Featured Speakers

Major General David F. Stewart assumed the position Director of the DAMO Fires and  Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft System Office in January 2024. 

A Virginia native, MG Stewart was commissioned as an Army second lieutenant via the  Reserve Officers Training Corps program in 1991 after graduating from Hampden Sydney College with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. 

MG Stewart has commanded units at the battery, battalion, brigade, and division levels,  including the Commanding General of the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command  at Fort Bliss, Texas. 

His key joint, operational, and staff assignments include service as the Chief of Staff at  the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority in  Jerusalem, Chief of Staff at the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, OK, and Deputy  Commanding General for Operations for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Command. 

MG Stewart earned master’s degrees in strategic studies from both Canberra University  in Australia and the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. 

His awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of  Merit (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Defense Meritorious Service Medal,  Meritorious Service Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal  (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf  Cluster). He also holds the Space Badge, U.S. Army Parachute Badge, the U.S. Army  Recruiter Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge. 

MG Stewart and his wife are the proud parents of two daughters. 

Sam Skove is a staff reporter at Defense One, where he writes about the Army and Marine Corps. He previously worked in Ukraine covering the Russia-Ukraine war for The Daily Beast, Radio Liberty, and The New Republic, among other publications. He holds a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College and a master's degree from Georgetown's Security Studies Program.