Lt Col Bill Blauser is a career acquisition officer. After graduating from the Pennsylvania State University, he received his commission from the USAF Officer Training School in 1996. He has served in a variety of acquisition and staff assignments to include: Deputy Division Chief in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Space, Strategic, and Intelligence Systems Office; Materiel Leader for the MILSATCOM Rapid Acquisition Branch at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA; program manager for the NRO, Chantilly VA; US Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL; and the 303rd Reconnaissance Wing, Wright Patterson AFB, OH. He also served as a developmental engineer in the NRO, and the Space Base Laser Program, Los Angeles AFB, CA. Lt Col Blauser also earned a Master of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering Systems at the University of Michigan and conducted research at Veridian under Education with Industry.
Lt Col Russ Davis entered the Air Force in 1992 via the Delayed Enlistment Program. Following four years of enlisted service, he received his commission as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School in 1996. At the tactical level, he has served as a Minuteman III launch control officer/instructor, a KC-135 instructor/evaluator pilot, and Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron Commander. His operational experience includes multiple combat deployments supporting Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, JOINT GUARDIAN, NORTHERN WATCH, and NOBLE EAGLE. Lt Col Davis also has extensive staff experience having served at HQ Third Air Force, HQ AMC, HQ PACAF, HQ USTRANSCOM, and HQ USPACOM. He holds a BS, summa cum laude in Systems Management from Colorado Technical University, an MBA with emphasis in Information Systems from Regis University, and a MMAS in Theater Operations from the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies.
Lt Col Garry Floyd is a career intelligence officer who most recently served as the Commander of the 381st Intelligence Squadron at the National Security Agency’s Alaska Mission Operations Center, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and Alaska. Lt Col Floyd is a Georgia native and a 1998 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Military History. He completed intermediate developmental education as a Legislative Fellow and is a graduate of the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). Lieutenant Colonel Floyd has served in a variety of roles at the squadron, wing, major command, joint and national agency levels, and he has directed the execution of national and tactical signals intelligence operations in support of multiple combatant commanders.
Lt Col Ted Glasco, a cyberspace operations officer, entered the Air Force in 1996 as a ROTC graduate of Kansas State University. He holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and master's degree in Aerospace Science. He has served in a variety of joint, multinational and command positions within the U.S. Pacific, European, and Middle East theaters spanning six Major Commands, a Numbered Air Force, the White House Communications Agency, a Department of Defense Combat Support Agency, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and most recently Headquarters Air Force.
Lt Col Jennifer P. Hlavaty commissioned from the University of Pittsburgh AFROTC with a B.S. in Information Science and a minor in Computer Science. She is a cyberspace warfare officer and a graduate of the Air Force Intern Program. She commanded the 33d Combat Communications Squadron as well as the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron. As the Cyberspace Defense Branch Chief at HQ AFSPC, she led efforts to operationalize Air Force cyber forces and capabilities by developing and achieving designation of six cyber weapon systems. Before joining Blue Horizons, she developed the technical portfolio of joint and NATO doctrine to include cyberspace and electromagnetic spectrum operations. Lieutenant Colonel Hlavaty served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and is an Outstanding Graduate of Auburn University Montgomery, earning an M.S. in Political Science.
Major Jonathan L. Baker is a career intelligence officer with assignments in both Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operations Command with multiple deployments to CENTCOM. He is a 2009 distinguished graduate of the Intelligence Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School. Most recently, Maj Baker was an Intelligence instructor at the Weapons School where he directed the intelligence portion of the Weapons School capstone Integration phase. Maj Baker was commissioned from Northern Arizona University AFROTC with a BS degree in Criminal Justice. He also holds a Masters of Military Operational Arts and Science from Air University.
Major J. Rok Dedic is a graduate from the United States Air Force Academy with a BS in Social Sciences. He is C-17A Airland and Airdrop Instructor Pilot with distinguished assignments at JB Charleston, SC, JB Lewis-McChord, and most recently as an FTU Instructor at Altus AFB, OK. Major Dedic is a senior pilot with more than 2,400 hours in the C-17A. Prior to being a Blue Horizons Fellow, Major Dedic was the AFCENT/CC’s Aide-de-Camp in Al Udeid AB, Qatar.
Major Joshua S. Dorr was commissioned from USAF Officer Training School in 2003. He is a Senior Pilot with over 1,500 hours in the B-2, F-16, T-38 and T-34 including over 120 combat sorties in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Most recently, he held positions as B-2 Survivability Chief of Advanced Programs and 8AF Chief of Special Technical Operations. He holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Maine and an MA in Education from Trident University.
