HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Maj. Gen. Anthony Genatempo took over as the program executive officer of a Hanscom-based acquisition directorate during a change of leadership ceremony here June 28.
Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, presided over the ceremony in which Maj. Gen. Michael Schmidt relinquished command of the Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate.
Hunter believes C3I&N is critical to the Air Force because it connects warfighters with the resources necessary to execute their missions. During Schmidt’s tenure, the directorate developed the digital infrastructure necessary to support Joint-All Domain Command and Control and the Advanced Battle Management System, he said.
“During his time as PEO for C3I&N, Schmidt led the way in creating a new generation of Air Force warfighting capabilities that go beyond anything that we’ve seen before,” Hunter said. “This is an important transition as we go from one incredible leader to another. Maj. Gen. Genatempo is prepared and ready for this new role and we are excited for the future.”
As PEO C3I&N, Genatempo is responsible for a portfolio of 2,600 personnel and a budget of approximately $12.1 billion. Those funds go toward developing, producing, deploying, and sustaining Air Force and joint aerial and terrestrial enterprise networks, offensive and defensive cyber systems, cryptologic systems, kill chain technologies, electronic warfare systems, and special projects to enable decisive combat operations.
“C3I&N is all about networks,” said Genatempo. “The one letter in C3I&N that I’ve always said that is not included, but should be, is the human network. I believe I have something to offer there. We are going to connect to the people and the organizations that may not know how much they count on us.”
Genatempo steps into the role as PEO C3I&N following an assignment as the commander of Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He previously served as a senior materiel leader in C3I&N at Hanscom from July 2011 to July 2014.
“I can’t believe I was given the opportunity to come back here 10 years later, and it means the world to me,” he said. “I’m a big believer in timing, both personally and professionally, and I believe the timing was just right for me to come back now.”
Schmidt assumed leadership of C3I&N in April 2018. He was also previously stationed at Hanscom, from 1991 to 1995.
Before departing for his new position as the director of the Joint Strike Fighter Program, Schmidt shared a final message for C3I&N personnel.
“When I first took over as PEO, I asked our leaders to focus on a few priorities, which were to deliver their capabilities, to innovate, and to grow and develop your people,” he said. “They have done that successfully. My friend, the new PEO Maj. Gen. Genatempo, is lucky to have them.”
In conjunction with assuming his new role, Schmidt received a promotion to lieutenant general. That ceremony also took place June 28 here.