Ken Friend served his country in the U.S. Army for 24 years.
Building a Legacy: A Lifelong Mission of Service
For Dennis, supporting the warfighter is part of his DNA
By Jillian Wright
For Dennis, a program director at Northrop Grumman, supporting the warfighter is part of his DNA.
As a self-proclaimed “Army brat,” he grew up in Southeast Virginia between Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis, an Army base. His desire to serve emerged at an early age when he visited the Langley Base for the first time as a child.
“The technology, the aircraft, the look and feel of the base and the Air Force culture hooked me,” he says. “The first time I saw an F-15 take off, I knew I wanted to be part of this organization.”
During the summer of 1985, when he was 18, Dennis moved to Colorado Springs to attend the Air Force Academy. This led to a 25-year career as an aircraft maintenance officer. He also held various leadership roles at the Office of the Secretary of Defense as well as the Logistics Officer Association (LOA), including serving as LOA president for two years.
