Guest Speakers

Maj Gen Kurt J. Stein, US ARMY, Keynote Speaker

Commanding General

US Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command

Major General Kurt J. Stein assumed command of the US Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command on 29 January 2010 following his assignment in Iraq where he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, MNF-I Combined Joint 1/4/8.

MG Stein entered the United States Army as an enlisted soldier in October of 1976 and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1982, he was commissioned as an Ordnance Officer from the Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. His military education includes the Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.

Major General Stein’s previous assignments include; Maintenance Division Chief, APG, MD; Maintenance Platoon Leader and Shop Officer, C Company, 123rd Main Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division; Battalion Adjutant, 123rd MSB, 1st AD, Commander, D. Co. 123rd MSB, 1st AD; Ordnance Assignment Officer, PERSCOM/HRC, Alexandria, Virginia; Executive Officer, 610th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Support Operations Officer, 782d Main Support Battalion, 82D Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C; Executive Officer, 407th Forward Support Battalion, 82D Airborne Division; S-3, 82D DISCOM; Deputy Commander, 20th Support Group, Taegu, Korea; Executive Officer, 82D DISCOM; Commander, 82D Forward Support Battalion; G-4 82D Airborne Division; Commander, 2ID DISCOM, Deputy Director for Power Projection, Joint Staff, J-4, Executive Officer to the J-4, Joint Staff, Washington D.C. Assistant Chief of Staff, J4, Headquarters, United States Forces Korea (USFK), Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, C4, Combined Forces Command (CFC), Deputy Commanding General for Support, Eighth United States Army (EUSA), Yongsan, Korea, Deputy Commanding General of USFK (Advanced Element), Camp Humphreys, Korea and MNF-I CJ 1/4/8, Baghdad, Iraq.

Major General Stein’s personal awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Staff Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the NCO Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (5 tours), the Master Parachutist Badge and German Jump Wings.

Maj Gen (Ret) Robert Heine, US ARMY

Major General Robert Heine served most recently as the Director of Operations, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, U. S. Embassy Baghdad, MG Heine was commissioned in the Chemical Corps after receiving a Chemical Engineering degree from Auburn University in December 1968. He remained at Auburn to complete his Master of Science in Chemical Engineering before completing his initial active duty for training.

Major General Heine transferred to the Corps of Engineers in 1974. He served as a platoon leader, company executive officer, and company commander with the 478th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Corps), commanded the 810th Supply Company, and then returned to the 478th for several staff assignments. His field grade assignments included Chemical Officer, 364th Engineer Group, Executive Officer of the 983rd Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Heavy), and S3 of the 364th Group. He commanded the 983rd Engineer Battalion from February 1990 through August 1993. Following command, he served as Real Property Maintenance Activity Manager for the 416th Engineer Command facility Engineering TDA, and Assistant Chief of Staff-Materiel at the 416th Engineer Command. He served as Chief of Staff, 416th Engineer Command from October 1996 through May 1999. He became the Deputy Commanding General for Mobilization and Training, U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center, Fort Leonard Wood, May 1999 and was promoted to Brigadier General on 1 December, 1999. He assumed command of the 416 the Engineer Command and was promoted to Major general on 1 June 2002. Under his command, the 416th was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom from January through July, 2003. In January 2005, he was again mobilized and transferred to Multi-National forced-Iraq, with service as the Director of Operations, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, U.S. Embassy-Baghdad, where he served through June 2006.

Major General Heine served on the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee from May 2000 through October 2003 and on the Reserve Forces Policy Board from October 2003 through his retirement on 31 July 2006.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, the Army Staff Identification Badge, and the Engineer Regiment's Silver and Bronze de Fleury Medals. For his service with the US Embassy Baghdad, he was awarded the Department of State's Superior Honor Award.

Major General Heine is a chemical and environmental engineer and is a registered Professional Engineer in Michigan.

Maj Gen Amy S. Courter, CAP

Amy S. Courter is the National Commander of the all-volunteer Civil Air Patrol, a federally chartered nonprofit corporation and the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.

Her primary duty is to lead CAP's 59,000-plus volunteers in fulfillment of the organization's three congressionally chartered missions: Emergency Services, Cadet Programs and Aerospace Education, as well as CAP's increasing role in America's homeland security.

As CAP's commander, Courter serves as a Major General (2-star), the highest ranking CAP Officer, and the first female to have attained that distinction in the 68 years of CAP's history. Maj. Gen. Courter is also a member of the CAP Board of Governors, and leads the CAP National Executive Committee and CAP National Board CAP's governing and advisory bodies.

Maj. Gen. Courter was elected National Commander in 2008, after having been appointed first Acting and then Interim National Commander the year prior. In 2006 she had been elected National Vice Commander, and additionally served as the National Chief of Staff for a portion of that year. Her commitment to public trust and transparency in governance aided CAP during an unanticipated transition, thereby stabilizing the organization. She also energized a new staff structure, with clearly articulated expectations and processes, and cast a wide net across the organization for the best qualified members to join the national staff team. Additionally, Courter has focused the organization on best practices, including fiduciary duties, strategic planning, and generating internal and external opportunities and partnerships. For Fiscal Year 2008, CAP received its first unqualified audit after integrating over 1500 units financial transactions into a common system. Under Courter's leadership the scholarship funding has increased by 50%.

Maj. Gen. Courter joined CAP's Michigan Wing in 1979 and served as commander of the wing from 1999 to 2002. During her tenure, the wing received each of the National Mission awards. She has also served CAP nationally as chair of the CAP Cadet Programs, Professional Development, and Infrastructure Committees and as senior adviser to the CAP National Cadet Advisory Council.

In her career, Courter has a very rich and diverse background that includes 20 years leadership at Valassis, a billion-dollar public marketing services corporation. First as a manager, and later as Vice President of Information Technology, Courter oversaw all Information Technology (IT) operations and projects, and led her team to a record of over 95% of all projects being completed on time and on budget. Courter also was asked to lead the Telecommunications Division where she forged a collaborative environment in which these two previously separate teams worked in harmony, sharing workload and cross-training for advanced development of the employees. Courter was responsible for approximately 100 employees directly, and she coordinated the IT systems, processes, and Business Recovery for Valassis world-wide. Additionally, she developed company-wide programs to enhance the corporate working environment and employee retention, assisting Valassis to be recognized in Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work for lists year-on-year. In 2006, Courter founded a management consulting business and has worked in the healthcare, not-for-profit and the manufacturing arenas. She has been selected to positions on numerous boards, serving both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Courter attended Kalamazoo College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in psychology and education, and secondary teaching certification in psychology, computer science, and mathematics, as well as coaching certifications in volleyball and field hockey. She studied abroad in Strasbourg, France, totally immersed at the University de Strasbourg during her junior year of college, all her courses being taught in French. Courter is a native of Flint, Michigan, a graduate of Swartz Creek High School.