Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Systems

Major General David G. Bassett was appointed Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems in September 2013. He is responsible for the life-cycle management of a complex and diverse organization with six Acquisition Category I programs (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program, M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer program, Abrams Tank upgrades, Bradley Fighting Vehicles upgrades, the Stryker Family of Vehicles and the M88 HERCULES). In addition to the combat vehicle modernization efforts for each of the ACAT I programs, to include active protection systems, he is also responsible for multiple Foreign Military Sales efforts and pending programs such as Mobile Protected Firepower. The Ground Combat Systems portfolio has an annual budget of more than $2.67 billion with a total program budget of more than $14.8 billion (POM FY16-20).

MG Bassett was commissioned through ROTC in 1988 into the Signal Corps with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia. As a junior officer, he served in Germany in tactical positions as Communications Platoon Leader, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and as Battalion S4 and Company Commander in 123rd Signal Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division.

Following the Signal Officer’s Advanced Course and Advanced Civil Schooling at the University of Virginia where he received a Master of Science in Computer Science, he was assigned to the US European Command Staff, where he served as the Requirements Analysis and Interoperability Action Officer, J6.

He transferred to the Army Acquisition Corps in 1999 and was assigned to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, as Operations Officer, Communications and Electronics Command Software Engineering Center. MG Bassett went on to serve at Fort Monmouth as the Chief Software Engineer for the Future Combat Systems Network and as Program Integrator and Product Manager, Future Combat Systems, Software Integration. He then served on the Joint Staff as the Ground Maneuver Analyst, Capabilities and Acquisition Division, J8.

From July 2009 to May 2012, MG Bassett served as the Army’s Project Manager for Tactical Vehicles within the Program Executive Office for Combat Support & Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS). In June 2012, Tactical Vehicles was restructured, and he was tapped to lead the Joint Program Office, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, PEO CS&CSS, through the Engineering and Manufacturing Development award, from June 2012 to August 2012.

In September 2012, MG Bassett assumed responsibilities as the Deputy Program Executive Officer for CS&CSS. As the DPEO he provided technical and managerial oversight for approximately 270 tactical wheeled vehicles, special purpose vehicles and equipment, physical security equipment, petroleum and water systems, and other support systems/equipment for the US Army and sister services.

MG Bassett is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and a distinguished graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.