Speakers
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Buccino
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Buccino is a native of Deer Park, New York. His civilian education includes a Master of Professional Studies from Georgetown University. He is currently a student at the US Army War College researching a strategic project on the application of land forces in space-based warfare. Prior to his arrival at Carlisle Barracks, he served as the Public Affairs Advisor to Deputy Secretary of Defense and then Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan in the Pentagon, where he conducted regular off-camera media briefings with the Pentagon Press Corps, organized media engagements for the Secretary of Defense, and assisted in speechwriting and congressional preparation. Prior to his time at the Pentagon he served as the Communications Director for the 82nd Airborne Division. He was the narrator and producer of “The All American Legacy” Podcast, which remains available on iTunes and tells the greatest stories from the Division’s first 100 years. Joe is a published poet and fiction writer. His short stories have been published in Grain Magazine and Boulevard. In 2015, he performed his one-person one-act play “The Only Man Who Knew” over two nights at the Davis Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC.
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Donatelle
A native of Fairport, New York, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Donatelle graduated from United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor’s in Engineering Psychology/Human Factors Research. He also holds a Master’s in Adult and Continuing Education from Kansas State, Manhattan, Kansas. Lieutenant Colonel Donatelle is a Field Artillery Officer with over 20 years of service specializing in light and airborne field artillery. Lieutenant Colonel Donatelle gained his practical leadership experiences while serving as commanding officer numerous tactical and operational assignments in the continental United States, Europe, and Central Asia. At the mid-point of his career, Lieutenant Colonel Donatelle seized an opportunity to teach in the Department of Military Instruction at the United States Military Academy. He also gained valuable experience working in joint, interagency and multinational environments while serving as a staff officer and commander in Afghanistan, Iraq and Qatar. Lieutenant Colonel Donatelle has deployed four times to contingency operations including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve where he was responsible for security and stability operations within various locations in Afghanistan and advisory support to Kurdish forces in Iraq. In his most recent position, Lieutenant Colonel Donatelle commanded the 1st Battalion 320th Field Artillery, in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He is currently a student at the United States Army War College working on a strategic research project focused on the employment of cross-domain maneuver and fires in the future strategic operating environment.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen T. McNamara
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen T. McNamara hails from Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Lt Col McNamara graduated from Penn State University in University Park, PA with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He also holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Finance from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Lt Col McNamara is Tactical Air Control Party member with over 15 years of service specializing in Strategic Airpower, Joint Fires Integration, and Close Air Support. Originally trained as an Electronic Warfare Officer on the B-52H Lt Col McNamara completed to rotations to Andersen AFB, Guam supporting the strategic deterrence mission in the Pacific theater. He gained management and leadership experience as an Air Liaison Officer at Ft. Bragg, NC. There liaised with the 82d Airborne Division providing his Air Force expertise to Army counterinsurgency operations. He deployed twice to Afghanistan supporting the 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions where he developed tactical and operational expertise from the company to division echelons. Lt Col McNamara also gained vast project management experience as the Tactical Air Control Party Career Field Manager from 2015-2018 at Joint Base Andrews, MD. He managed the Air National Guard’s $20 million Air to Ground Simulator program and an annual Operations and Maintenance budget of $10 million overseeing 19 units and 1,200 Airmen. He deployed to Europe as an exercise planner for United States Air Forces Europe in 2018 where he planned a first of its kind Air Dominance exercise with the Ukrainian People’s Air Force and the Air National Guard. He is currently a student at the United States Army War College working on a strategic research project about how the United States can ethically use Social Media as a soft power influencer.
Lieutenant Colonel (P) Sam Smith
Lieutenant Colonel (P) Sam Smith is a U.S. Army Intelligence officer with over 19 years of military service. He grew up in Severn, Maryland, and is a graduate of the Early Commissioning Program from Kemper Military Junior College, and a graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. He also holds a Masters of Policy Management from Georgetown University where his thesis focused on repealing and replacing the military services Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Lieutenant Colonel Smith began his career as a degree completion Army Intelligence Officer in the Maryland Army National Guard with experience in Bosnia. In 2001 he entered full time military service and has deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel Smith has worked with numerous local, federal, state, military departments, agencies, countries and organizations to protect U.S., allied and coalition forces. Lieutenant Colonel Smith most recently spent time training Army Brigade Combat Teams to build readiness and combat proficiency at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Lieutenant Colonel Smith is currently a student at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, working on a strategic research project about future capabilities, to identify, collect, and target threats leveraging emerging technologies.
