Our Founder - Dr. Wally Kirkpatrick

Dr. Wallace (Wally) Kirkpatrick joined the Army at a young age and served with distinction and career success. He joined the Army Missile Development Team at Redstone Arsenal and was selected for assignment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He then served Redstone Arsenal as the Deputy Director, U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Defense Advanced Technology Center. He was selected as a Congressional Science Fellow by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) where he served on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, U.S. Senate. He then served as Deputy Director of the Concept Definition Group which formulated system requirements, life cycle costs, and schedules. He left Civil Service and was subsequently elected to the Space and Missile Defense Command Hall of Fame.

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Dr. Kirkpatrick started DESE with a focus on technical excellence and innovation. DESE has contributed to almost every major DoD missile defense program and many other key programs over the last 38 years and has grown to over 175 people with presence in several states. The company and its employees have received numerous recognitions and awards and are widely recognized for quality performance and exceptional community support. Dr. Kirkpatrick was a highly respected community leader and advisor to members of Congress. Dr. Kirkpatrick passed away in December of 2019.