FOZZIE MILLER GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy ( Ret. )
Craig Wonson, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) served with distinction for over 30 years as an infantry officer and operational planner. He commanded at both the O-5 and O-6 levels and led planning and operations for a Marine infantry battalion engaged in major combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A graduate of both the Marine Corps Command & Staff College and the School of Advanced Warfighting, Colonel Wonson held key planning billets and led large-scale planning efforts at the division, corps, service, and combatant command levels. His operational planning experience included service as a Future Operations Planner with I Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq and as the Future Operations Officer for the 1st Marine Division in Afghanistan. Selected as the first Marine Corps Fellow at Yale University's Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy, he brought an important practitioner's perspective to strategic defense studies at one of the world's leading academic institutions.
Following his final command leading a Marine Corps center of excellence for ground combat forces where he delivered advanced training on planning and operations to more than 900 students and 40 units, Colonel Wonson served as a military professor at the U.S. Naval War College for eight years. He taught in both the Strategy & Policy Department and at the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, helping over 200 graduate-level students apply strategic theory to real-world security challenges and develop expertise in strategy alignment, campaign design, operational planning, and risk mitigation. Colonel Wonson concurrently served as the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Senior Service Advisor to the President of the U.S. Naval War College from 2021-2024, during which time he also provided direct support to planning efforts led by the Center for Maritime Operational Warfare and the Advanced Strategist Program. He received the College's Military Faculty Award for Excellence in Service in 2024.
Dr. Heath "Hank" Brightman is a recognized leader in military and academic circles, currently a professor directing the Military Assistance to Disaster Response Program at the U.S. Naval War College where he also holds the prestigious EMC Informationist Chair. With a rich Navy Reserve career, CAPT Brightman, USNR has commanded five reserve units, notably leading Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Headquarters. His academic credentials are equally impressive, boasting multiple advanced degrees, including a Doctorate in Educational Administration & Leadership as well as Joint Professional Military Education phases I & II. His recent deployment as Officer in Charge for U.S.-Coordinated Repatriations in Operation INHERENT RESOLVE led to the successful repatriation of 418 individuals, earning him a Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and Two Department of State Superior Honor Awards. His diverse experience offers invaluable insights for foreign military consultation, particularly in strategic operations, war gaming, and humanitarian missions.
Job Titles:
- Rear Admiral
- John Maxwell Certified Life Coach
- Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy ( Ret. )
James Aiken, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.) served with distinction for 35 years, commanding at the O-5, O-6, O-7, and O-8 levels. A career surface warfare officer, he held key operational and strategic leadership roles across the globe and deployed extensively to support forward naval presence, maritime security, and coalition operations. His commands-ranging from command, squadron command, strike group command, and fleet command-were consistently recognized for operational excellence and leadership, earning him personal commendations for his ability to innovate, mentor, and inspire. While commanding U.S. Fourth Fleet, he initiated and directed the innovative Hybrid Fleet concept to enhance fleet readiness and operational reach, and was recognized by Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil for strategic leadership in strengthening regional maritime security cooperation.
Aiken's career is marked by pioneering initiatives, including co-designing the Surface Warfare XO/CO Fleet-Up Program, coordinating and initiating the Forward Deployed Naval Forces - Rota (FDNF-Rota) rotation model, and authoring the Defense of the Oil Platforms Handbook in the Northern Arabian Gulf, which established an operational framework for protecting critical maritime infrastructure. A graduate of the U.S. Naval War College, he possesses noteworthy acumen in financial management, budgetary development and execution, and congressional affairs, broadening his impact on Navy resource strategy, fiscal stewardship, and legislative engagement. His leadership extended across multinational and joint environments, where he advanced maritime operations center (MOC) capabilities, integrated emerging technologies, and strengthened allied and partner nation cooperation. His influence in fleet-level planning and execution included freedom of navigation operations, maritime security patrols, and multinational maritime exercises.
As a John Maxwell Certified Life Coach, Aiken has applied his leadership expertise beyond the Navy, dedicating himself to service in the nonprofit and ministry world. Since retiring, he has led Connections and Men's Ministry at Destination Church, coached and mentored small group leaders, and overseen church security operations. He has served on the advisory group at Harvest Community School, helping improve organizational structure and educational effectiveness. He also serves part-time as a consultant with a defense innovation company, focusing on Maritime Operations Center innovation and effectiveness. He coaches junior varsity and varsity basketball for his sons' teams.
