Intelligence Expert to Address UAS Summit

Press Release

Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven today announced that they have secured an additional speaker to headline next week's UAS Action Summit in Grand Forks.

Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, the Air Force's Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, will address the Summit on May 22.

"We are fortunate to have Maj. Gen. Poss attending the UAS Summit. He is the Air Force's senior career intelligence officer, and is one of the Air Force's leading experts on remotely piloted aircraft. He knows the value and importance of UAS and we are anxious to hear his thoughts on the future of this emerging technology," Senators Conrad and Hoeven said in joint statement.

Maj. Gen. Poss is responsible to the Air Force Secretary and Chief of Staff for oversight and leadership of Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Maj. Gen. Poss has commanded ISR forces at the detachment, squadron, group, and wing levels. As the Chief of Intelligence for Central Command Air Forces, he was one of the first Americans to arrive in Southwest Asia after 9/11 and directed the targeting plan that liberated Afghanistan in just nine weeks.

Additional UAS Summit speakers include:

James Williams, Executive Manager of the newly-created Federal Aviation AdministrationUnmanned Aircraft Systems(UAS) Integration Office, who is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the FAA's efforts to integrate UAS into the national airspace system.

Dr. Jamie Morin, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller. He serves as the Air Force's Chief Financial Officer and principal adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force on all financial matters. From 2003 through 2008, Dr. Morin was a member of the professional staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget under the leadership of Chairman Conrad.

The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Action Summit 2012 -- held May 22 and 23 - will focus on developing and strengthening the nation's growing unmanned systems industry and advancing the call to develop responses to some of the pressing issues, challenges, and opportunities.

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