Maria DeSandre

Plans, coordinates and executes quarterly Fleet Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Seminars for Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) and Program Executive Office (PEO) for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I). Coordinated both in-person and virtual participation of about 75 briefers and 100+ attendees per seminar, Continuously revised the seminar to make the content more valuable to Fleet C4ISR professionals, implementing and testing new briefings, retaining that which was well received and removing old briefs no longer perceived as useful based on attendee feedback.

Updated several user guides and other technical documents. Analyzed work flows for using on-line applications and wrote clear instructions for executing all functions of the applications, using illustrations to supplement the written instructions.

Planned, coordinated and executed quarterly Fleet C4ISR Seminars for SPAWAR and PEO C4I (transitioned with the contract for this task to IntegrITS Corp. Sept 2012).

Provided Science and Technology (S&T) subject matter and technical expertise supporting Satellite Systems, Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO), Cryptologic, and Intelligence capabilities; conducted market research to determine end-to-end Fleet capability requirements gaps. Supported information exchange and S&T coordination events. Developed requests for proposals; collected data and reviewed proposals. (transitioned with the contract for this task to KAB Labs Sept 2010).

Supported bid and proposal package development efforts.

Provided Science and Technology (S&T) subject matter and technical expertise supporting Satellite Systems, Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO), Cryptologic, and Intelligence capabilities; conducted market research to determine end-to-end Fleet capability requirements gaps. Supported information exchange and S&T coordination events. (transitioned with the contract for this task to KAB Labs Sept 2010).

Coordinated installation and testing to ensure smooth integration with ship schedules as part of shipboard Information Operations (IO) systems lifecycle support. Researched, drafted documents, and briefed an initiative to solicit Science and Technology (S&T) proposals from industry to satisfy IO capabilities gaps. Compiled a detailed technical system brief to support an Foreign Military Sales (FMS) venture.

Deployed to support Central Command (CENTCOM) Special Operations Forces (SOF) in Southwest Asia and Northeast Africa at the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command (CFSOCC) in Doha, Qatar. Resourcefully facilitated Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreements (ACSA) arrangements, human rights vetting, troop country clearances, cargo movements, etc, to provide support to combined US and coalition forces. Expedited adjudication of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement for a partner nation, and arrangements for Congressional and distinguished visitor events.

Contributed to a CENTCOM Contingency Plan (CONPLAN) development effort for disaster relief.

As Collateral Duty Operations Security Officer provided in-briefs to incoming personnel.

Developed Intelligence and Information Operations (IO) plans, policy, doctrine, concepts of operations, and other documents, to shape current and future Strategic, Joint, Maritime, Operational and Tactical IO. Researched, formulated, proposed, and obtained funding for development of Cryptologic, Intelligence and IO capabilities to counter emergent threats via PACFLT, US Pacific Command (PACOM), US Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), and Chief of Naval Operations requirements and resourcing channels.

In coordination with Pacific Command and other Joint Task Force (JTF) 519 component command Operations Security (OPSEC) officers, drafted contingency and operations plans (CONPLANS and OPLANS), policies, instructions, guidance, etc, directing and implementing OPSEC measures to protect Theater military forces and operations.

Transferred to NSGSD to attend training to be a CLASSIC OWL unit Officer-in-Charge, but the mission was deemed obsolete and cancelled after an investigation into the death of a sailor in a trucking accident at one of the units. I was then stashed at NNWC for a few months before transferring to PACFLT.

At NNWC, I researched, conducted surveys, compiled, and briefed Navy Information Operations (IO) and Cryptologic capabilities requirements.

As the representative for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), deftly managed annual Defense Cryptologic Program (DCP) Research, Development, Technology and Evaluation (RDTE) budgets of $25+ million in Joint Military Intelligence Program (JMIP) funding provided by the National Security Agency (NSA).

Competitively obtained $3- 5M/year of Tactical SIGINT Technology (TST) Science and Technology (S&T) funds from NSA.

Participated in various technology forums to shape future intelligence capabilities such as the Military Exploitation of Reconnaissance and Intelligence Technology (MERIT) program.

As Cryptologic Resource Coordinator (CRC) for Amphibious Squadron Eight, managed Cryptologic and Electronic Warfare resources for four ships and a Radio Battalion Detachment in support of the embarked Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) and Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Commanders.

As Ships Signals Exploitation Space Division Officer (SSES DIVO), led a team of Cryptologic Technicians in the Collection (CTR), Interpretive (CTI), Communications (CTO), Maintenance (CTM) and Administrative (CTA) ratings in cryptologic operations and reporting using Combat Direction Finding (CDF), Tactical Intelligence (TACINTEL), and other peripheral systems.

As Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO), supervised a team of Electronic Warfare (EW) Technicians and Cryptologic Technicians, Technical (CTT) in operating SLQ-32 equipment in the Combat Information Center (CIC) of the USS WASP.

Collateral Duties: Security Manager and Operations Security (OPSEC) Manager.

At the /Gordon Regional Security Operations Center (GRSOC), managed 120 people producing time-critical Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) for a dynamic, multi-faceted mission. Expeditiously published gravely important reports required to be received by the White House within 10 minutes of event recognition, simultaneously providing vital tactical intelligence and threat warnings to forces in harm's way.

For the Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Ft Gordon, served as a Division Officer for about 35 sailors.

Led three multi-service enlisted teams in providing time-critical Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) to Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) and Air, Ground and Maritime Component Commanders as Officer-in-Charge of three forward-deployed detachments, located at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, Eskan Village (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, and Camp Doha, Kuwait.

Managed 70 analysis and reporting personnel and provided quality control of in-depth Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) reporting.

Collateral Duty: As Navy Reserve Coordinator, assisted Reserve Unit Leadership in organizing and hosting conferences, training, and other events.

Managed 30-person operations of the NSGA Adak Special Intelligence Communications Center in support of the Adak CLASSIC WIZARD Regional Reporting Center.

As an enlisted Navy Cryptologic Technician, Maintenance (CTM), installed and repaired computer, network, and encryption telecommunications equipment.

Collateral Duty: As a member of the Auxiliary Security Force (ASF) supplemented base security during a neighborhood-wide power outage.

Managed database distribution to balance loads across storage media; predicted software/hardware needs, negotiated hardware and software purchases, developed, installed and integrated software applications, triaged faults, scheduled maintenance, etc, on Hewlett Packard 3000 and 9000 series computers, using Multi-Programming Executive (MPE/XL), Silhouette database replication software, and COBOL.

Developed and tested software interfaces to integrate vendor applications into an IBM mainframe computing environment using Time Sharing Option (TSO), Command List (C-List), Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) tools, COBOL, Job Control Language (JCL), Customer Information Control System (CICS), and Basic Assembly Language (BAL).