Joe Berner:
CLASS OF 1973
Southern Lehigh High SchoolClass of 1973
Center valley, PA
Naval Postgraduate SchoolClass of 1993
Monterey, CA
U.S. Naval AcademyClass of 1977
Annapolis, MD
Saint Michael the Archangel SchoolClass of 1969
Limeport, PA
Joe's Story
I'll be completing this in increments over several weeks, so please bear with me. First, I'll recount my career:
After graduation from Southern Lehigh High School in 1973, I attended the US Naval Academy and graduated in 1977. I then proceeded through Nuclear Power School in Orlando, FL and Nuclear Prototype training in upstate NY. After Surface Warfare Officer Training, I reported to the nuclear powered cruiser, USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38) where I held positions as the Auxiliaries Division Officer, the Chemistry and Radiological Controls Assistant, and the Electrical Officer/Reactor Controls Assistant. Many onboard the VIRGINIA will remember the year that was quite a blur - 1980 and the Iranian issues, including the failed hostage rescue and long days on "Gonzo Station". I qualified both as a Surface Warfare Officer and a Nuclear Engineer during that tour of duty.
My next tour of duty was at a nuclear prototype (surface ship) in upstate NY where I served initially as the Leading Engineering Officer of the Watch for Section 3, and later became the Production Training Officer. We tested the power plant and trained students while working rotating shifts.
In May 1984 I headed to Newport, RI to help stand up the Steam EOOW course where I was lead instructor for most of the theory from thermodynamics, electrical engineering, and boiler water chemistry. I next completed Surface Warfare Department Head School, and in January 1985 I reported about the nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70) where I served as the Main Propulsion Assistant. VINSON was then homeported in Alameda, CA. We deployed to the Indian Ocean twice, mostly as part of Operation Earnest Will to keep the Iranians from shutting down the straights of Hormuz during the Iran-Iraq war.
I transitioned from being a nuclear trained surface warfare officer to become an engineering duty officer (EDO) over the next tour of duty. I reported to the Supervisor of Shipbuliding Conversion and Repair in San Francisco, CA in September 1988, completed some sh...Expand for more
ort duration training while serving in ship repair management roles, and left that tour fully qualifed as an EDO.
I attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA from Jan 91 through Dec 93 and completed the Engineer's Degree and a Master's in Mechanical Enginering. I also completed the Total Ship Systems Engineering curriculum as part of the second cohort of five officers.
Next I reported to the Advanced Concepts Division as the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington DC serving on many roles related to future surface combatants designs, culminating as the Deputy Technical Director for the DD-21 program that led to the costly DDG-1000 ships.
I retired from the Navy in mid-1998 and began a career as a technology and management consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton. I served as the Technical Execution Manager for the Office of Naval Research for the Accelerated Hydrddynamics/Hydroacoustics science and technology project. I led two major studies that involved strategic planning and scenario analysis: The Independent Analysis Government Contractor effort that considered the recapitalization of the Coast Guard from 2002 through 2042; and, the Polar Ice Operations Mission Analysis Report that looked at requirements and capabilities in the Arctic and Antarctic out over the next 25 years. After 7.5 years, I left Booz Allen for a startup opportunity, and later also rolled over to Science Application International Corporation (SAIC) - each of the foregoing for durations under a year. At SAIC I was the Director of Business Development for the Advanced Systems Development and Integration Operations which was mostly software development and IT oriented. I returned to Booz Allen in August 2007 where I am a Senior Associate and focus on providing consulting services to the US Coast Guard and another Homeland Security Agency - Customs and Border Protection.
Now personal, family: (in process)
I am married with two "grown" children from my first marriage. We live in northern Virginia about 20 miles outside of Washington DC.
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