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Way of Life | USAFA Alumni

Benyshek, Carolyn

Emeritus Director, Board Secretary

Gary Kyle

Gary Kyle is the President of Persistent Agility, Inc. (PAI), a Veteran-Owned Small Business providing agile acquisition strategy,  business, and technical solutions. He leads or participates in senior-level, independent reviews that advise C-level executives  and Government senior leaders regarding strategic space capability, major system acquisition strategy, industrial base issues, and  R&D procurement matters. He solves disparate, complex problems and applies sound business judgment and innovation to 

improving program execution of sole source, competitive, commercial, and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) acquisitions.  He engages in high-level strategy sessions and industry merger & acquisition reviews, informs capital investment firms, and advises industry on bid/no bid decisions for major acquisitions. 

Mr. Kyle supported the Aerospace Corporation’s Sentinel and Advanced MILSATCOM Independent Advisory Groups,  providing recommendations to the program offices on acquisition, budget, and contracting matters. He supported the  USD(A&S)-led team that conducted the Root Cause Analysis for the AF Sentinel FY2024 critical Nunn-McCurdy breach cost  growth (from $96B to $132B), providing specific insights into the contributing factors. He participated in independent program  assessments including Sentinel, Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, and the Space Force’s Combat Power portfolio programs, 

providing recommendations that improved program execution, realigned contract incentives, and addressed supply chain and  subcontract challenges. His inputs to the FY2023 NDAA-directed 20-Year Reentry Vehicle Development Plan helped inform  OSD Industrial Base strategic investments. As Senior Contracting Executive for a disruptive space-based situational awareness offering, he introduced unique commercial capability to DoD and NRO senior leaders in the space community, leading to a  unique DARPA OT. He served on the NASA Standing Review Board for the $3.7B Commercial Crew Program ensuring  contract incentive alignment and competent risk management. He facilitated the Data Transmit & Receive Network satellite  control assessment, advocating US Space Command and Space Force joint planning and short-term commercial solution  adoption. Mr. Kyle chaired a senior leader industry group that reviewed and successfully restructured a $10B national security  space effort to ensure mission success. His inputs to National Academy of Sciences “Owning the Technical Baseline (OTB)”  and “Multi-Domain Command & Control (MDC2)” studies resolved complex acquisition issues. He briefed the FY2016 NDAA 

Section 809 Acquisition Reform Panel on OTA use in rapid prototyping and improving the DoD source selection process.  

Mr. Kyle served as a Principal at Booz Allen Hamilton, orchestrating the efforts of 52 geographically dispersed consultants, providing acquisition, contracting, and financial expertise for HQ Air Force Financial Management, HQ Air Mobility Command,  and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). The AFSPC Commander and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Director hand selected Mr. Kyle to serve as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Tiger Team Business Lead. He collaborated  with a senior cross-functional team to assess program issues, develop alternatives, and define acquisition tenets that the AF and  NRO adopted. The AF Deputy CIO praised his leadership of a 60-person cross-functional team that assessed seven IT  efficiency initiatives, verified $800M in potential savings, and built formal business cases for use in the Air Force budget process. 

As Vice President, Verizon Business Defense, his team delivered responsive landline and wireless communications, and  Continuity of Operations services to accounts valued at $900M, including the White House Communications Agency, DoD, and Department of Homeland Security. He led the team that was responsible for assured global telecommunication support to  the President and Vice President of the United States. 

Mr. Kyle served as the Director, Acquisition Excellence for the AF Assistant Secretary (Acquisition) directing teams that created  acquisition reform initiatives for use across all AF major programs. As the Division Chief, Acquisition Strategy, his group  reviewed and coordinated all major acquisition strategies for development and production within the $178B AF portfolio  requiring AF Secretariat or OSD Under Secretary approval. His responsibilities included SBIRS, AEHF, MILSATCOM, C-17,  F-22, F-35, B-2, and JDAM. He guided the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) Program Office through its successful $20B Development  competition. In his role as the Deputy Program Manager and Contracting Director for the $17B EELV program, he spearheaded  the Development and Launch Service negotiations, crafted and signed two $500M OTAs—largest in DoD history at that point. 

Mr. Kyle received recognition both as a dynamic senior leader and senior participant on high performance teams, including the  DoD David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award (#1 DoD program); DoD Value Engineering Award; DoD Defense  Standardization Program National Honorary Award; Air Force John J. Welch, Jr. Award for Excellence in Acquisition  Management (#1 Air Force program—two-time winner); Air Force Contracting Award for Outstanding Strategic Acquisition  Reform; and Air Force Contracting Award for Outstanding Contribution to Competition. 

Mr. Kyle holds a Master of Arts in Telecommunications (The George Washington University); a Master of Science in National  Resource Strategy (National Defense University); a Master of Science in Procurement and Acquisition Management with Law  Option (Northrop University); and a Bachelor of Science (United States Air Force Academy). He is a graduate of the Defense  Systems Management College Program Management Course and Senior Acquisition Course. He attained the highest-level DoD  acquisition certifications in both Program Management and Contracting.

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