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MajGen (Ret) Arnold L. Punaro, USMCR took the oath of office as Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board on June 10, 2022 after the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed that the Reserve Forces Policy Board (RFPB) could resume operations after his Zero Base Review (ZBR) on November 29, 2021. On June 9, 2022, he was once again appointed Chair. MajGen (Ret) Punaro originally took the oath of office as Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board on September 12, 2011 by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and served until February 16, 2021 as the result of the ZBR. He was the first person to hold the Chair under the revised functions and structure established by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011. He was reappointed by Secretaries of Defense Chuck Hagel, Ashton Carter, James Mattis, and Mark Esper for additional terms.
Sid Ashworth recently retired as corporate vice president of government relations for Northrop Grumman Corporation, a leader in global security. In that role, she was responsible for providing effective guidance, coordination and support for all company relationships with the U.S. government. She provided strategic guidance and insights to inform business decisions, including long term planning and investment strategies.
Major General John B. Hashem assumed duties as the Military Executive and Non-Voting Board Member, Reserve Forces Policy Board, in August 2020. He most recently served as the Deputy J5, United States Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany. Major General Hashem enlisted in the Army Reserve in February 1984, was commissioned a Lieutenant of Infantry in 1986. He is a 1988 graduate of the University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering and Business, Math minor.
U.S. Army Reserve Major General Susan Henderson is the commander of the 377th Theater Sustainment Command based in Belle Chasse, Louisiana on Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans. She leads a force of nearly 34,000 Army Reserve Soldiers and Civilians across 34 states. MG Susan (Sue) Henderson entered the Army in 1989. She earned her undergraduate degree and commission as a Transportation Officer in through the Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of Tampa, Florida.
Rear Admiral Miriam L. Lafferty serves as the Assistant Commandant for Reserve at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C., where she provides operationally capable and ready Reserve personnel to support Coast Guard surge and mobilization requirements worldwide. RADM Lafferty most recently was the Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters, United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).
Major General (MG) Haldane B. Lamberton, who served more than 35 years in uniform, is The Adjutant General for Kentucky appointed by Governor Andy Beshear. As Kentucky’s 53rd Adjutant General, MG Lamberton commands the nearly 8,000 military members of the Kentucky Army and Air National Guard. He also oversees the statewide Department of Military Affairs, Kentucky Emergency Management, the Appalachian and Bluegrass Challenge Academies and Bluegrass Station in Avon, Kentucky.
Brig Gen Michele LaMontagne is the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, New Mexico Air National Guard. As a senior military advisor to the Governor and Adjutant General, she advises on all matters pertaining to the New Mexico Air National Guard. She is responsible for planning and executing the mission, organizing, training, and deploying New Mexico Air National Guard units during contingency and domestic operations in federal and state emergencies.
Ms. Michelle Lenihan is currently an executive with Hakluyt & Company, where she advises decision-makers on opportunities and risks facing their businesses. Prior to joining Hakluyt, Ms. Lenihan was a civil servant in the U.S. government for over 15 years. She primarily served in Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy) in a variety of roles, to include Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Principal Director for African Affairs, Chief of Staff for Homeland Defense and Global Security.
Major General Martin is a native of Holyoke, Massachusetts. He graduated from UMASS/Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and was commissioned in 1990 through the Platoon Leader’s Course and served 8 years active duty before transitioning to the Marine Corps Reserve. Major General Martin is a career Infantry Officer and has served in both infantry and light armored reconnaissance units, and has held command at the company, battalion, regiment and division levels.
Brig Gen Carlos E. “Charlie” Martinez was born in Havana, Cuba and grew up in Miami, Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami in 1971 with a B.S. in Systems Analysis. Upon graduation, he entered the Air Force to become a pilot. Following officer and flight training in Texas, he was assigned to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, where he flew VIP missions. In 1976, he was selected to attend graduate school and earned an M.S. in Operations Research from The George Washington University in 1978. He subsequently served tours as a management engineer and as a missile test engineer.