Major Anil Hariharan was commissioned from AF Officer Training School in 2003. He is a developmental engineer and acquisition manager with experience in science and technology, mobility airframes, cyber operational test, international relations, and space systems. His staff assignments include the C-17 program office, 24th Air Force, GPS Directorate and the National Reconnaissance Office. He holds a Masters of Engineering degree in Systems Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Major Kareen A. M. Hart earned her commission from the Duke University ROTC program in 2005, with a B.A. in Political Science. She is a career intelligence officer, who has held positions at the tactical level in the combat air forces, operational level at both Air and Space Operations Centers and the Air Force Targeting Center, and strategic level at Headquarters, Air Force Global Strike Command. Prior to her assignment as a Blue Horizons Fellow, she served as an executive action officer and deputy speechwriter for the AFGSC Commander’s Action Group. Other notable assignments include three deployments in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation NEW DAWN.
Major Thomas G. Hawkes was commissioned from Officer Training School in 2004 after graduating from the University of California Berkeley with a BA in Physics. He is a Senior Combat Systems Officer with over 2300 flight hours in the RC-135V/W and is a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Weapons School. He was an Instructor and Evaluator Electronic Warfare Officer at the RC-135 Formal Training Unit and has deployed multiple times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Prior to being a Blue Horizons Fellow, he was stationed at Kadena AB as the Weapons Officer and Assistant Director of Operations responsible for the employment of the RC-135 and WC-135 throughout the Pacific Theater. He also holds an MA in Economics from the University of Oklahoma.
Major Nicholas J. Helms is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a BS in Human Factors Engineering. He is a distinguished graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School with over 2,000 hours in multiple aircraft, including the F-16, MQ-9, T-38C, and C-12J. Prior to Blue Horizons, he served as the Command Chief Pilot for MQ-9 test with Big Safari and the Medium Altitude UAS Division as well as the Director of Operations for the 586th Flight Test Squadron advancing weapons and avionics capabilities at the White Sands Missile Range. He has flown missions in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.
Major Daniel P. Highlander is a career space officer with experience in both acquisitions and satellite operations. He has executed numerous advanced space launch development and demonstration projects for the Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Missile Defense Agency. Additionally, he has conducted Global Positioning System operations on the military’s largest satellite constellation. Maj Highlander received his commission in 2003 from Officer Training School and holds a BS in Electrical Engineering and a MS in Space Studies.
Major Robert P. Morgan is a Senior Pilot with over 1,700 hours in the F-22, F-15C, and MC-12W. Prior to being a Blue Horizons Fellow, he was an Assistant Director of Operations and F-22 Instructor Pilot at Tyndall AFB, FL. His combat experience includes over 600 hours as an MC-12W Mission Commander in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM where he served as Chief of Weapons at Kandahar AB, Afghanistan. Other notable assignments include an overseas assignment to Elmendorf AFB, AK as an F-15C pilot and as an AT-38 Instructor Pilot at Holloman AFB, NM. Major Morgan was commissioned in 2005 upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Management.
Major Erica E. Tortella was commissioned from Clemson University AFROTC with as BS degree in Civil Engineering in 2004. She is a Civil Engineer Officer and has held Civil Engineer Squadron flight commander-level positions at Shaw AFB, SC and Osan AB, Korea. Staff assignments include Headquarters Pacific Air Forces in both the Installations and Mission Support Directorate and the Commander's Action Group and Headquarters Air Force in the Civil Engineering Directorate. She holds a Masters of Engineering degree from the University of Arkansas. She's deployed three times to Pakistan, Iraq, and most recently to Afghanistan returning in May 2016.
Major Jonathan M. Walker is a Senior Nuclear and Missile Operator with over 200 nuclear alerts. He is a Weapons Officer, Instructor, and Evaluator who served multiple times as an Assistant Director of Operations and deployed in support of OEF. Most recently, he served as a Director of Operations at the USAF Weapons School training the next generation of nuclear weapons officers in leadership, problem solving and integration. Major Walker was commissioned from Texas A&M University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Sciences and earned an MBA from American Military University in 2010.
Major Nathan P. Yerrick was commissioned through Baylor University ROTC in 2003 with a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is a developmental engineer with experience in UAV research, operational and developmental test and ISR/SOF rapid acquisitions. Prior to Blue Horizons, he graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School, served in F-35 developmental test and was the Director of Engineering for Big Safari’s largest squadron. Maj Yerrick also holds a Master’s in Systems Engineering from the University of Florida.