The United States Army
10/08/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2021 15:27
Secretary of the Army appoints two new civilian aides from Maryland
WASHINGTON - The U.S Army appointed Mr. Bobby Henry Jr. and Mr. Guy Filippelli as a new Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army during an investiture ceremony on Sept. 30, 2021, at the Pentagon.
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth swore in Henry to represent Maryland (South) and Filippelli to represent Maryland (Central) as CASAs, and they will serve as two of three CASAs for the state of Maryland.
"Growing up in Prince George's County, Maryland, I had never met or interacted with an Army officer until I was a freshman attending college in North Carolina during the fall semester of 1976," said Henry. "Within the first month of my freshman year, I met an Army officer who transformed my life by informing me about the scholarship opportunities that were available from the Army."
Henry earned a full three-year Army scholarship and went on active duty shortly after. While in uniform, he assisted many students in obtaining Army ROTC scholarships through enrichment programs and outreach efforts.
"It became my passion to reach as many educators and young people as possible so that I could share the positive programs the Army could provide to the civilian community as well as the exciting scholarships and other opportunities that the Army provides to youth," said Henry. "As a CASA, I look forward to serving my community and sharing Secretary Wormuth's vision, interacting with the citizens of the great state of Maryland, and sharing how choosing a career with the U.S. Army can help them become more than they ever imagined."
Filippelli is currently the managing partner of Squadra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. He was previously co-founder and CEO of RedOwl Analytics and Berico Technologies and a founding partner of Oxpoint Holdings.
"It's a true honor to serve as a point-person for the Army here in Baltimore," said Filippelli. "My West Point and Army experience changed my life and made me a better, stronger person and citizen. I am sincerely excited to be a civilian aide to ensure we have the relationships in place to improve our recruiting and Soldier transition initiatives and inspire more of Maryland's youth to make that decision to serve as I did."
Filippelli began his career as a U.S. Army intelligence officer, serving in Korea, Italy, Germany, Afghanistan and at NSA. In 2007, Filippelli received the National Intelligence Medallion, the nation's highest intelligence award for civilian personnel, for his efforts in Iraq to bring real-time targeting capabilities to our tactical forces. He holds a B.S. in economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and received his B.A. and M.A. in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar. He is chairman of the Commit Foundation, a non-profit focused on veteran transition, and also serves on the boards of the National Cryptologic Foundation and the University of Maryland's BioPark.
Wormuth thanked Henry and Filippelli for volunteering to serve in the CASA program, which allows distinguished members of the community to become "America's link to the Army," and stated that every military service should enjoy the benefits of a civilian aides program.
"I view the CASAs as force multipliers; the CASAs are my community liaisons," said Wormuth. "I need them to explain the Army's challenges to the community and inform us how the community feels about the Army."
CASAs promote good relations between the Army and the public, advise the Secretary about regional issues, support the total Army workforce, and assist with recruiting and helping our Soldiers as they transition out of the military.
Each state, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories have one or more CASAs appointed to provide a vital link between the Army and the communities for which they serve. CASAs are usually business or civic leaders who possess a keen interest in the welfare of the Army and their communities.