Joseph Polanin

• Develops, coordinates, and synthesizes Congressional Posture Testimony for Global CEO
• House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations the Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
• Enhances coordination and collaboration between and among Regional and Global Corporate Military headquarters including, but not limited to the Offices of the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Functional Combatant Commands… Show more

• Develops, coordinates, and synthesizes Congressional Posture Testimony for Global CEO
• House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations the Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
• Enhances coordination and collaboration between and among Regional and Global Corporate Military headquarters including, but not limited to the Offices of the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Functional Combatant Commands, Geographic Combatant Commands, and Defense Combat Support Agencies
• Scope and scale of Congressional Posture Testimony includes Global responsibility of the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command as the Department of Defense Coordinating Authority for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Show less

• Selected by regional corporate CEO to lead and institutionalize complex reorganization and certification of command, control, logistics, integration, and collaboration processes for U.S. and Coalition Special Operations across the Middle East
• 16 countries, 4,200+ personnel, 4 time zones, $300M budget
• Accomplished rapidly, ahead of schedule, and under budget during increased security tensions with Iran; ongoing counterterrorism operations in Iraq, Syria, Yemen; and tenuous negations… Show more

• Selected by regional corporate CEO to lead and institutionalize complex reorganization and certification of command, control, logistics, integration, and collaboration processes for U.S. and Coalition Special Operations across the Middle East
• 16 countries, 4,200+ personnel, 4 time zones, $300M budget
• Accomplished rapidly, ahead of schedule, and under budget during increased security tensions with Iran; ongoing counterterrorism operations in Iraq, Syria, Yemen; and tenuous negations in Afghanistan that required exacting attention to detail and resilient leadership
• Completed the reorganization, restructuring, and then embedded the change deeply within the organization and the enterprise culture…total alignment of corporate vision, strategic implementation, and talent optimization to achieve long-term goals
• Indispensable leadership, true grit, rare character, and sound judgment that delivered X-factor results
• Initiates and propagates self-sustaining irreversible momentum of success by demonstrating contagious enthusiasm and indefatigable energy; substantially increased family readiness through outreach programs and processes resulting in a 300% increase in performance and a 150% growth in retention Show less

• Led 300+ people, developed, implemented, and exercised comprehensive strategic military responses for the U.S. President during increased provocations (intercontinental ballistic missile testing) by North Korea, which significantly reduced those hostile activities and opened the door for historic diplomacy
• Conceived, developed, and led an international team of 80+ senior executives from the U.S. Defense Department, U.S. State Department, and the Ministries of Defense and Interior from… Show more

• Led 300+ people, developed, implemented, and exercised comprehensive strategic military responses for the U.S. President during increased provocations (intercontinental ballistic missile testing) by North Korea, which significantly reduced those hostile activities and opened the door for historic diplomacy
• Conceived, developed, and led an international team of 80+ senior executives from the U.S. Defense Department, U.S. State Department, and the Ministries of Defense and Interior from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, France, and South Korea – the Pacific Security Monitoring Exchange (PSMX)
• PSMX exerted military, diplomatic, informational, and economic pressure across multiple domains simultaneously to reduce illicit North Korean activities including oil smuggling in the maritime domain
• This effort substantially improved diplomatic and military cooperation between PSMX nations that enforced United Nations Security Council (UNSCR) sanctions against North Korea, which delivered economic pressure and brought their senior political leadership to the negotiating table.
• Selected to represent the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the National Security Council during a 300% increase in UNSCR enforcement assessment, planning, and execution, which stopped North Korea’s hostile actions and generated historic diplomacy Show less

• Recruited and hand-picked from among the top 1% of senior U.S. Navy CEOs for extraordinarily demanding duty, the toughest and most complex job in the Joint Staff Operations Directorate
• Advised the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense, and President of the United States on the best military options to improve National Security
• Integrated U.S. government interagency solutions and flexible response options to trans regional, global, multi-domain threats to U.S… Show more

