Our Board of Directors includes 11 experienced leaders to include Special Forces officers, non-commissioned officers and business professionals. Each Board Member is experienced, active, and constantly engaged in the strategies of the Green Beret Foundation.
Major General James G. “Greg” Champion began his military service in 1978. He was commissioned as an Infantry officer following completion of Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. General Champion has held every 18 series leadership position an officer can hold in a Special Forces Group including Battalion and Group command. He was the Assistant to the Director Army National Guard for Deployment Issues and was the Director’s principle advisor on deployment for the Army National Guard forces with emphasis on the Global War on Terrorism and Homeland Security. In that position, General Champion was responsible for Army National Guard issues related to the deployment of forces to the southwest border. While serving as Commander, 20th Special Forces Group, he commanded the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A), Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom III.
Subsequent to this first tour in Afghanistan, General Champion was Deputy Commanding General, Operations, Combined Joint Task Force 76, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, where he oversaw all aspects of the plans, operations and intelligence collection and managed the Afghanistan-Pakistan border security process.
His major Awards and Decorations include: Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star (w/OLC) ; Meritorious Service Medal (w/OLC); Army Commendation Medal; Global War on Terrorism – Expeditionary Medal ; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Master Parachutist Badge; Special Forces Tab; Combat Infantryman Badge; Expert Infantryman Badge
Today MG Champion serves as the Joint Venture and Commercial Activities Manager, Pioneer Natural Resources, Eagle Ford Asset Team. He is responsible for partner interaction related to commercial activities and negotiations, and works closely with land, legal and marketing in negotiating and advising on commercial activities of the Eagle Ford Asset Team.
Aaron Anderson enlisted in the Army following the events of September 11, 2001. He served in the U.S. Army Special Forces for 6 years as a detachment engineer. Due to traumatic wounds sustained during a deployment in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Aaron was medically retired in 2008. Aaron mentored fellow wounded Special Operation Forces personnel through the USSOCOM Care Coalition Recovery Program.
In 2009, Aaron founded the Green Beret Foundation and served as its President for two years. He currently serves on the GBF's Board of Directors.
Aaron's entrepreneurial spirit has led him to invest in a number of startup ventures and also provides businesses with strategic enterprising consultation.
He is currently seeking his bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of California, Irvine.
CSM Dennison began his military service as a Heavy Weapons Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division and since has served in a variety of assignments around the world, some of those being 8th Infantry Division as a Combat Engineer Squad Leader, and Atomic Demolition Team Chief.
In 1965 he was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Intel Sergeant), 5th Special Forces Group (Intel Sergeant), 7th Special Forces Group (Team Sergeant), and USA Special Forces Thailand (Military Freefall Detachment).
From 1976 to 1983 he served in the conventional Army at the unit and Battalion level, Reserve components Reserve Officer Instructor Group where he was selected as the first Enlisted Commandant of Cadets in the Second ROTC Region.
He returned to Special Forces as Team Sergeant, Military Freefall Detachment, 7th Special Forces Group, and later as Sergeant Major Company A, 2nd Battalion 7th Special Group. Other assignments, CSM 802nd Engineer Battalion, CSM 3rd Battalion, 4th ADA Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, CSM 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, and CSM 5th Special Forces Group during the Groups move to Fort Campbell Kentucky.
CSM Dennison returned to Fort Bragg and assumed the position of CSM 1st Special Operations Command which became United States Army Special Forces Command. CSM Dennison culminated his military career as the Command Sergeant Major, Special Operations Command Central during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Upon retirement CSM (R) Dennison continued to serve our country as a Contractor for the US Department of State Diplomatic Security Branch from 1994 to 2001.During his time with the State Department, CSM Dennison was a member of the Detail that repatriated President John Batrand Aristide back in office as President of Haiti. In 1996 CSM Dennison remained in Hati to provide protection for the new President of Haiti, Rene Proval. In 1997 CSM Dennison was selected to provide protection for US Ambassador Robert Frowick in Bosnia during the elections of the three warring factions.
In 2003 he returned to Special Operations as a Department of the Army civilian Training Specialist Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, United States Army Special Operations Command. CSM (R) Dennison recently ended his 45 years of service, retiring as Lead Force Protection Specialist, United States Army Special Operations Command.
CSM Dennison’s military education includes the Sergeants Major Academy, Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Special Forces Qualification Course, Combat Engineer Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Airborne School, Static Line Jumpmaster Course, Military Freefall Course, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Special Forces Operations and Intelligence Course, Special Forces Weapons Sergeants Course, Atomic Demolitions Munitions Course, French and Chinese Language Courses.
