HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Col. Richard Lopez relinquished his position as Kessel Run’s senior materiel leader to Col. Brian Viola during a ceremony at the Minuteman Commons, here, June 25.
Brig. Gen. Jason Voorheis, the Department of the Air Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management, presided over the ceremony. During the event, Voorheis commended Lopez’s stewardship of the division.
“Rich, as you step down today, you leave behind a legacy of profound and permanent transformation,” Voorheis said. “You took the helm of Kessel Run during a period of intense change and guided it with a steady hand and an unwavering focus on the mission. Under your leadership, the Kessel Run team didn't just adapt to the bureaucracy, they challenged it.”
Voorheis also welcomed Viola, emphasizing how his background as a "warrior-engineer" makes him uniquely suited to lead Kessel Run’s software-driven mission.
“I can say with absolute confidence that Brian is uniquely qualified,” Voorheis said. “He is a warrior-engineer, holding bachelor’s degrees in computer and electrical engineering, and a master's degree in strategic studies. He doesn't just understand the technology; he was instrumental in building it.”
During the ceremony Lopez bid farewell to his fellow Kessel Runners and talked about the challenges and transformations the organization underwent under his charge.
“Kessel Run is a fantastic organization,” Lopez said. “The people in this division have done an incredible job of becoming the organization that our nation deserves. Kessel Run has gone through an incredible amount of change, and your resilience, your steadfastness, and your ability to keep going is inspiring.”
He also welcomed Viola to his new position.
“Brian, I've never seen someone work harder or be more dedicated than you,” Lopez said. “It was inspiring then, and it is inspiring now. I specifically sought you for this role because you have the technical and acquisition experience to move this organization in the direction that it needs to go.”
Viola also addressed his new division during the ceremony after officially taking over as the organization’s leader.
“Kessel Run exists for one clear reason: to deliver combat advantage,” Viola said. “Our work supports the Air Force's priorities, reinforces programmatic modernization, and puts commanders in the center of everything we do. In short, our software systems shorten the path from concept to combat power. That makes us a critical enabler for our Air Force and for our nation.”
Kessel Run delivers resilient command and control and targeting software capabilities that provide warfighters with decision advantage. Kessel Run architects and acquires the means to connect weapon systems with operators and decision makers to enable the joint force. It is a division within C3BM. C3BM is responsible for managing the DAF Battle Network, which is the integrated system-of-systems connecting sensor, effector, and logistics systems providing better situational awareness, faster operational decisions, and decisive direction to the force.