• Recruited and hand-picked from among the top 1% of senior U.S. Navy CEOs for extraordinarily demanding duty, the toughest and most complex job in the Joint Staff Operations Directorate
• Advised the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense, and President of the United States on the best military options to improve National Security
• Integrated U.S. government interagency solutions and flexible response options to trans regional, global, multi-domain threats to U.S. National Security in the Indo-Pacific & South America (75% of the globe)
• Responsible for assessing, managing, and planning future operations of 412,000 personnel, $518B budget — 70% of the DoD annual budget
• Integrated future operations decision briefs for the National Security Council, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense, and the President
• Selected to represent the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Central Intelligence Agency to reduce the global proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Developed the Department of Defense’s first-ever globally informed operational plan, which accounts for and mitigates risk globally while eliminating major threats to National Security
• Led Pacific Operational Design to achieve objectives of the National Defense Strategy and the National Security through the transition between two Presidential administrations (Obama and Trump)
• Understands holistically the strategic, military, and diplomatic risks and consequences to U.S. security from either inaction or inappropriate reaction; and how to get to the heart of seemingly unsolvable problems quickly that must balance capability, capacity, and finite resources
• Built heretofore unknown trust between the National Security Council, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Director of National Intelligence, and the Department of State
• Comprehends and assesses rapidly the unpredictable nature of evolving threats in the modern security environment. Show less

• Competitively selected for ultimate responsibility (CEO) of 3,700 people executing high-risk military operations for the largest and most diverse regional corporate headquarters (Task Force) — 16 business units in 69 countries, Europe, and Africa — $610M annual budget
• Assumed Command due to lack of cohesive leadership and established Task Force Sparta for unprecedented integration of U.S., NATO, and partner nations to defeat IEDs and save lives across 28 countries in… Show more

• Competitively selected for ultimate responsibility (CEO) of 3,700 people executing high-risk military operations for the largest and most diverse regional corporate headquarters (Task Force) — 16 business units in 69 countries, Europe, and Africa — $610M annual budget
• Assumed Command due to lack of cohesive leadership and established Task Force Sparta for unprecedented integration of U.S., NATO, and partner nations to defeat IEDs and save lives across 28 countries in Africa
• Unparalleled synchronization with top Navy CEOs (4-star Admirals) from NATO and Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania
• First-ever deployment of headquarters staff as the U.S. 6th Fleet Forward Command Element (full operational capability) for mobile command and control of 6,200 personnel, 50 ships, 62 aircraft from 17 NATO & PfP nations during live exercises in the Baltic Sea, Poland, and Sweden — BALTOPS, the largest such employment in its 47-year history — that increased operational flexibility for U.S. and Allied command and control of contingency responses across the full range of military operations
• Sustained operational excellence during TRIDENT JUNCTURE, the largest military exercise in Europe that improved NATO proficiency & deterred Russian aggression
• Praised by U.S. Ambassador to Spain for substantially increasing the capability and readiness of Spanish EOD and Diving forces
• Deployed the first-ever intelligence & cyber defense training for Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, & Angola, significantly increasing their national military capabilities to respond to a range of threats without U.S. assistance
• Lauded in 2019 by global CEO (U.S. 4-star Admiral) for exceptional performance in this job, unmatched by any subsequent CEO Show less

• The crucible of combat magnifies a leader’s good and bad qualities.
• As a calm, resilient, and compassionate senior leader of an elite Navy EOD Mobile Unit, Counter IED Task Force, and major Expeditionary Task Force overseas, led 1,000+ successful combat and counter insurgency operations across Iraq, Afghanistan, & Africa.
• Scores of warriors and units under his command were decorated for valor and meritorious service in combat.
• Despite tremendous adversity and inheriting… Show more

