On July 10, a formal change of responsibility ceremony was held at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., marking the transition of leadership at the Project Management Office Electronic Warfare & Cyber (PM EW&C) from Kenneth Strayer to Col. Scott Shaffer.
The ceremony was hosted by Brig. Gen. Ed Barker, Program Executive Officer for the U.S. Army Program Executive Officer, Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S). During the event, Barker presented Strayer with the Superior Civilian Service Award on behalf of Acting Army Acquisition Executive, Jesse D. Tolleson, Jr.
The passing of the PM EW&C charter from Strayer to Shaffer symbolized the official change of responsibility amid a gathering of professionals dedicated to the advancement of electronic warfare capabilities for the U.S. Army.
Barker praised Strayer’s crucial role in revitalizing electromagnetic warfare capabilities for current operations, stating, “Ken has been at the forefront of bringing EW capabilities back to the battlefield for this generation. The need to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum is more important than ever.”
Strayer has led PM EW&C since 2021, demonstrating exceptional program management skills in meeting urgent operational needs and prioritizing requirements from U.S. Army Commanders. He adopted innovative acquisition strategies within a highly classified environment, fostering rapid prototyping and flexible contracting to expedite the delivery of vital capabilities.
Under his tenure, major projects were initiated, including the Terrestrial Layer System Manpack, the Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT), the Tactical Electronic Warfare System – Infantry (TEWS-I), and Tactical Space Superiority systems, among other significant EW capabilities.
Strayer also played a pivotal role in establishing new leadership within the organization, creating a Colonel/GS-15 led Project Management Office for Cyber and Space to enhance program management within the joint cyber community. Additionally, he set up a GS-14 led Product Lead Office focused on Strategic Spectrum Warfare to address growing needs beyond brigade level.
His contributions extended beyond immediate projects; during his tenure, including his previous role as Deputy Project Manager EW&C from 2017 to 2020, PM EW&C garnered accolades such as the 2019 Project Management Office Team of the Year award and the 2018 David Packard award for Acquisition Excellence.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Strayer expressed gratitude towards his team by stating, “I am so proud of the more than 250 professionals on our team that equipped our Army to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum, ready for the next fight. It’s been amazing to watch the team’s creativity in development and delivery of capabilities. It has been the greatest privilege in my career to lead the EW&C team and family.”
In stepping into his new role as Project Manager, Col. Scott Shaffer will guide a diverse workforce of military and civilian professionals dedicated to developing and deploying integrated spectrum warfare capabilities.
Shaffer’s experience includes serving as the Executive Officer to the Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) (ASA(ALT)) and leading Product Manager Mission Command Cyber under the Program Executive Office for Command, Control, and Communications – Tactical (PEO C3T).
In concluding the ceremony, Shaffer emphasized the evolving operational landscape, stating, “This is an exciting time with changes to the operational environment and threat where we need to be more agile and creative to ensure we have the most lethal force with the right mix of capabilities and resources. Thank you for this great opportunity to serve as the next Project Manager for PM EW&C.”
image source from：army
