networks. He supports commands throughout the Southeast Region for network maintenance and administration, Naval messaging (DMS), HF and other RF broadcasting, and a myriad of other coordinating functions. He also spoke of the changes for the Navy in the Information Professional community. Jacksonville also recognized ET1 (SW) Adrian Chastang as Information Professional of the month. ET1 Chastang expertly manages NMCI resources and assets including workstations, peripherals, new accounts, distribution lists, program installations, updates, Move/Add/Change (MAC) requests and NET database maintenance. He is a key player in application migration and coordination for the Southeast area. He received a letter, a memento, and a scholarship check.

In January the chapter hosted Lt. Col. Daniel Johnson, USA, deputy chief information officer, Florida National Guard, and commander, 146th Expeditionary Signal, based in Jacksonville. He was accompanied by his operations officer Maj. Scott Van Zant, USA. Col. Johnson presented the scope of responsibility for the Guard in Florida and the full range of capability they have at their disposal, and showcased their emergency communications kits. The Guard has end-to-end communications capabilities, from high bandwidth mounted systems to the small form factor suitcase sized kits. The Florida National Guard headquarters is based in St. Augustine.

In July the chapter welcomed Jeff Huskey, chief information officer for Commander Navy Installations Command. Huskey, responsible for information technology support to the 13 Navy regions around the world, spoke to the chapter about the initiatives he is working on in the areas of hosting center consilidation, pierside wireless, consolidated support centers and several others. Also, the chapter also recognized Frank O'Dell of NCTS Jacksonville as the Information Professional of the Month for his work in defense messaging system support in the southeast region.

In May the chapter welcomed Dr. Christopher Klugewicz, a renowned cardiologist and electrophysiologist, to speak on the importance of information technology in medicine. Klugewicz, a former U.S. Navy flight surgeon, discussed advances in technology to date as well as an outlook for the future. Also at the meeting, the chapter recognized Petty Officer 1st Class Wally Lora, USN, as Information Professional of the Month for service as Tri-Base Enterprise Network Operations Supervisor at the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Jacksonville.

March featured Cmdr. Dave Wirth, USN, N6 US Naval Forces Southern Command, as guest speaker. Cmdr. Wirth spoke on the Inter American Navy Telecommunications Network (IANTN), which has supported the US and South American partners since 1962. He reflected on the migration from its current VSAT architecture to a CENTRIXS-based IP network that will provide vast improvement of information exchange. Jacksonville also presented four North Florida schools with Science Teaching Tools awards totaling $2,000: James Weldon Johnson Middle School, Andrew Jackson High School, Holly Hill Elementary and Fleming Island Elementary. The chapter also welcomed the corporate member CTI Resource Management Services to the AFCEA family, joining the last meeting's addition, New Horizons Training Centers of Jacksonville. The chapter also recognized Michael Esch of NCTS Jacksonville as the Information Professional of the Month for his work as operations manager for the Tri-Base Enterprise Network.