Speakers

Dr. James Kirsch was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in July 2019. He serves as the Director for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center. Dr. Kirsch leads a workforce of more than 11,000 engineers, scientists, researchers and support staff in delivering life cycle engineering and advanced technologies as required by the Army’s strategic priorities and support to its Cross-Functional Teams and the Aviation and Missile materiel development enterprise.

Under Dr. Kirsch’s direction, AvMC is responsible for delivering collaborative and innovative aviation and missile capabilities for responsive and cost-effective research, development and life cycle engineering solutions. Many Department of Defense and federal agencies, as well as academic, corporate and industrial researchers and developers, seek AvMC’s science, technology, and engineering expertise, which is characterized by its talented and technically proficient workforce and unique test bed capabilities.

Prior to his detail as acting director, Dr. Kirsch was the Director for the DEVCOM AvMC Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate (S3I).

MG Christopher L. Eubank is a native of Roanoke, Virginia. He was commissioned as a
Second Lieutenant from the Virginia Military Institute. MG Eubank began his Army
career in 1991 as an Armor Officer where he served as a Platoon Leader in the 1st
Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1993, he branch-transferred to
the Signal Corps and was assigned to the 121st Signal Battalion where he served as a
Signal Platoon Leader.

Later, he was reassigned as the Battalion Signal Officer for 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry
Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. As a Captain, he was assigned to United States Army
Europe and Seventh Army, Germany, where he served as a Brigade Signal Officer, Brigade Logistics officer, and Commander of the 324th Signal Company, 72nd Signal Battalion.

In 1999 he was assigned to the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he served as a Communications Officer and later project officer. As a Major, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served as a Brigade Signal Officer, Battalion Operations Officer, Communications planner for the Joint Special Operations Command. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he served as Commander, 82nd Airborne Division Special Troops Battalion. After battalion command,
he was assigned as the Deputy Director for Communications – J65 Programs Division, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida and later Director J6, Special Operations Joint Task Force Afghanistan. As COL Eubank, from 2013 to 2014, he commanded the Area Support Group-Kuwait. He then was assigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G6, for the United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In 2016, he became the fifth Director of the J6 for the United States Africa Command at Kelley
Barracks in Stuttgart Germany. MG Eubank has deployed eight times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. MG Eubank’s assignment from 2018 to 2020, was as the 39th Chief of Signal and Signal School Commandant. MG Eubank's previous assignment from June 2020 until September 2021 was as the Commanding General for 7th Signal Command and Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command at Fort Gordon, Georgia. His current assignment is the Commanding
General to the United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, Fort Huachuca, AZ.

MG Eubank is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic Course, the Signal Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Virginia Military Institute, a Master of Arts in Computer Resource and Information from Webster University and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, Carlisle, PA.

MG Eubank’s military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, GWOT Expeditionary and Service Medals, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, and Polish Jump Wings.

Ross R. Guckert was appointed to the position of program executive officer, Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) on May 21, 2020 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

As the program executive officer, Guckert is responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of 36 program offices and 71 acquisition programs that support and field Army and Department of Defense communications, logistics, medical, finance, personnel, training and procurement systems for every domain, branch, unit and Soldier in the Army.

Prior to his appointment, Guckert served as the deputy program executive officer for PEO Soldier since September 2018. In that role, he supported the program executive officer in leading the development, integration, testing, acquisition, fielding, sustainment and modernization of more than 150 diverse programs of record. This portfolio delivers state-of-the-art Soldier kit, including Nett Warrior, the Integrated Virtual Augmentation System, the Next Generation Squad Weapon, the Army Green Service Uniform, personal protection equipment, organizational clothing and individual equipment, Soldier power, individual and crew-served weapons, remote weapon stations, and Soldier-borne sensor and lasers.

Appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2017, Guckert has over 30 years of government experience in acquisition and systems management, and engineering. Before assuming his position with PEO Soldier, he was the deputy program executive officer at PEO Combat Support and Combat Service Support in Warren, Michigan from January 2017 to August 2018. Before that, he was acting deputy program executive officer at PEO Aviation in Huntsville, Alabama from January through December 2016. From December 2012 to January 2016, he served as assistant deputy for acquisition and systems management with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) at the Pentagon.

Additional previous assignments include serving as acting deputy program executive officer for Soldier with PEO Soldier in Fort Belvoir, Virginia from August to December 2012; assistant deputy for acquisition and systems management with ASA(ALT) from February 2010 to August 2012; and director of the System of Systems Engineering and Integration Office for ASA(ALT) from June 2008 to February 2010.

Guckert holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, a master’s degree in engineering management from The George Washington University and a master’s degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. He holds an advanced Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification in Program Management; practitioner-level certification in Engineering and Technical Management; and foundational- level certification in Test and Evaluation. 

Guckert received the Superior Civilian Service Award in 2016 and the Army Staff Pin in 2014. He is a member of the Army Acquisition Corps.

J David Britt orchestrates the enhancement of ManTech’s innovative capabilities and technology solutions. Mr. Britt actively identifies and leads innovative program transformation, develops innovation timelines, and manages innovation and technology goals alignment with ManTech’s broad business objectives. Mr. Britt joined ManTech in 2019 as a Program Manager leading ManTech’s largest portfolio of work for the Navy Segment where he lead ManTech’s engineering support efforts for NAVSEA and NAVAIR.

A U.S. military veteran, Mr. Britt served for more than 25 years in the Navy as a naval Flight Officer from the Maritime Patrol community. His latest assignment was serving as the major program manager for the US Navy’s Secure Cloud Pilot effort for US Fleet Forces Command and OPNAV N2/N6. He also served as the Chief Technical Officer (N6) of the P-8 Poseidon / P-3 Orion programs.

Mr. Britt earned a Master of Science in Systems Engineering Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the United States Naval Academy. He has extensive flight test experience as a Navy Flight Officer and program manager for NAVAIR and OPNAV including executive experience in Washington, D.C. while serving for the Undersecretary Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness.