CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE – September 2026

Autumn equinox occurs on September 23^rd marking the official end of summer. Kids are back to school, days are getting shorter, and nights are getting cooler here in the mid-Atlantic. As we say goodbye to summer, we highlight two new events. In July we sponsored the All/Multi-Domain Operations Forum in Huntsville, Alabama. Our Rocket City Chapter hosted it with the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE). The forum brought together civilian, military, industry, and academic professionals to share ideas, technical achievements, and the persistent challenges of delivering multi-domain capabilities in support of our nation’s defense. The outstanding facility and hospitality extended by the ASCTE team contributed greatly to the success of the event.  Equally impressive was learning about ASCTE’s mission and the exceptional educational opportunities they provide students pursuing careers in cybersecurity, engineering, and other STEM fields. Their commitment to developing the next generation of innovators and technical leaders is a model for other communities.

As a nonprofit educational association dedicated to advancing the science and practice of test and evaluation, ITEA was proud to present ASCTE with a scholarship of $5,000 to support their mission and the continued growth and success of their students.

We tried something new with our 2026 Cybersecurity T&E Workshop in mid-September. It featured controlled unclassified information (CUI) sessions held on U.S. Naval Base Bangor and a classified program held at U.S. Naval Base Kitsap, both near Keyport, Washington.  While hosting CUI and classified sessions limits participation by attendees from outside the U.S. and without the proper credentials, we understand the importance of providing this opportunity to a segment of the T&E community. The ITEA Events Committee is investigating new options to address Chapter-level events and local needs. This may also result in new ways of presenting educational events.

We culminate the year with FORGE 2026, 3 – 6 November in Scottsdale, Arizona. FORGE is the re-imagining of our annual symposium, one aspect of refocusing the Association to look forward, expand our vision, collaborate more broadly, and connect with test professionals outside of our traditional membership base. FORGE will feature the latest developments in ITEA and will be more than a gathering of the test & evaluation community. We will also celebrate the people who make ITEA strong and look ahead to the future of our Association.

Throughout FORGE, ITEA will make several important announcements, including presentation of our 2026 Class of Senior Members and newly selected ITEA Fellows. These individuals have demonstrated exceptional commitment, achievements, and service to the test & evaluation community, and we look forward to recognizing their contributions. We will also announce the results of the 2026 Board of Directors election and introduce the newly elected ITEA Executive Committee – Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. These leaders will help guide ITEA into its next chapter, and I am excited to welcome them and the vision they will bring.

Finally, one of the highlights of FORGE will be the announcement of the 2026 ITEA T&E Professional Award recipients. Dr. Robin Poston, Chair of the T&E Professional Awards Committee, will reveal this year’s honorees, recognized among the very best in our profession for their accomplishments, leadership, and legacy in test & evaluation. These are important moments for ITEA and we hope you will share them with us in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A common saying is that no single service fights alone and no country fights alone; we face conflicts as a joint and coalition force. By analogy, no one professional society has all the answers; we need a team to provide members and customers with the most comprehensive resources. Our Senior Advisory Council reaches outside ITEA to build these relationships that add value to ITEA members. The Senior Advisory Council President, John Frederick, will chair a panel at FORGE with theme Multidisciplinary System Thinking Across Professional Networks: A Force Multiplier. It will consist of representatives from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), Digital Twin Consortium (DTC), National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from and interact with this body of experts. Learn more about FORGE here – https://itea.org/event/forge2026/ – scan the agenda, register, reserve a discount rate hotel room, and see what Scottsdale has to offer.

Begin saving dates in 2027 as you review our calendar of events – https://itea.org/calendar/. Already confirmed are the AI in T&E Forum, March 16 – 17 in Washington, DC; the Test Instrumentation Workshop, April 27 – 29 in Las Vegas, Nevada;  the European T&E Summit, the week of June 28 in Stirling, Scotland, and finally FORGE 2027 back in Scottsdale! Check often; it will populate quickly.