NDIA Chairman Arnold Punaro Announces New Policy Division
This team is really going to increase our policy development and ‘touch’ with decision makers in the Congress, in the Pentagon, and in other executive agencies.
Arlington, VA (PRWEB) May 12, 2014
Retired Maj. General Arnold Punaro, Board Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), announced today that NDIA has reorganized its policy functions into a new Policy Division, promoted one of its directors, Will Goodman, to lead the Division as the Assistant Vice President for Policy, and recruited two veterans with overseas deployments to support NDIA in the Association’s policy initiatives.
“We are very excited to promote Will Goodman to lead our Policy Division and to bring Jimmy Thomas on board from Rep. Duncan Hunter’s staff and Chris Fletcher in from the Department of the Army. As Rep. Hunter’s Legislative Director and Military Legislative Assistant, Jimmy is incredibly well-versed in the issues most important to our members, particularly those issues under consideration in the House. Chris developed the approval process for the Secretary of the Army’s conference policy, so he is one of the leading experts in how to cultivate the government-industry dialogue that is so important to our members,” said Punaro. “These changes and experienced new additions to the NDIA team will enhance support to our members and strengthen our voice in policy making.”
Before his promotion to Assistant Vice President for Policy, Goodman served as NDIA’s Director of National Security Issue Development and Legislative Policy. Prior to that role, he supported Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) as his Senior Defense Adviser. Goodman joined Sen. Leahy’s staff from a civil service position in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he specialized in military planning, readiness exercises, and domestic counterterrorism policy. Goodman has degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Florida, and has been recognized with the National Guard Bureau Minuteman Trophy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award.
Thomas joins NDIA as the Director of Legislative Policy out of the office of Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Ca.), where he served as Hunter’s Legislative Director and supported the Congressman with issues related to national security, foreign affairs, and veterans’ policy. Prior to joining Rep. Hunter’s staff, Thomas served in the Bush Administration as a Legislative Liaison in the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce. From 2002 to 2010, Thomas served in the United States Marine Corps with combat deployments to Iraq. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton.
Fletcher joins NDIA as its Director of Executive Branch Policy. Previously, he was a civil servant working in the office of the Secretary of the Army and deployed as an Operations Research Officer and Strategic Planner in Bagram, Afghanistan, working on security and political transition assessment reports. Fletcher began his career in the United States Army in the infantry and served in numerous positions including in the Old Guard and the Army Legislative Liaison office. He is a graduate of Northwood University.
“This team is really going to increase our policy development and ‘touch’ with decision makers in the Congress, in the Pentagon, and in other executive agencies,” said Lt. General Larry Farrell, President and CEO of NDIA. “We’ve heard from our members that in this new era of flat-lining budgets and acquisition policy challenges, NDIA needs to increase our outreach, and we have every confidence that Will, Jimmy, and Chris will do just that for our members.”
About NDIA: The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is America’s leading Defense Industry association promoting national security. NDIA provides a legal and ethical forum for the exchange of information between Industry and Government on National Security issues. NDIA members foster the development of the most innovative and superior equipment, training and support for warfighters and first responders through our divisions, local chapters, affiliated associations and events.