• The crucible of combat magnifies a leader’s good and bad qualities.
• As a calm, resilient, and compassionate senior leader of an elite Navy EOD Mobile Unit, Counter IED Task Force, and major Expeditionary Task Force overseas, led 1,000+ successful combat and counter insurgency operations across Iraq, Afghanistan, & Africa.
• Scores of warriors and units under his command were decorated for valor and meritorious service in combat.
• Despite tremendous adversity and inheriting units with low morale, poor performance standards, and unethical behavior — fixed problems fast, inspired loyalty, admiration, and honor during 10+ years in command, the pinnacle of Navy leadership to which all Naval Officers aspire and more than 96% do not achieve.
• Assessed by multiple global CEOs on annual performance evaluations as “top 1% of all Commanding Officers I’ve served with.”
• The first EOD Commander to exercise operational control of personnel in five different regions simultaneously. Repeatedly ranked #1 among peers and seniors on annual performance evaluations. Show less

• “The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”
• Competitively selected for ultimate responsibility (CEO) of the only EOD school in the U.S. military
• Educated 6,300 U.S. and 250 international students from 106 countries (the Navy’s largest international training program)
• Core values are to prepare students to excel morally, mentally, and physically through an academically rigorous and stressful curriculum including extensive live demolition and diving operations… Show more

• “The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”
• Competitively selected for ultimate responsibility (CEO) of the only EOD school in the U.S. military
• Educated 6,300 U.S. and 250 international students from 106 countries (the Navy’s largest international training program)
• Core values are to prepare students to excel morally, mentally, and physically through an academically rigorous and stressful curriculum including extensive live demolition and diving operations daily
• Led and managed $365M facilities, $62M annual budget, 581 staff
• Improved morale significantly, a spectacular catalyst who modernized the curriculum dramatically & quickly from battlefield lessons learned implemented urgently, and achieved optimal performance with overwhelming financial restraints during the greatest ever student enrollment and highest combat casualties recorded to date; inspired a culture of combat readiness
• Increased collaboration from eight to 29 U.S. government agencies for sharing best practices of advanced EOD operations — a historically unmatched achievement before or since
• Significantly improved the quality of instruction by demanding realism, rigor, and relevance across the board
• Three global CEOs (2-star Admirals) observed this is the best EOD training ever, and one stated, “He did in 2 years what others could not accomplish in 20 years!”
• Improved retention 150% and earned two annual retention excellence awards — BEST in the Navy at retaining quality people by attracting superstars and providing a culture/lifestyle that makes them hungry to stay
• Recognized with two Navy Safety Awards (perfect safety record), and Joint Meritorious Unit Award presented by the Secretary of Defense for superior business unit achievement and operational excellence Show less

• Improved high-risk curriculum, learning standards, and educational continuum for all U.S. military diving & Explosive Ordnance Disposal students, including U.S. Navy parachute training
• Led and managed $480M facilities, $98M annual budget, 7,600 U.S. and 360 international students, 806 instructors and staff at two major business units in FL and one in GA
• Delivered thousands of hours of high-risk and in some cases deadly training evolutions with a perfect safety record and zero… Show more

• Improved high-risk curriculum, learning standards, and educational continuum for all U.S. military diving & Explosive Ordnance Disposal students, including U.S. Navy parachute training
• Led and managed $480M facilities, $98M annual budget, 7,600 U.S. and 360 international students, 806 instructors and staff at two major business units in FL and one in GA
• Delivered thousands of hours of high-risk and in some cases deadly training evolutions with a perfect safety record and zero casualties
• Inspired a proactive public relations campaign by speaking to senior leaders, elected officials, and media outlets about the selfless heroism of our nation’s EOD opertors and divers in combat
• Redefined and instilled extraordinarily high standards expected of service members by the American people, which was lacking in previous staff
• Resurrected core/bedrock curriculum for all military Officers (diving medicine and supervisory skills) that saved lives and increased operational readiness Show less

