Lieutenant Colonel William “Steal” Barksdale entered the United States Air Force in June 2006 as a distinguished graduate from Reserve Officer Training Corps at Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. After his commissioning he was a distinguished graduate from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training...

Colonel Chochtoulas graduated from the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Academy in 1999, with a degree in Logistics. He holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the Hellenic Open University and his subject matter expertise is in the Areas of Information Systems Security and Database Design and Administration. He...

Lieutenant Colonel Denis Dúbravčík enlisted in the Czech Air Force in 1996. He graduated from the Brno Military Academy with a BSc in Military Rocket and Aircraft Systems and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering. He is a graduate of Squadron Offices School Maxwell Airbase US. He served, among other functions,...

Lieutenant Colonel Facchi joined the Italian Air Force in 1995 and completed Basic Training qualifying in air logistics. He was initially assigned to 6th Wing at Ghedi Air Force Base, as Chief of Logistic and Supply Service, and Director of Wing Warehouse until 1999. He was then posted to the...

Major Giesenfeld joined the German Armed Forces in October 2007, serving first in the army and since 2009 in the air force. He completed his officers training course in 2011. Following this he was transferred to the Tactical Air Command and Control Squadron (TACCS) 21 in Erndtebrück, where he acquired...

Lieutenant Colonel Erhan Güleç graduated from the Turkish Air Force Academy in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering and was stationed as an Intercept Controller (IC) at the Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) of Diyarbakir, Türkiye. Following his Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering, in 2013, he joined the...

Lieutenant Colonel Gutierrez joined the Spanish Air Force in 1996. He completed the basic flight course as a Distinguished Graduate in 2000. After 5-year academy, he was promoted to Lieutenant, being posted to the 14th Fighting Wing (Albacete AF Base) as a fighter pilot. He was flying Mirage F1 from...

Lieutenant Colonel Haider began his military career with the German Armed Forces in April 1992. He initially served as a Personnel NCO in the 150th Rocket Artillery Battalion HQ. Following his promotion to Lieutenant in 1998, he took on the role of an MLRS platoon leader within the same battalion....

Commander Joudioux embarked on his career with the Italian Navy in 1989. He completed the rigorous US Navy flight school, earning the prestigious “Wings of Gold” in 1992 as a fixed-wing multi-engine pilot. He served as an Anti-Submarine Warfare helicopter pilot aboard various Italian ships, operating UH1 helicopters. In 1999,...

Major Brian Ladd graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in History and received his commission by AFROTC. His first tour was at the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB in Colorado Springs, CO, where he was a Satellite Operator of the MILSTAR communications...

Major Mark Meeuwissen graduated from the Royal Military Academy Brussels in 1988 with a Master in Military and Aeronautical Science. His carrier as pilot was performed on F-16 in the Fighter-Bomber role and on NATO AWACS up to pilot-evaluator. On both platforms, he participated multiple times in several operations: Operation...

Lieutenant Colonel Nakul Nayyar joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2004 as a Communications and Electronics Engineer. He most recently served as the Canadian Communications & Electronics Defense Attaché in Washington, D.C. (2020–2024). In this role, he was responsible to provide expertise, assistance and advice in the information and...

Lieutenant Colonel Olko joined the Polish Armed Forces in 1988 and after four years of study he graduated from Military Academy as a radar engineer. He served, among other functions, on various national positions as a radar engineer, Commander of Radar Company, Track Production Officer and Master Controller. Starting August...

Major Oszlar joined the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) in 1987 and started his military education at “Szolnok” Military Aviation College in Hungary. He was assigned to the 31. “Kapos” Tactical Fighter Wing 1990 as air traffic controller. He graduated on NATO Staff College Joint Command and General Staff Course at...

Lieutenant Colonel Emiliano PELLEGRINI was commissioned in the Italian Army in 1990, when he was admitted to the Italian Army Military Academy. After five years of studies in the Academy was appointed as Mountain Artillery Officer where served for four years before to transit to the Italian Air Force schools...

Lieutenant Colonel Florin Sandu graduated from the Romanian Air Force Academy in 2001, earning a bachelor’s degree in organizational management. He has held various positions throughout his career, including being a Tactical and Air Traffic Controller at the 71st Air Base Operation Centre in Câmpia Turzii, an Intercept Controller, and...

Lieutenant Colonel Athanasios Sdrakas graduated from Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Academy with a BSc in Aeronautics in 2000. He holds two MScs in International Affairs from Nicosia University of Cyprus and in Environmental, Disaster and Crises Management Strategies from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He initially served in the...

Commander Aaron Shiffer commissioned into the United States Navy in 2000. Initial training pilot training was in the P-3C Orion serving two US operational tours and a 3rd with the Royal Australian Air Force. After completing a tour on board the USS GEORGE HW BUSH, he transitioned to the P-8A...

Capt. Stensberg leads space/cyber integrations as a cyber and space SME in the JAPCC’s C4ISR+Space branch, furthering the Alliance’s understanding of the two domains via publishing, exercises, wargaming, conferences, and working groups. Before this role, he served in a talent management role overseeing Space Force assignments, and prior to that...

Lt Col van den Hudding joined the Royal Netherlands Armed Force in Nov 1998. After graduation he was stationed at the Dutch CRC, callsign “Bandbox” where he served in different positions. In 2010 he was posted at the NAEW&C Component in Geilenkirchen Germany, where he became instructor and evaluator. In...

Major Bjorn van der Linden is a Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) Force Protection practitioner with over 20 years of experience. After graduating as an officer in 2003, Maj van der Linden served, amongst others, as Deputy Head of Force Protection of the Dutch Defence Helicopter Command at Gilze-Rijen Airbase,...

Commandant Peter Vanderostyne graduated from the Royal Military Academy Brussels in 1992 with a Master in Military and Aeronautical Science. In the same year, he joined the Control & Reporting Centre (CRC) in Glons where he became Fighter Controller, Electronic Warfare specialist, Identification Officer and Track Production Officer. After he...

Lieutenant Colonel Kim Vogt currently serves as a subject matter expert for integrated air and missile defence at the Joint Air Power Competence Centre. He joined the German Armed Forces in September 2001. Following the completion of his Officer Training, he studied Economic Studies at the University of the German...

Lieutenant Colonel Juergen Welsch joined the German Air Force in 1984. In 1990 he gained a Bachelor Degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the Hochschule der Bundeswehr Muenchen. From 1990 on, Lieutenant Colonel Welsch worked in multiple operational- and staff positions within the field of AIRC2. In 2003, he switched to...

Major Eric Yuan is the Air Mobility Strategist, Joint Air Power Competence Centre (NATO), in Kalkar, Germany. In this role, he executes the JAPCC Program of Work for air mobility including leading the Global Air to Air Refuelling interoperability and compatibility efforts, supporting AIRCOM’s Specialized Heavy Air Refuelling Course (SHARC),...

Lieutenant Colonel Giovanni Zanier joined the Italian Air Force in 1994, attending the Italian Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli (Italy) as ROTC pilot. He completed the Basic and Advance Pilot Training course at the 61st Air Brigade – Galatina AFB – in 1996, before attending the AM-X OCU in Amendola...