Professor Joe Rutledge, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), had a distinguished career as an infantry officer, holding multiple command and senior staff positions with significant roles in strategic and operational planning, including assignments with II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. Following his retirement, he joined the U.S. Naval War College, first as a Military Professor and later as civilian faculty. He has played a central role in curriculum development and instruction across key professional military education programs, including the Joint Maritime Operations Department (JPME I & II), the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School (MAWS), and the College of Maritime Operational Warfare (CMOW).
Within CMOW, he contributed extensively to the Maritime Staff Officers Course (MSOC) and supported U.S. Navy Fleet headquarters through tailored educational efforts as part of the Assist and Assess Team. Professor Rutledge also helped establish the Executive Level Operational Level of War Course, emphasizing the effective use of Maritime Operations Center (MOC) processes to support senior leadership decision-making. He continues to support U.S. and international flag officer development through CMOW's JFMCC and CFMCC courses.
He currently serves as Director of the Maritime Operational Planners Course (MOPC), which he created and led as a Naval War College Project Manager. In this role, he oversees all aspects of curriculum execution and advancement, including scenario development, instructional design, and practical exercises in support of Navy operational planning education.
Job Titles:
- Vice Admiral
- Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy ( Ret. )
Job Titles:
- Rear Admiral
- Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy ( Ret. )
Keith Davids, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.) is a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was a career Naval Special Warfare Officer. He earned a Master of Science degree in Manpower Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College.
His operational tours include tours at SEAL Teams TWO, SEVEN, EIGHT, and Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He had operational command of SEAL Team One, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Iraq, Joint Task Force Haiti, and Special Operations Command South. He has made numerous operational deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, the Pacific, and the Caribbean.
His shore tours include Naval Post Graduate School, Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, aide-de-camp for Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; military aide to the President of the United States; deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare Group Three; Director of Training at the Naval Special Warfare Center; Director of Operations at Naval Special Warfare Command, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office, Deputy Director of Joint Interagency Task Force - South, Commander of the Naval Special Warfare Center, and Deputy Commander of Naval Special Warfare Command. Davids most recently served as Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command.
His military decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (three awards), Legion of Merit (three awards), Bronze Star Medal with Combat V (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat V, Presidential Unit Citation, and various other unit and service awards.
Job Titles:
- Rear Admiral
- Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy ( Ret. )
- Senior Advisor to Quadrant Nuclear Industries
Michael Wettlaufer, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.), served nearly 38 years as a carrier aviator, test pilot and nuclear trained naval officer. He was the 28th Commander, Military Sealift Command from 2019-2023, operating the nation's largest fleet: 150+ government and commercially owned and operated vessels providing global logistics, sealift and special mission support to the Navy and Joint Force. He previously commanded Carrier Strike Group 3 from 2017 to 2019 including an around-the-world deployment in 2018-2019, and served as Deputy for Policy, Plans, Strategy, Capabilities and Resources in US European Command from 2016-2017. His previous commands include USS John C Stennis (CVN 74) from 2013-2016, USS Denver (LPD 9) in 2011-2012 and the Dambusters of Strike Fighter Squadron ONE NINE FIVE (VFA-195) from 2004-2005. Assigned to the forward deployed naval forces, he deployed from Japan during three separate tours and was also on exchange with the Royal Navy at Empire Test Pilot's School as a tutor and test pilot from 1998-2001. He has numerous deployments in the North Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf flying the A-6E Intruder from the USS America, FA-18C from USS Independence and USS Kitty Hawk, and the FA-18E/F/G from USS John C Stennis. He was a Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group associate fellow (SSG XXI) from 2001-2002 and as a policy analyst in the office of the deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO Policy from 2005-2007.
Post-retirement, Wettlaufer serves as a senior advisor to Quadrant Nuclear Industries, a board director for both the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, an angel investor, and advisor to early-stage enterprises as Principal at MW Insights, LLC. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology Colorado State University, Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee and Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. A US Navy Test Pilot School graduate (Class 104), he completed Navy Nuclear Power Training in 2008.
Job Titles:
- Captain, U.S. Navy ( Ret. )
- Professor