DEFCON Steering Group Contacts
Chair: Carl Dahms - Local 916
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 405-532-7801
Work: 405-733-3851
Vice Chair: Denise Nemeth-Greenleaf – Local 2024
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 207-752-1092
DEFCON Chair Emeritus: Don Hale - Local 2367
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 845-401-6642
National Contacts
- Anthony Livingston - [email protected] (DoD Legislative and Political Organizer)
- Michael Pazder – [email protected] (DEFCON attorney)
- Frank Fragomene - [email protected] (Labor Relations Specialist, Field Services & Education Department)
- Octavia Hall – [email protected] (DoD Labor Relations Specialist, Field Services and Education Department)
- Tim Kauffman – [email protected] (Communications Specialist, Communications Department)
- Keith Abouchar – [email protected] (Legislative Representative)
- Sergio Espinosa - [email protected] (Legislative Representative)
- Tracie St. John - [email protected](Affiliate Liaison)
Steering Group Committee Leads
- Awards: Carolyn Chando - [email protected]
- Communications: Kellie Mersereau-Hummel - [email protected]
- Legislative: Brandon Hartzog - [email protected]
- Organizing: Mike Ferguson - [email protected]
- Representation: Christine Lauer - [email protected]
- Training: Denise Nemeth-Greenleaf - [email protected]
Standing Committees
Air Force Caucus
Represents the interests of tens of thousands of civilian employees at Air Force bases across the country, as well as employees at the Air Force Material Command.
Chair: Carl Dahms - Local 916
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 405-532-7801
Work: 405-733-3851
Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Caucus
Council 214
Nationwide bargaining council that represents 40,000 professional and non-professional employees employed by AFMC across nine AFGE locals.
Chair: Troy Tingey – Local 1592
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 801-388-2493
Vice Chair: Aaron Herweg
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 505-203-8996
Army Caucus
Represents General Schedule and Wage Grade employees at Army bases, forts and installations across the country.
Chair: Ozia Scott - Local 54
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 706-332-2728
Vice Chair: Julie Van Horn – Local 1345
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 719-459-5332
Army & Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) Caucus
Council 235
Represents employees working at retail and convenience stores on military bases operated by AAFES and support personnel out of AAFES headquarters.
Chair: Anna Green (Local 4042)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 972-765-7677
Defense Commissary Agency (DECA) Caucus
Council 172
Represents non-professional and non-supervisory employees at commissaries across the country.
Chair: Walt Taylor - Local 1923
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 443-722-2431
Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Caucus
Council 170
Represents more than 10,000 employees at 24 AFGE locals across the country.
Chair: Dora Brown – Local 2117
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 757-291-1372
Vice Chair: Brad Wofford – Local 2304
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 724-840-5254
Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Caucus
Local 524
Over 3,000 rank-and-file employees at DCAA are ultimately responsible to make sure that the taxpayers get a fair price for goods and services purchased in support of our men and women in the military.
Chair: Jim Galler - Local 524
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (336) 317-6182
Vice Chair: Mario Benavides - Local 524
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (571) 448-3855
Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) Caucus
Council 171
This caucus represents General Schedule and Wage Grade employees who help provide payments services throughout the Department of Defense.
Chair: Jimmie Wattley - Local 1148
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 614-975-9398
Vice Chair: Queotta Hicks – Local 3283
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 216-255-1848
Defense Health Agency (DHA) Caucus
This caucus represents the interests of health care personnel within the Department of Defense.
Chair: Katrise Newman - Local 2022
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 719-287-9180
Vice Chair: Bill Ward - Local 1834
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 907-750-0132
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Caucus
This caucus represents employees who ensure our military can access and share information they need to support warfighting efforts.
Chair: Robin Menafee – Local 1148
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 614-937-3159
Vice Chair: Marlena Slaughter – Local 1148
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 614-216-3687
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Caucus
Council 169
This caucus represents professional and non-professional employees throughout DLA who provide supplies and services to America’s military forces worldwide.
Chair: Da'Laine Simpson – Local 2004
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 717-425-9082
Vice Chair: Randy Elliott - Local 2004
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 717-770-6162
Depots & Arsenals Caucus
This caucus represents the interests of civilian employees who work at Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps depots and arsenals across the country.
Chair: Carolyn Chando– Local 1592
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 801-726-0812
Vice Chair: Ned George – Local 1647
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 570-580-2905
Marine Corps Caucus
Council 240
This caucus represents professional and non-professional civilian employees throughout the Marine Corps.
Chair: Kelly Keating – Local 2065
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 910-333-4257
Vice Chair: Donald Topliff – Local 2065
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 910-545-1863
National Guard (Title 32) Caucus
This caucus represents the interests of civilian employees throughout the federal government who belong to the National Guard.
Chair: Michael Ferguson – Local 987
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 478-808-8477
Vice Chair: Jeanette McElhaney – Local 987
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 478-397-0212
Navy Caucus
This caucus represents General Schedule and Wage Grade employees throughout the Navy.
Chair: Denise Nemeth-Greenleaf – Local 2024
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 207-752-1092
Vice Chair: Brandon Hartzog – Local 2010
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 904-813-1195
Navy Region Southeast
Council 243
Bargaining council representing Navy employees in 11 AFGE locals across the Southeast U.S.
Chair: Brandon Hartzog – Local 2010
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 904-813-1195
Vice Chair: George Alton – Local 1735
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 361-947-8604
Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) Caucus
This caucus represents the interest of civilian employees at Defense exchanges and other locations who are paid from revenue generated by the sale of goods and services, rather than from funds appropriated by Congress.
Chair: Kellie Mersereau-Hummel – Local 1345
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 719-722-9749
Vice Chair: Christine Lauer – Local 1199
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 702-379-5266
Ad Hoc Committees and AFGE Liaisons
Fire Liaison
The fire liaison facilitates coordination and communication between DEFCON and the AFGE Firefighters Steering Committee on issues affecting members of the firefighter community within the Defense Department.
Brandon Hartzog – Local 2010
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 904-813-1195
Police Liaison
The police liaison facilitates coordination and communication between DEFCON and the AFGE Law Enforcement Steering Committee on issues affecting members of the law enforcement community within the Defense Department.
Stephen Booth – Local 1737
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 316-200-7032
Space Force Committee
Committee established by the DEFCON Steering Group in June 2023 to address workplace issues affecting employees at the U.S. Space Force.
Chair: Jennifer Grigsby - Local 2429
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 310-686-1032
Workplace Bullying Committee
Committee established by the DEFCON Steering Group in September 2022 to address bullying of AFGE members employed by the Department of Defense.
Chair: Denise Nemeth-Greenleaf – Local 2024
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 207-752-1092
WFP Committee
Committee established by the DEFCON Steering Group in September 2023 to address any issues concerning discrimination of AFGE members employed by the Department of Defense.
Chair: Roslyn Austin – Local 2429
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 323-514-5974
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