Providing cloud services for the entire Defense Department is no small task. Chief Information Officer Dave Bennett is the director of enterprise services at the Defense Information Systems Agency. He says that the cloud is a first for DoD and they’re still working to find the most effective and efficient ways to connect defense components with the provider that meets their needs.

Julie Mintz is the project manager for the DoD enterprise cloud service broker. She says they are working toward full operational capability by focusing on the tasks of validating more commercial capabilities and automating the request process.

Hear more from Bennett and Mintz about DISA’s role as the DoD Enterprise Cloud Service Broker on this week’s Agency of the Month.

Guest Biography:

(A biography for Julie Mintz was unavailable at the time of the interview due to sequestration.)

David Bennett:
Mr. David Bennett is the Chief Information Officer for the Defense Information Systems Agency. He is responsible for the delivery and operation of secure world- wide enterprise information technology services enabling the efficient and effective execution of DISA’s global combat support missions.

Mr. Bennett began his career when commissioned as an Armor Officer through the Army R.O.T.C. program at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1977. After completion of the Armor Officer Basic and Maintenance Officer Courses, he was assigned as a Tank and Mortar Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer with the 3rd Battalion, 35th Armor in Bamberg Germany from 1977 until 1980.

In 1981, Mr. Bennett completed the Armor Officer Advance Course and proceeded to serve as the company commander of Company E, 19th Battalion, 4th Training Brigade at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Upon successful completion of command, he served as the Chief of Gunnery Training and Executive Officer of the New Equipment Training Team for the M-1 Abrams Tank program from 1982 until 1984.

From May 1986 until March 1990, he served at the U.S. Army Computer Science School as an instructor and as the Automation Support Division Chief responsible for the operation and support of all computer systems in the school.

In 1987, Mr. Bennett’s transfer request to single track in Functional Area 53 was approved, whereupon he transferred from the Armor Branch to the Signal Corps. In 1990 and 1991, he served as an Assistant TRADOC System Manager for Multifunctional Computers at Fort Gordon, Georgia. In 1992, Mr. Bennett graduated from the Command and General Staff College and was assigned as the Deputy Product Manager for the Objective Supply Capability program at Fort Lee, Virginia, where he served as the Acting Product Manager from January 1994 until January 1995.

He then attended and graduated from the Defense Systems Management College Program Manager’s Course. From 1995 until 1997, he served in a Command Designated Product Manager position for the Information Mission Area Modernization program at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

From June 1998 to August 2000, Mr. Bennett was assigned to DISA, where he served as the Program Director for GCCS and GCSS, both OSD designated ACAT 1 Major Automated Information Systems programs. In August 2000, Mr. Bennett departed DISA to take command of the Software Engineering Center located at Ft Meade, Maryland, serving as Commander until May 2003. He then returned to DISA to become the Program Manager for GCCS-J and served in that capacity until December 2005, whereupon he was designated the Deputy Director for Command and Control Capabilities.

In January 2007, Mr. Bennett retired from the United States Army with over thirty years of distinguished service and served as Deputy Program Executive Officer in the Executive Civil Service. In April 2010, he became the Deputy Program Executive Officer for GIG Enterprise Services, assuming the role of Program Executive Officer for GIG Enterprise Services, in October 2010. In January 2012, he was designated the Acting Component Acquisition Executive for the Agency.

His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal with 1OLC, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with 3OLC, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal with 1OLC, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 3OLC, Army Superior Unit Award, and the Army Parachute Badge.

Mr. Bennett received his Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi in February 1977, a Masters of Science degree in Computer Science, from the University of Florida in 1986 and a Masters Degree in National Resource

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