Academic Year 2020-21
Colonel Michael Gomez
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Colonel (COL) Michael Gomez began his military career when he enlisted in the United States Army in 1988 as an Infantryman with the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington; deploying in support of Operation Just Cause-Panama. In 1994, after completing the Special Forces Engineer Sergeant Qualification Course, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as a Special Forces Operational Detachment Engineer Sergeant. In 1998, COL Gomez was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Engineer Corps through the United States Army Officer Candidate School. His assignments included Engineer Platoon Leader and Support Platoon Leader with the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division. In 2002, COL Gomez completed the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course and was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he served as a Special Forces Operational Detachment Commander from 2002-2006; deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and as a Special Forces Company Commander from 2010-2012; deploying in support of Operation New Dawn-Iraqi. COL Gomez has served in a variety of command and staff positions to include Operations and Plans Officer at 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne); deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan, Special Forces Battalion Executive Officer and Operations Officer (S3) with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), Special Forces Group Executive Officer and Deputy Commanding Officer at 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), Battalion Commander of the U.S. Army Northern California Recruiting Battalion, and most recently serving as the Chief of Current Operations and Director of Operations for Special Operations Command-South, Homestead Air Reserve Base Florida.
COL Gomez’ military education includes Airborne School, Ranger School, Special Forces Engineer Sergeant Qualification Course, Jumpmaster Course, Engineer Officer Basic Course, Sapper Leader Course, Infantry Captain’s Career Course, Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course, and the Command and General Staff College. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Methodist University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Webster University.
COL Gomez’ military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrow Head, Afghan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge (2nd Award), Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab, Master Parachutist Badge with Bronze Service Star, and the Recruiter Badge.
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Passero
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Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Anthony Passero commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from North Georgia College in 2000. LTC Passero’s first assignment was at the 10th Mountain Division, where he served as Platoon Leader, 1st Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment. He deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in October 2001, where he participated in Operation ANACONDA. He was next assigned as the Assistant Support Operations Officer, 10th Forward Support Battalion. He deployed again in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in 2003-2004. He was reassigned as the S3 Plans Officer, 10th Sustainment Brigade. LTC Passero left the active component and transferred to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. He was assigned as the Executive Officer, B Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment in 2005. One year later, he took command of B Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment. He led his company in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in 2009. LTC Passero changed command in 2010 and was assigned as the Assistant S3, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment. He deployed to Latvia to conduct Operation SABRE STRIKE, a multi-national exercise with several NATO countries sponsored by USAREUR. LTC Passero started his first acquisition position in 2012, as the Army National Guard G8, as the Soldier Sensors and Lasers, Stryker, Mortar, Javelin, and TOW Systems Coordinator. His next assignment was the Assistant Product Manager for Product and Variant Management at PM Stryker Brigade Combat Team. He deployed for a six month tour to Kabul, Afghanistan, as the Assistant Project Manager for the Afghan Personnel and Pay System. Upon completion of that tour, he was nominated as the Executive Officer for the Deputy Commanding General for the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan for nine more months. LTC Passero returned to the United States and was assigned as a Financial Synchronization Officer in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Plans, Programs and Resources).
LTC Passero is a life member of the National Infantry Association, and was awarded the Order of St. Maurice Centurion Level in November 2011. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, is currently DAWIA Level III Certified in Program Management, and a member of the Army Acquisition Corps.
LTC Passero’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Reserve Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead Device, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Army Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, 10th Mountain Division Combat Service Identification Badge, 28th Infantry Division Combat Service Identification Badge, the US Forces Afghanistan Combat Service Identification Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
Colonel Robert (Jay) Wisham
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Colonel (COL) Jay Wisham previously served in the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team (CFT) in Army Futures Command as the Lead for Artificial Intelligence Applications and Program Director for Project Convergence the Army’s largest effort to bring AI & data enabled systems to reality for the tactical edge. He has also lead several AFC efforts in outreach to critical research universities and cutting edge technology innovators in industry. Previous to his assignment to AFC, COL Wisham served as the CDR of 6-8 CAV, 2-3ID in Ft Stewart, GA where he deployed the Squadron to the first Advise and Assist mission to Ukraine during their ongoing conflict. He has multiple combat deployments and experience in both Iraq and Afghanistan and has served in a variety of operational command or staff billets over the years as an Armor Officer. During his career he has accrued several experiences helping to design or bring emergent technology to end user warfighters in conjunction with DARPA or private industry.
COL Wisham is currently working in the arena of development and employment of cutting edge technology such as Artificial Intelligence enabled systems and better partnering with private industry.