CSM Dennison’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (1OLC), Bronze Star with (“V” Device, 2nd OLC), Meritorious Service (3OLC), Army Commendation Medal (W4OLC), Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal (10th Award), Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry With Palm, Vietnam Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Master Military Freefall Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and Parachute Wings from ten countries.
CSM Dennison is presently serving as the Honorary Sergeant Major of the 1st Special Forces Regiment. CSM Dennison resides in Fayetteville NC.
Colonel (retired) Jim Holloway is a native of Ohio and a 1977 graduate of the United States Military Academy where he was commissioned in the Infantry. He served over 30 years in the US Army with 21 of those years as a Special Forces Officer. He served in the 10th and 5th Special Forces Groups, USSOCOM, JSOC and USASOC. He was the last SF Officer to command the Jungle School in Panama.
His combat experience included Somalia and Iraq. Jim is a Life Member of the Special Forces Association and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He also serves as a member of the Special Warfare Museum Advisory Council. He now resides in east Tennessee. COL(R) Holloway has two sons and a son-in-law currently serving in the US Army.
Bruce Parkman is the Chief Executive Officer of NEK Advanced Securities Group, a privately held, mid-size company with approximately $100 Million in revenues, supporting one of the most diverse bases of clients in the defense contracting industry.
Mr. Parkman was born in Massachusetts and entered the Army in 1980. He spent 21 years in the service, three years as an infantryman and 18 years in Special Forces serving in a variety of assignments in 7th and 10th Special Forces Groups and with the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, before retiring in 2001 as a Sergeant Major. During this time, he traveled to numerous countries in Europe and Latin America including serving in the El Salvadoran and Kosovo actions. After retirement he served as a contractor in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and used his experience as a contractor to start NEK Advanced Securities Group, Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico which was recently relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Under his and the co-owner’s leadership and guidance, the Company has grown to become the industry standard in the provision of training and support services to the government and commercial clients, to include technical training, specialized support services and aviation maintenance and support.
His military awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Badge, SCUBA badge, and the Special Forces Tab as well as Honduran and Ecuadorian Airborne badges.
Mr. Parkman graduated from Methodist College with honors (Summa Cum Laude) receiving a B.S. in Business Administration and from Webster University with a M.A. in Security Administration.
John Terzian is a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant with over 22 years of service. His last active duty assignment was as an Operations Sergeant for a Special Forces Detachment, where he supervised the training, development, and world- wide operations of a Special Forces team. In this capacity, he led two team deployments to Afghanistan.
His awards include the Silver Star for gallantry in action in Afghanistan, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. MSG (Ret) Terzian is currently the CEO of Reservoir International, where he oversees the development of advanced methodology in regards to Unconventional Warfare and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Operations. He has published several articles on these subjects and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in general education and business.
Amy L Kester, CPA is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 25 years experience in accounting, auditing and taxation. Currently, she prepares tax returns in her home office and advises individual and business clients in matters of taxation & accounting.
Ms. Kester began her career with KPMG Peat Marwick, one of the largest accounting firms in the world. She spent eight years at KPMG Peat Marwick; the first four years were spent in the Auditing Department and the last four years were in Taxation. During this time, she also attended Capital University Law School to expand her knowledge of tax laws.
Her auditing experience included reviewing business client’s financial statements and performing tests to ensure their accuracy and compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Standards. As an Audit Supervisor in charge of field audits, Amy supervised a team of KPMG auditors as well as worked with all levels of management at the client’s business.
Ms. Kester transferred to the Tax Department to gain experience in business and individual taxation. She became a Tax Manager and worked closely with tax and auditing teams to prepare and review tax returns for clients. Her main focus was the banking industry and high wealth individuals. Amy was responsible for preparing complex tax returns as well as supervising and reviewing personnel’s work.
Over the years, Amy has been employed by smaller firms and a high wealth family where she performed audits, prepared tax returns, handled IRS matters and correspondence and provided tax advice and financial planning to clients.
Amy has been married to SGM (R) James A. Kester for over 20 years. SGM (R) Kester retired with over 25 years in Army Special Forces. SGM (R) and Mrs. Kester have a 13 year old daughter, Alexis. As a Special Forces wife, Amy understands the complexities of maintaining a family and managing a career all while supporting her husband’s military career.
