Poss Named MSU HPC2 Strategic Initiatives Director

November 12, 2012

A senior United States Air Force officer, Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, will begin his new duties as director of strategic initiatives in the High Performance Computing Collaboratory (HPC2) at Mississippi State in December.

In his new role, Poss will be responsible for helping to identify strategic initiatives and opportunities for the university and to assist with understanding customer priorities and needs that are aligned with MSU's capabilities in research, education and outreach programs that are best positioned to meet those needs.  He has had a distinguished career of service, and is currently the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and is the senior career intelligence officer in the Air Force. He is responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for policy formulation, planning, evaluation, oversight and leadership of Air Force ISR capabilities.

Poss received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Southern Mississippi. He served in Desert Storm with the U.S. VII Corps RC-12 Guardrail Battalion in Saudi Arabia, and was Director of Intelligence for Central Command Air Forces deployed to Southwest Asia at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. The general commanded the 488th Intelligence Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, flying RC-135s in combat during the Kosovo Air War. He has also commanded the 609th Air Intelligence Group at Shaw AFB, S.C., and 70th Intelligence Wing at Fort George G. Meade, MD.

The general has previously served as the Director of intelligence at both Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Combat Command. Prior to his current assignment, he was Director, ISR Strategy, Integration and Doctrine, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

To view the full article, please see: Mississippi State University News.