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WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth swore in the following five new Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army during an investiture ceremony at the Pentagon on Dec. 3, 2024: Lester Lumbad from Las Vegas, Nevada; Rich Morales from East Greenwich, Rhode Island; Lance O’Bryan from Fort Knox, Kentucky; Edward Salo from Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Frank Vitale from Morgantown, West Virginia.

“It’s an honor to have these five outstanding new CASAs representing the Army,” said Secretary of the Army Wormuth. “Our CASAs are instrumental in building and maintaining relationships between the Army and communities across the country. The work they do is critically important, especially in our efforts to spread the Army story and recruit the next generation of soldiers.”

Lumbad served as a staff sergeant as an electronic warfare specialist in the Air Force for seven years. After leaving active duty, he worked in Washington, D.C., for the Department of Defense as a senior systems engineer for Raytheon. Lumbad and his family moved to Las Vegas in 2017. In 2021, he founded the Southern Nevada Veterans Chamber of Commerce, an organization that aims to serve local veteran-owned businesses. Lumbad promotes collaboration with all veteran and military resources in his local community, and informs people about employment transition, veteran food insecurity, mental health, peer support networks and veteran start-up entrepreneurships. He has cultivated an extensive network of relationships across business, civic, community and professional organizations and has helped build veteran-led youth mentorship networks to support local Nevada youth to better understand the Army.

“I am highly honored to be selected by Secretary Wormuth to serve as the civilian aide for our region and to have the support of my community in southern Nevada to promote a stronger connection with the heritage and story of our Soldiers who have served, and those who will continue to put on the uniform, train and serve as new members of our Army,” Lumbad said.

Morales is a retired brigadier general and Purple Heart recipient. He served globally, leading in five hostile-fire zones, and serving in roles ranging from leading a tank platoon in the Gulf War, a position in the president’s executive office, commander of UN peacekeepers in the Balkans, and leader of an Army task force arrayed across a third of Baghdad, which resulted in a Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism in combat. Morales also served as an aide to the head of NASA, a White House fellow at OMB, and leader of a national presidential initiative to revolutionize how our country supports transitioning military and their families. He later commanded an Army ROTC brigade responsible for officer development at 97 universities, chaired the Department of Systems Engineering at the U.S. Military Academy, and researched in collaboration with Department of Defense, industry, the public sector and leading think tanks. Morales holds a bachelor’s in science and aerospace engineering from West Point, a Yale Master of Business Administration, graduate degrees in strategic studies from the Naval College of Command and Staff and resource strategy from the National Defense University, and a PhD in engineering from the University of Cambridge. He studied systems dynamics and organizational learning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a Harvard Kennedy School senior executive fellow and Yale School of Management Donaldson fellow. Morales serves on national boards alongside leaders from business, academia and nonprofits, and is an advisor to start-up efforts.

“I am honored to connect our Army to my communities, state and national initiatives, research expertise, and technology needs, and especially to support people, institutions and innovation in Rhode Island and New England,” said Morales.

O’Bryan retired from the U.S. Army after nearly 26 years of service to the nation. He is a resident of Fort Knox, Kentucky, and served recently as the former garrison commander of Fort Knox. O’Bryan has an intimate knowledge of installation management and is uniquely familiar with serving Soldiers, families and veterans. He is passionate about issues involving military-connected families. He tells the story of his military career to inform the next generation about the benefits of service to their nation. Since retiring, O’Bryan has assumed the role of president and CEO of the Knox Regional Development Alliance, where he remains connected to the community and committed to promoting military readiness and quality of life.

“It is my distinct honor and privilege to be selected by Secretary Wormuth as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Northern Kentucky,” said O’Bryan. “I am honored to continue to serve my country, the U.S. Army, the state of Kentucky and my community in this new role.”

Salo is a professor of history, History Department assistant chair, and associate director of the doctorate program of heritage studies at Arkansas State University. Salo is deeply committed to the Army and its community. Salo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in history and political science from East Tennessee State University, a master of arts degree in history, and a doctorate in public history from Middle Tennessee State University. Before coming to Arkansas, Salo worked in cultural resources management, helping the military to manage and protect its heritage. In addition to his teaching, Salo has been active in defense and national security debate. He is a host of the “Sea Control Podcast” from the Center for International Maritime Security, a member of New America’s Nuclear Security Futures Group, and a former research fellow for both the Modern War Institute at West Point and the Joint Special Operations University.

“I am very excited about this opportunity to work with the greatest Army in the world, its Soldiers and its veterans,” said Salo. “A large part of a CASA’s job is to help bridge the gap between the Army and civilian community. In my years working with the Army, I have witnessed the professionalism and dedication Soldiers have in fulfilling the mission of protecting the nation as well as preserving its history. I have the opportunity to shape the future leaders of the Army and to remind them that the Army is not just about battles, but has been in the vanguard of exploration, engineering and medical breakthroughs, as well as other changes in the nation. I am honored and ready to get to work.”

Vitale served nearly two decades in the U.S. Army Reserve and West Virginia Army National Guard, retiring at the rank of captain. Vitale, a Morgantown, West Virginia, resident, is president and CEO of Forge Business Solutions, a strategy firm focused on business growth and organizational development. He is passionate about fostering collaboration among diverse groups representing business, government and community sectors, and creating meaningful solutions. While his active service ended in 2008, his dedication to the military remains unwavering. As a CASA for West Virginia, Vitale plans to promote military service actively, support veteran entrepreneurs, and work to strengthen connections between members of the Army and local, regional and state leaders, ensuring open and productive communication channels across the mountain state.

“It is the greatest honor to be appointed by the 25th Secretary of the U.S. Army as a CASA for West Virginia,” said Vitale. “My Army service has been instrumental in shaping who I am and providing invaluable opportunities. I am committed to dedicating every effort to strengthening ties between West Virginia and the Army, fostering strong relationships and building new bridges.”

CASAs promote good relations between the Army and the public, advise the Secretary of the Army about regional issues, support the total Army workforce and assist with recruiting and helping Soldiers as they transition out of the military.

Each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories have one or more CASAs to provide a vital link between the Army and the communities they serve. CASAs are usually business or civic leaders who possess a keen interest in the welfare of the Army and their communities.

Credit: U.S. Army Public Affairs, December 4, 2024