For more than 10 years, the Kester’s have successfully owned and managed a small chain of coffee stores/cafes in North and South Carolina.
Amy is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio and attended Capital Law University in Columbus, Ohio. She is certified as a CPA under North Carolina jurisdiction.
Bob served with the 7th and 8th Special Forces Groups and with the Strategic Technical Directorate, Team 158, in the Republic of Vietnam, while on active duty. As a member of the USAR, he served with the 11th Special Forces Group, 1st SOCOM and the 80th Division. He commanded two Brigades in the 80th Division, served as the DCSOPS until his retirement with 31 years of service.
His major awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal w/3 OLC, Army Commendation Medal w/3 OLC, Air Medal, Army Achievement Medal w/OLC, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Special Forces tab, Parachutist badge, Vietnamese Ranger badge and the Physical Fitness Excellence badge.
Bob is a Life Member of the Special Operations Association and Chapter VI of the Special Forces Association.
As a civilian, Bob has 29 years experience in the financial services industry as a Financial Advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC and operates a small horse farm in Virginia.
With more than thirty years of progressive, results oriented management experience; R. Scott Perry serves as President / CEO of the Partnership for Defense Innovation (PDI). Founded in 2006, PDI is a full service engineering and design company, primarily comprised of former Special Forces / Special Mission Unit operators and academically trained engineers, who deliver distinctive defense, intelligence and security technology solutions and specialized training. Scott has served as the only President of PDI and was responsible for implementation of the original business plan, as well as the construction and up-fit of two PDI facilities in Fayetteville, NC. PDI is the parent organization of the PDI Research and Development Laboratory (R&D Lab) and the Defense & Security Technology Accelerator (DSTA).
Under Scott’s guidance, the PDI R&D Lab has evolved from a small test bed facility into an accredited Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Lab that serves as a leading integrator of special communications devices and network architectures. PDI provides a wide range of engineering support in the development, testing and evaluation of C4ISR systems. Accustomed to managing complex R&D projects from concept development to proof of concept and prototype delivery, Scott manages a team that currently supports major efforts for the United States Special Operations Command, United States Army Special Operations Command, Combatting Terrorism Technical Support Office, Communications & Electronics Command-Information, Intelligence Warfare Directorate, and the United States Army Reserve Command.
As a “job creation entity” for the state of North Carolina, Scott serves as the Executive Director of DSTA, a statewide program that assists technology companies with rapid development of emerging dual-use defense and security technology solutions. In this position, he oversees a unique model of business education which provides coaching, mentorship, business education, academic collaboration and networking opportunities. DSTA is designed to accelerate the formation and growth of defense related technology companies. A very successful program, through participating client companies, this PDI managed program created more than 150 jobs that generated $32M of annual revenue for the state of North Carolina. The investment from the NC General Assembly was less than $5M. Scott has served as the only Executive Director of DSTA.
In addition to managing SOF related contracts, while at Sytex Inc. Scott supervised the construction and up fit of five (5) off – post, accredited training facilities that supported the Special Forces community.
Scott retired in 2001 with 23 years of Army service, spending more than 20 years in U.S. Army Special Operations Forces. A significant portion of his career was spent serving in Special Mission units. Scott proudly served with 1st SFOD-Delta and with Special Operations Command, duty Germany.
Scott’s US Army assignments included the 82nd Airborne Division, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force), SOCOM w duty Germany, US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, and the 7th Special Forces Group. Scott’s senior leadership positions included SF Group Operations Sergeants Major, SF Company Sergeants Major, SF Company First Sergeant, SF Detachment Operations Sergeant, and Non Commissioned Officer in Charge / Chief Instructor of the ASOT Detachment.
His time at the ASOT Detachment made a major impact on current operations and doctrine which now supports Special Forces operations. During this period, the detachment authored the original FM 31-26, as well as established and disseminated to all Special Forces Groups, the program of instruction for Broken Axle Level II training.
His numerous OCONUS deployments include combat operations and working at the national and international level with extensive operational experience in Central and South America, Europe and the Middle East. While serving in Colombia, South America, Scott was the Sergeants Major of FOB Larandia, a part of the Presidential mandated “Plan Colombia”, a US interagency assistance program which supported Colombia’s objective to gain control of the drug producing regions of Southern Colombia.
Scott is married to Beth (Hinton) Perry, formerly of Durham, NC, has 2 children and 6 grandchildren. They have lived in Fayetteville since 1980.
