Supporting Special Operations Forces at Fort Bragg
Jeff Galloway
June 2011
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Jeff Galloway, a communications engineer at MITRE's Fort Bragg, N.C. site, is supporting his Special Operations Forces sponsor with developing new and improving existing communication systems and technologies. |
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A communications engineer in MITRE's Department of Defense FFRDC, Jeff Galloway works at the corporation's site at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He provides a variety of communications support to the site's sponsor, the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
While USSOCOM headquarters is in Tampa, Fla., there is a significant Special Operations Forces (SOF) community at Fort Bragg, where Galloway resides. "The majority of my work is focused on developing new—and improving existing—ground, maritime, and airborne satellite communications systems for them."
On a day-to-day basis, he is responsible for conducting analyses of new technologies, coordinating for testing and evaluation events, and providing engineering support to numerous communications projects.
According to Kris Newport, Galloway's department head, Galloway is a key part of MITRE's support to SOF at Fort Bragg. "Jeff has all the right 'tools' to be successful at MITRE and at a site: in-depth technical knowledge, significant operational understanding, and great interpersonal skills."
On the flip side, Galloway is quick to point out that he relies on technical capabilities of the corporation as a whole. "I like the ability to reach back into the greater MITRE knowledge base for nearly instant feedback to answer my sponsor's questions outside my field. I also like being able to search MITRE's corporate intranet or send a query to one of the email group lists to get answers for my sponsor."
"It's amazing how willing fellow engineers are to share their experiences, knowledge, and points of contact."
Communications R&D
Prior to coming to MITRE, Galloway worked for a for-profit contractor supporting various Army communications acquisition programs. This work, combined with his six years in the Army Signal Corps, gave him the broad knowledge base he uses for his assignments at Fort Bragg.
"For the last three years, I have been the lead engineer for the development, testing, and evaluation of a small satellite communications terminal," he says. "It's small enough that it fits inside a backpack or suitcase and can easily be carried and deployed by one person."
The system greatly enhances the portability and accessibility of an individual communications terminal. "It provides access to secure voice and high-speed data networks anywhere in the world. It was one of those cases that started out as an R&D proof-of-concept project. The system then grew to become a major initiative used by special operations forces, conventional military units, and the commercial satellite industry."
Continuing His Education
In 2002, MITRE began offering staff at its two campuses in McLean, Va., and Bedford, Mass., the opportunity to participate in the Johns Hopkins University Master of Science degree program in systems engineering. In a recent expansion of the program, MITRE now offers site employees and teleworkers the opportunity to participate. Galloway is among the first group of site employees to participate in the program.
MITRE's Fort Bragg, North Carolina, site
MITRE established the current site at Fort Bragg, in 1999 to provide expanded support to the site's sponsors, the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Because the USSOCOM is headquartered in Tampa, there are close ties between MITRE's work at its Fort Bragg and Tampa sites. |
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"I feel fortunate to have been selected for the program,' he says. "My cohort of 20-some MITRE engineers started in January 2011 and will graduate in 2013." With these new distance-learning courses, site employees and teleworkers attend live lectures presented by professors via a Web-based connectivity tool.
"Since much of my support to my sponsor depends on good systems engineering practices, I thought this degree would provide me with more tools, best practices, and knowledge to better help my sponsor," he says. "It's also interesting to be in the program with MITRE engineers who have different backgrounds and sponsors."
Relocating to North Carolina
While he originally started at MITRE's Fort Monmouth, N.J., site, Galloway joined site leader Kermit Likes at Fort Bragg in 2007. Located in the south central part of the state, Fort Bragg is part of the Fayetteville metropolitan area.
"I think there are many benefits to living in North Carolina," he says."The cost of living is relatively low, especially in comparison to the mid-Atlantic region. The weather is nice—mild winters and moderate summers. Plus, we're only about two hours from the beach and three hours from the mountains."
He continues, "For me, a big incentive to move here was getting the opportunity to work with a very dynamic and innovative sponsor. That was one of the major reasons I joined MITRE. I truly feel the company offers many good opportunities at different sites and with a variety of sponsors around the country."
—by Kay M. Upham
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