As we end 2024, I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Here at the Rocky Mountain Chapter, we continue to focus on increasing membership value and value to the community. It’s been my privilege to serve as chapter president the last two years and I look forward to continuing active participation within the RMC committees. Congratulations to our new 2025 Officers and Board of Directors. As you know, Morty Mortensen is returning as our president. Based on his past chapter experiences coupled with his recent NDIA Space Division and the Colorado Springs Military Affairs Council leadership opportunities, I’m certain Morty is the right guy to take RMC to the next level.
From a big-picture view, over the last year, we had very successful events including the Space Division’s Space Warfighting Forum, the IMAGE STEM Golf Tournament, and our key event, the Rocky Mountain Ball. Thanks to everyone who attended and made these events a success. As for Committee updates:
Communication Committee: Since you are reading this, you know Clay Turner orchestrated a completely new RMC webpage. This has been a Herculean task, and we want to pass a huge thank you to all those who provided feedback. The committee is already working on the 2025 Strategic Communications Plan to include increasing social media presence.
Events Committee: Our Events Committee met their 2024 goal of one event per month. Thanks to Anna Jaggers and Scott Gilson for facilitating and to all who participated and were able to network, hear presentations, recruit new members, and just get to know each other better. Stay tuned for upcoming 2025 events.
Small Business. Committee Chair David Hollenbach continued building a robust network to provide you opportunities to unlock potential resources, help identify new business ventures, and provide pertinent updates on essential changes in the Defense industry’s business landscape. For 2024, Dave led two successful Small Business Panels–Intellectual Property and Small Business Effects on the Front Range. The committee is already planning their 2025 agenda. We are excited to facilitate these relationships and look forward to seeing you!
The Workforce Development Committee (WFD). Rachel Gardner is leading our work with elementary and middle school programs in need of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) volunteers and financial support. Fostering tomorrow’s STEM professionals is a key RMC-NDIA objective. For 2024, RMC collaborated with the City of Colorado Springs, the Colorado Springs Rocket Society, Estes Rockets, and local industry to work with the D2-Harrision School District for the inaugural 5th-grade Rocket Day. The result was that 950 5th-grade students built and launched an Estes model rocket. For 2025, we are adding D11-Colorado Springs School District’s 1,600 5th graders. The eventual goal is that every El Paso County 5th grader will have the opportunity to participate. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities. NDIA-RMC’s “Edge of Space” (EOS) program continues to be one of the nation’s top avenues for space STEM engagement. EOS is designed to excite the imaginations of elementary and secondary school students as they create their own experiments to be launched into space via weather balloon. Each experiment must fit into a plastic capsule such as found in gumball machines. Students are involved in every aspect of the mission, creating the experiments, documenting their process, launching/tracking/recovering the payload and analyzing the results. None of this would be possible without the leadership and mentorship of RMC’s Norm Black. With NDIA-RMC’s aid, more than 9,300 students from 10 states have launched 3,100 experiments into the Edge of Space. Please contact Norm if you’d like more info.
Industry Military Annual Golf Event (IMAGE). Thanks to Joe Kahoe and all who participated in/or sponsored our Aug ’24 IMAGE STEM golf event. Joe was pleased to report that IMAGE raised over $50,000 (split between NDIA, AFA, and AFCEA). The current IMAGE 2026 date is Aug 26, at the USAFA Eisenhower Golf Course. Registration for sponsorships and players will be open soon. Again, this will be in conjunction with our NDIA Space Warfighter Forum and USSPACECOM Anniversary Ball.
Space Warfighting Forum (SWF). As mentioned previously, the NDIA Space Division and Rocky Mountain Chapter held a very successful 2024 Space Warfighting Forum (SWF). A special shoutout to John Manney as the SWF programming chair. For 2024, SWF increased military space and industry leadership participation and focused on evolving current events and associated issues. The unclassified first day had increased attendance and the secondary classified session was sold out! Working with National NDIA and USSPACECOM leadership, planning has started for a bigger and better 2025 SWF.
Our Community Salutes. Ric Trimillos is in full-blown planning mode for the 2025 Our Community Salutes (OCS) ceremony. OCS’s goal continues to be honoring/recognizing young women and men who have committed to serve our country. For 2024, OCS hosted over 400 parents, friends, and community leaders to recognize 150 high school seniors headed to enlisted basic training. It was an honor for RMC-NDIA to be a key sponsor. Details on this spring’s event to follow.
Metro Denver Committee. Carter Freeman is leading the charge to expand NDIA Denver Metro engagement opportunities. With a focus on facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities, the Metro Denver Committee is helping sponsor speakers, panels, and Happy Hours to facilitate networking and collaboration. Watch your calendars for upcoming events.
Volunteer organizations like RMC-NDIA are a “team sport.” Thanks to you, our members, for being on the team and a huge thank you to the RMC officers, board members, and committee chairs for their time and efforts. I’m looking forward to a great 2025!
Regards
Tom
Thomas (Tom) C. Walker
President, Rocky Mountain Chapter- NDIA
2023-2024
