I recently finished reading Soldier / Geek by Glenn Dean. It’s an edited copy of the journal that Glenn kept during a six month deployment as a science adviser in Afghanistan. I found I had some questions after reading it, so asked Glenn if he’d mind answering them on my blog, and he agreed. Glenn has also written In Search of Lethality (a short book about development of the M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round) and Weapons of the Zombie Apocalypse.
Russell Phillips: Can you give us a brief summary of your career in the army thus far?
Glenn Dean: I was commissioned as an Armor officer in 1993, and after my initial training was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division (later 3d Infantry Division) at Fort Benning, Georgia, where I held normal assignments for a lieutenant — M1A1 tank platoon leader, Bradley scout platoon leader, and company executive officer. I departed Fort Benning for advanced training and then as a captain took command of a Recruiting Company for two years, followed by an assignment to Fort Hood, Texas in 1st Cavalry Division. There I served as a Brigade staff officer, an M1A2 tank company commander, and a headquarters company commander. Leaving Fort Hood, I transitioned to my secondary specialty as an Acquisition Corps officer, attended graduate school at Georgia Tech, and went on as a major to be the Small Arms Division chief at the Infantry Center, responsible for developing requirements for the Army’s small arms weapons and ammunition. Subsequently, I moved to Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey where I worked in program management in medium caliber cannon ammunition, and did quick reaction technology work in the Armaments Research, Development, and Engineering Center. While assigned to ARDEC I volunteered for my science officer assignment in Afghanistan. Since my return from Afghanistan I’ve been working in another program management assignment in combat vehicle development.