Maj Gen Eric S. Overturf is retired from the Air Force. Prior to retiring, he was the Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He assisted the Chief of the Air Force Reserve who serves as the principal adviser on Reserve matters to the pertaining to the oversight of Air Force Reserve appropriations for personnel, operations and maintenance, and construction programs for a force of almost 70,000 personnel.
Kathy Roth-Douquet is founder and CEO of Blue Star Families, one of the nation’s largest nonprofits supporting military families. She is an author, commentator, strategist, and attorney. Ms. Roth-Douquet is a national spokesperson for military-connected families and a commentator on patriotism, civil-military affairs, the value of service, and the experience of military families. She appears on the major media outlets and publishes in magazines and newspapers across the country.
SGM Running was born in Appleton, WI and graduated from Kimberly High School in 1981. He entered active duty in 1983, and attended One Station Unit Training at Ft. McClellan, AL, as an MP. He served nearly 5 years Active Duty as an MP in the 1st, 8th, 127th, and 564th Military Police Companies at Fort Riley, Kansas and Wildflecken, Germany. He served 5 months in the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 32nd MP Company before enlisting in the US Army Reserve in 1988.
Rear Adm. Eric Ruttenberg is a native of Redondo Beach, California. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and was commissioned in 1988. He holds a Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1990 and an information warfare officer (Space Cadre) in 2011.
Command Sergeant Major (CSM) John F. Sampa was appointed as the 12th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard on 15 February 2018. Also, since June 2022, he has been a Board Member of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, which serves as an independent advisor to Secretary of Defense on Reserve and National Guard matters. He joined the United States Army in 1987 and served in the Army National Guard and the United States Army for nearly 35 years. He completed basic training as a Tank Armored Crewman at Fort Knox Army Post in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Loren DeJonge Schulman is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Previously, she served as the Deputy Director of Studies and the Leon E. Panetta Senior Fellow. Her research interests include national security and defense reform, civil- military relations, and democratic accountability of use of force. Ms. Schulman most recently served in government as the Senior Advisor to National Security Advisor Susan Rice.
Dr. Paul N. Stockton is the President of Paul N Stockton LLC, a strategic advisory firm in Santa Fe, NM. From 2009-2013, Dr. Stockton served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs, where he helped lead the Department's response to Hurricane Sandy. He was responsible for Defense Critical Infrastructure Protection, Western Hemisphere security policy, domestic crisis management, continuity of operations planning, and a range of other responsibilities. While Assistant Secretary, Dr. Stockton also served as Executive Director of the Council of Governors.
Atul Vashistha is a serial entrepreneur with deep expertise around the intersection of technology, global supply chain, and risk management. Mr. Vashistha is the Chairman and CEO at Supply Wisdom, the Chairman of Neo Group, the founder of GBS Board, and serves as a board member of Shared Assessments. He was the Vice Chair of the Defense Business Board, leading a major assessment of OSD’s Chief Management Office. Mr. Vashistha brings significant thought leadership in innovation and managing risk for global enterprises. His national security and reserve component expertise includes his international accomplishments and service with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau’s Innovation Council.
Debra Wada is the CEO and Founder of Senshi Ame Advisors LLC, a consulting practice. Her career spans the federal government and private sector, including non-profit, experience. Ms. Wada recently served as Vice-Chair, Military Service on the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service. The Congressionally established commission was directed to assess and recommend ways to increase the number of Americans who serve in military, national and public sectors, as well as determine the future of the Selective Service System.
Chief Warrant Five (CW5) Phyllis J. Wilson began her Army career as a Military Intelligence (MI) German linguist Voice Intercept Operator. During more than 37 years of active and reserve service, she has served at all echelons from tactical to strategic, with duty in Germany, Iraq and the United States. In August 1990, she was mobilized to support OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/ OPERATION DESERT STORM and served as the Signals Intelligence collection manager for XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, NC.