After retirement from the US Army in December of 2006, Mr. Slemp founded Universal Strategy Group, Inc. (USGI). A certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, USGI’s core competencies include project and program management, acquisition and procurement support, strategic research and analysis, and professional staffing support for critical US Government requirements. USGI is headquartered near Nashville, TN and has additional offices in Fayetteville, NC and Alexandria, VA.
From 2008 until 2012, Mr. Slemp served on the Advisory Board for W.S Darley Company in Itasca, IL. Mr. Slemp also served as a Director for KRISS USA, a subsidiary of KRISS Group, Switzerland, from 2010 until 2011. In 2012, he was elevated to the position of Vice Chairman of all KRISS related entities in the USA, including the SPHINX pistol and KWA Airsoft product lines, and still serves in this capacity.
Upon college graduation and designation as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Mr. Slemp was assigned to the 1st Battalion Ninth Infantry in Korea where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader and Rifle Company Executive Officer. Upon returning to the United States, he served as a Rifle Company Commander in the 101st Airborne Division (ASSLT) during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His next operational assignments included duty in the 5th Special Forces Group as a SFODA Commander (HALO), Battalion Assistant S3, Company Commander, Battalion Executive Officer, and Group Operation Officer (S3). Mr. Slemp also served at: Headquarters, Department of the Army; Headquarters, United States Army Special Operations Command; Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT); and as the Chief of Operations (G3) for Headquarters, US Army Special Forces Command. Mr. Slemp also commanded the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group during two combat tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He also served as the Deputy Commander for the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, NC. Prior to retirement, Mr. Slemp was selected for early promotion to Colonel, the US Army War College, and command of a Special Forces Group.
A lifetime member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the National Rifle Association (NRA), Mr. Slemp is also a Rotary Club International designated Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. Slemp enjoys antique automobiles, hunting, fishing, history, and politics.
Colonel O’Connell was commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the US Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at the University of Rhode Island in 1968 with a BA in Economics. He later earned a Masters Degree in Management from Central Michigan University while attending the Army’s Command and General Staff College. While at the Naval War College, he also earned a Master’s Degree in International Relations, graduating with the highest distinction.
After an Infantry tour with the 4th Armored Division in Erlangen, Germany, Colonel O’Connell completed tactical intelligence and advisor training and served in Southeast Asia as a field advisor to Vietnamese forces, including duties in the PHOENIX Program, and was awarded three medals for valor. After serving as a Combat Intelligence instructor and Company Commander at the Army Intelligence Center, Colonel O’Connell spent three years with the 82nd Airborne Division as an intelligence officer at battalion, brigade, and division levels. Colonel O’Connell then spent two years on exchange duty with the British Army at the Joint Service Intelligence Centre in the United Kingdom, where he commanded the Foreign Armed Services Branch and directed instruction for allied liaison and Special Operations personnel on tactical and strategic collection against Warsaw Pact nations. He was then assigned as the Senior Intelligence Officer to 1st SFOD-DELTA from 1980 to 1983. He then commanded the 313th MI Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division for two years. After attendance at the Naval War College, he returned to Fort Bragg as the Director of Intelligence, J2, Joint Special Operations Command, and continued in the Special Operations Intelligence field with a two and half year brigade command of an Army Special Mission Unit. After a short tour as the Deputy Director of Special Operations Command’s Washington Office, he was selected as an original member of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Office of Military Affairs in 1993. He retired in the summer of 1995 after 27 years of service. Colonel O’Connell’s career included participation in four conflicts: Vietnam, Granada, Panama, and Southeast Asia; as well as various duty in 33 countries. After retirement, he served as a Senior Manager for Raytheon Corporation for seven years. He was nominated by President Bush and confirmed by the US Senate in 2003 to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. In this position he had oversight of 52,000 US Special Operations Command personnel, and a 9 Billion dollar annual budget. Upon leaving the Pentagon in April, 2007, he received the Department’s highest award for civilian service, as well as that of the US Coast Guard.
Colonel O’Connell’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, Purple Heart, the Air Medal, Master Parachutist and Expert Infantry Badges. He is a member of the US Army Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and the University of Rhode Island Military Hall of Fame.
Mr. O’Connell currently is an independent defense and intelligence consultant, and serves on several boards. He and his wife Patricia reside in Alexandria, VA. Both his sons are combat veterans.
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The Green Beret Foundation is a 501(c)(3), tax exempt, national non-profit charitable foundation.
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