• Competitively screened and selected to lead 6,200 personnel, $900M+ annual budget, at 102 locations across Afghanistan with 44 NATO allies and partner nations — a uniquely complex span of control — to defeat terrorist IEDs, attack their networks, and train allies to defeat them
• Supervised rapid procurement and unprecedented distribution of $10.2B materiel and non-materiel solutions for urgent capabilities to counter IEDs that significantly reduced risk for 162,000 personnel in combat and… Show more

• Competitively screened and selected to lead 6,200 personnel, $900M+ annual budget, at 102 locations across Afghanistan with 44 NATO allies and partner nations — a uniquely complex span of control — to defeat terrorist IEDs, attack their networks, and train allies to defeat them
• Supervised rapid procurement and unprecedented distribution of $10.2B materiel and non-materiel solutions for urgent capabilities to counter IEDs that significantly reduced risk for 162,000 personnel in combat and degraded terrorist capability and viability extensively
• Saved countless U.S., coalition, and Afghan lives by developing 88% of target packages necessary to remove 451 of the most lethal terrorists from the battlefield through innovative exploitation of intelligence, information and prosecutorial evidence obtained from careful examination of all IED incident sites
• Aggressively employed high-trained, tailor-made, elite teams to train 68,000 soldiers from 43 nations increasing the safety and readiness of all combat leaders in harm’s way; delivered the first-ever Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) training for Pakistan Show less

• Competitively screened and selected for ultimate responsibility (CEO) of talent optimization, training, equipping, and operational deployment of 2,100+ personnel serving in combat operations (Iraq and Afghanistan), $101M annual budget, and 11 business units at various undisclosed locations in the Middle East and Africa in support of U.S. National Security requirements
• Mitigated risk significantly for several elite U.S. Navy SEAL teams, ~3,200 globally deployed Special Operations… Show more

• Competitively screened and selected for ultimate responsibility (CEO) of talent optimization, training, equipping, and operational deployment of 2,100+ personnel serving in combat operations (Iraq and Afghanistan), $101M annual budget, and 11 business units at various undisclosed locations in the Middle East and Africa in support of U.S. National Security requirements
• Mitigated risk significantly for several elite U.S. Navy SEAL teams, ~3,200 globally deployed Special Operations Forces
• Established a new major business unit, trained teams for unprecedented deployments to the most lethal areas in Iraq, and qualified all platoons for deployment early — three full-time jobs simultaneously — all completed in less than four months. Peer CEOs at comparable units normally take 18 months to two years to accomplish these results.
• Significantly increased security and stability in Iraq during an especially violent and volatile period.
• A true warrior-diplomat completed 67% of all military security cooperation exercises with 16 partner nations over six months.
• Always displays an inspirational warrior ethos: combat culture with business discipline.
• Unique ability to develop people beyond their perceived potential, align the right talent to the toughest projects with ease, and win under the most daunting circumstances.
• The BEST at junior leader professional development.
• Wrote the textbook/model for Explosive Ordnance Disposal pre-deployment training and certification, emulated by other units.
• Immediate supervisor wrote, “If I was a new employee, I would want Joe as my boss.” Show less

• Personally selected by the Global CEO (3-star Admiral) to be responsible for reorganization and restructuring of 41,000 personnel, $26.6B budget, and six major business units across 12 Middle East countries and the Persian Gulf region
• Conceived, led, and implemented unprecedented cultural change, strategic vision, and physical restructuring that endures today while increasing morale, loyalty, and commitment among 573 deployed staff: improved retention by 100%
• Inspired and… Show more

• Personally selected by the Global CEO (3-star Admiral) to be responsible for reorganization and restructuring of 41,000 personnel, $26.6B budget, and six major business units across 12 Middle East countries and the Persian Gulf region
• Conceived, led, and implemented unprecedented cultural change, strategic vision, and physical restructuring that endures today while increasing morale, loyalty, and commitment among 573 deployed staff: improved retention by 100%
• Inspired and developed comprehensive assessment process, measures of effectiveness, and measures of efficiency toward long-range goals for U.S. and 21 allied and coalition military partners
• Imbued a “culture of change leadership” across the enterprise, increased operational effectiveness greatly by partnering with multiple military commands, academia, and U.S. Navy think tanks
• Proposed, developed and implemented a new major business unit (Task Force) responsible for aligning the operations of 3,500 people in three geographically disparate locations that improved efficiency 150% and streamlined span of control by half. This organizational model, which endures today, was replicated in Europe, Africa, the Indo-Pacific region and has become the U.S. Navy model of expeditionary excellence Show less

