ACTIVE DUTY TO VETERAN
"The AOC International Symposium and Convention is invaluable to the government and to industry. As the Army's Capability Manager for Electronic Warfare, AOC International was critical to my understanding of the state of industry; now, as a member of industry, the event provides outstanding networking and showcasing opportunities. To my knowledge, there is no greater aggregation of EW professionals at one time than this event." - COL (Ret.) Mark Dotson, Director, Army Accounts, AnaVation, LLC 

JUNIOR ENGINEER TO PRINCIPAL ENGINEER
"I attend the annual symposium for the camaraderie. It's like a family reunion for the relationships built through war and careers. That means listening to war stories from the Old Crows and staying out late with the Young Crows. It's a good time. Additionally, as an engineer, I appreciate learning about new technology and challenges in the community. All of these things support the development of my innovation skills." - Jordan "Cancer" Scott, Chapter President, Pikes Peak Roost

CASUAL TO PRO
"I find attending the AOC annual symposium vital to my EMSO education and learning about other players in the space. I get to put a name with the face of others I have already connected with. And it was a blast; the lunches and socials are top-notch.  I've attended every year for five years, and I plan on continuing to do so." - Dave E. Brown, Task Force Leadership, LLC

Learn more at 58.crows.org.

Seeking Volunteers
Our volunteers are critical to the success of AOC 2021, interested in being a part of this year's event? Find out more at crows.org/2021Volunteer.

Be sure to book your room at this year's host hotel, the newly renovated, upscale Courtyard/Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown/Convention Center!

Booth Space Selling Out!
Learn more about exhibitor benefits, rates and how to reserve your booth at 58.crows.org. You can also contact Sean Fitzgerald at Fitzgerald@crows.org or 703-549-1600 x222 for more information.

AOC is seeking committee members for the following committees. Can you share your expertise and volunteer for these fields?

Training and Education Committee - develop and implement a training and education strategy for AOC
Communications Sub-committee - give input on the future of AOC publications
Future Crow Sub-committee - build programs and resources for young crows

Interested? Reach out to Shelley Frost for more information.

Help shape the future of AOC by choosing the next AOC Headquarters Board of Directors. Learn about the open positions and each candidate’s biography now to be an informed voter.

Your AOC dues must be current as of Sept. 20 in order to vote.

Elections open this Friday, Oct. 1.

The AOC Crow Career Builder is a program created by AOC to connect our network of professionals with the next generation of crows. Through step by step communications, our mentors and mentees are given a template for creating a valuable working relationship. Mentees will also have the opportunity to network and socialize among people just like yourselves and make essential connections.

For mentors: Mentoring with AOC consists of a long-term relationship focused on supporting the growth and development of the mentee. A great mentor is able to lead their mentee with empathy, sensitivity and patience, while constantly adapting to changing times and complex circumstances. To become a mentor with AOC, please contact Blain Bekele for the code.

Network With Senior Defence Leaders From Around the World

AOC Europe is the meeting place for electronic warfare experts from across the globe. Delegations from more than 20 countries were present at the previous edition, with almost 36% of overall attendees from military or government sector.

Confirmed VIPs for 2021 include:

• Chilean Centre for Military Studies and Research
• Netherlands Ministry of Defence
• Italian Air Force
• Swedish Armed Forces Electronic Warfare Unit
• Lithuanian Defence Intelligence and Security Service
• UK Department for International Trade
• NATO

Browse the agenda and register a pass now.

AOC continues to connect Electromagnetic Warfare practitioners, industry partners, policymakers, and procurement decision-makers.

The year 2020 was a massive interruption to life and business, changing how we work, how we connect and forced us into a new way of doing things. We have created new ways to connect and share with our members through these changing times. We have taken events to a virtual space and created new and exciting opportunities for our members to continue looking to AOC as industry leaders.

Now more than ever it's important to keep in touch and AOC sponsorships are a great way to be part of what's happening right now in the electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) industry.

Partner with AOC to increase your reach!
By partnering with AOC, Industry Partners have a variety of ways to connect with members throughout the year. Stay relevant to your customer base, participate in high-level discussions and, most importantly, nurture relationships with key contacts.

Learn more.

Microelectronics Supply
In this episode, podcast host Ken Miller sits with Dr. William Conley, Chief Technology Officer at Mercury Systems. Microelectronics hold significant importance to EMSO as it represents the technology backbone of spectrum operations. Ken and Dr. Conley discuss the dynamic ecosystem of the world we live in and the recent changes in the microelectronics supply chain. There is a significant dependency on microelectronics technology and DOD requirement for state-of-the-art microelectronics for the future fight. Dr. Conley explains that the point for DOD is not to make any significant sweeping changes but instead, bring in specialists and system architects that can go through and implement designs in less time. Part of balancing approaches includes investing in innovation, subsidies, and other direct funding to support the ecosystem. Private sector collaborations and policy implementations have a direct impact on the supply chain as well. Lastly, Ken and Dr. Conley discuss the nuances that can lead to ineffective solutions and security vulnerabilities and the implementation of “zero trust” approach to enable the acquisition of assured electronics from untrusted components.

Start Listening now.

To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our website.

Thank you to our episode sponsor.

Check out our STEM group and find resources for STEM students, including blogs and webinars.

The Association of Old Crows is pleased to provide its online Career Center – the premier resource to connect career opportunities with highly qualified EW, EMSO, CEMA, SIGINT, ELINT & IO talent. You can access the AOC Career Center at https://careers.crows.org.

Featured Jobs:

• EW/RF Systems Engineer – Arcata Associates – Point Mugu, California, United States
• RF Engineer – Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) –  Huntsville, Alabama, United States

The Australian Chapter of the Association of Old Crows is pleased to announce the EW Australia 2021 Brisbane Symposium. Being held at Customs House in Brisbane on Wednesday, 13 Oct., this full-day thought leadership symposium will focus on: “ADF Information Dominance – Building a Resilient Sovereign Capability.” Attendees will hear Defence and civilian speakers on EW, IO and Cyber, while being able to maintain connections and expand networks within the Australian EW, IO and Cyber Defence community. The speaker list is being finalized with further details to be released shortly. For further information visit oldcrows.org.au.

The Pentagon has demonstrated another round of systems capable of countering small drone threats focused on cheap, ground-launched and hand-held options in the desert in Arizona. (Defense News)

Lockheed Martin has won a second-round contract worth $9.6 million to continue work on the U.S. Army’s first integrated electronic warfare, signals intelligence and cyber platform, the service announced Monday. (C4ISRNet)

There's an emerging brand of waging war that uses electrical energy instead of bombs and bullets to attack an enemy's means and will to continue the fight — electromagnetic warfare. (Military and Aerospace Electronics)