The North Carolina Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) was Fort Bragg focused at their recent monthly luncheon held on Monday, Sept. 15. 

AFCEA members gathered at the Airborne Innovation Lab of Fort Bragg to network, eat and  learn about the incoming Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost (JIOP). 

The organization, manned by an all volunteer staff, serves a mission to create an ethical forum for discussion between US national security professionals in the private sector and empower the next generation of STEM professionals through grants for STEM teachers and students across the state. 

“All of the money we make from our events, to include our Innovation Summit, which we'll be having in February, goes into our teacher grant [and]  student scholarship in North Carolina ROTC programs. So this year, we gave about $31,000 out in teacher grants. That's for STEM teachers all around North Carolina,” shared chapter President Linnea Gavrilis. “We gave about $30,000 out in student scholarships too. This year, we really tried to branch it out. So it wasn't just Cumberland County, we had Moore County, Cook County and some of the others.” 

Gavrilis shared that a goal for next year will be to reach out to teachers, students and ROTC programs at Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg to support their teachers and students as well. 

Following lunch, featured speaker Rob Braun, CTO from XVIII Airborne Corps, was able to discuss the upcoming JIOP with additional remarks from Col. Tom Monaghan, director of the JIOP. 

“With the XVIII Corps, we really pushed the envelope for the Army for innovation and how to solve unique problems. I do get questions at times like, ‘Aren't there other organizations like DevCom? There are other people that do these things. Why does the XVIII Airborne Corps need to be in that space?’ And it's not really that we need to be in the space, we got thrust into the space, because all of these organizations look to us as we are the Army’s premier Corps and organization for innovation and modernization,” shared Braun about the facility.

The JIOP was announced on Nov. 14, 2024 and a dedication ceremony was held in honor of its namesake. 

The facility is “purpose-built for adaptability, the space supports everything from warfighter exercises to large-scale technology conferences. Its proximity to key partners — including Defense Innovation Unit and local universities — removes barriers to collaboration, allowing ideas to flow freely and solutions to develop rapidly,” according to a press release sent out by the Army. 

Early announcement for the facility shared that it will feature 3D printing labs, virtual reality simulation suites and prototyping workshops, all enabling Soldiers and engineers to make their solutions and ideas a reality. A grand opening is being planned for late 2025. 

A Q & A session followed Braun's address, allowing AFCEA members to get more details about the facility. 

The meeting ended with AFCEA organizers sharing information about upcoming events including their 2026 technology symposium & exposition planned for February of next year. 

“The TechNet Fort Bragg event that we have in February is actually going to be called the Innovation Summit this year. So, if you see that in language out there, think Innovation Summit is the same thing as the formerly TechNet Fort Bragg,” shared VP of Programs for AFCEA NC Kati Samerigo. 

Other upcoming events for AFCEA NC include an Innovation Pathways & Partnerships event taking place at Fayetteville State University on Friday, Oct. 3, and the upcoming drone competition announced by the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corp. 

Learn more about the AFCEA NC Chapter on their LinkedIn page here. 

Editor's note: This story was edited on 09/18/25 to clarify a quotation from a military leader.