• Responsible for reorganization and restructuring of 123,000 personnel, $79.8B budget, and 15 major business units across North America, South America, and the Atlantic
• Change agent to reorganize 600+ staff away from legacy administrative structure (wasteful and inefficient) to rally around business functions
• Simultaneously executed operational functions to command and control globally integrated business units and administrative functions of regional headquarters with heretofore… Show more

• Responsible for reorganization and restructuring of 123,000 personnel, $79.8B budget, and 15 major business units across North America, South America, and the Atlantic
• Change agent to reorganize 600+ staff away from legacy administrative structure (wasteful and inefficient) to rally around business functions
• Simultaneously executed operational functions to command and control globally integrated business units and administrative functions of regional headquarters with heretofore unrealized efficiency, saving $12M
• Produced results faster and more effectively than similar organizations, which became the U.S. Navy standard for all corporate headquarters globally Show less

• Pioneer for habitual relationships between the U.S. military and U.S. Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security
• Developed, tested, and demonstrated the inherent value of assigning professional U.S. Foreign Service officers to U.S. military units (local, regional, transnational), which the U.S. government later adopted as the U.S. military standard
• Employed successfully in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and globally to enhance operational planning and save countless American… Show more

• Pioneer for habitual relationships between the U.S. military and U.S. Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security
• Developed, tested, and demonstrated the inherent value of assigning professional U.S. Foreign Service officers to U.S. military units (local, regional, transnational), which the U.S. government later adopted as the U.S. military standard
• Employed successfully in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and globally to enhance operational planning and save countless American lives
• Awarded U.S. State Department commendation for transformational diplomacy Show less

• Developed the first-ever Maritime Operational Threat Response (MOTR) protocols with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Naval War College, and the Canadian Navy that increased U.S. Homeland Security substantially, saved lives, and prevented terrorist attacks on U.S. soil
• Led 12 unique experiments with 500 people, 15 business units, and academia that increased anti-terrorism/force protection measures national, reduced risk to personnel, and improved U.S. military options for crisis response

• Decisive leadership in crisis, which saved lives and reduced injuries during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
• Supervised all U.S. diving & salvage operations (federal, state, local) in LA, MS, AL
• Integrated military divers, resources, and funding from 27 allies and international partners seamlessly
• Synchronized current operations, planned future operations, and developed long-range contingencies that optimized finite resources and mobilized talented employees efficiently

• Competitively screened and selected to run the DoD’s only EOD school during a surge period of 423% growth in the wake of 9/11 attacks
• Transformed the Navy’s education and training processes by harnessing the power of the science of learning, casting off outdated and inefficient methodologies, and delivering the right training at the right time and place to increase military readiness 150%
• Saved and recapitalized $300M into the operational requirements of Iraq and Afghanistan… Show more

• Competitively screened and selected to run the DoD’s only EOD school during a surge period of 423% growth in the wake of 9/11 attacks
• Transformed the Navy’s education and training processes by harnessing the power of the science of learning, casting off outdated and inefficient methodologies, and delivering the right training at the right time and place to increase military readiness 150%
• Saved and recapitalized $300M into the operational requirements of Iraq and Afghanistan
• Exceeded historical student records with 104% quota utilization, 24% attrition rate, and 552 graduates in 1 year
• Created EOD and Diving occupational specialties
• Created a new national business unit to oversee the entire domain of end-to-end training pipeline for U.S. military EOD and diving initial accessions Show less