Pioneers

of National Reconnaissance

Edward C. Mahen, Jr.

& Carol A. Staubach
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Supr a Et Ultr a

Pioneers 

of National Reconnaissance

January 2020

The National Reconnaissance Pioneer Program recognizes and honors individuals 

who have made significant and lasting contributions to national reconnaissance—

pioneering contributions that were innovative, remarkable, and changed the direction 

and scope of the discipline and its practice. It is the highest honor in the field of 

national reconnaissance.

The Director of National Reconnaissance, Dr. Christopher Scolese, recognizes 

Mr. Edward Mahen and Ms. Carol Staubach, whose pioneering innovations have 

had a profound and lasting effect on NRO’s national and tactical missions.

The Pioneer Recognition Ceremony formally inducts Mr. Mahen and Ms. Staubach, 

the NRO’s Pioneer honorees, into Pioneer Hall. NRO’s Pioneer Hall is a collection 

of commemorative medallions, one for each of NRO’s Pioneers of National 

Reconnaissance. The medallions serve as enduring tributes to the pioneers’ trailblazing 

contributions to the discipline of national reconnaissance. This booklet includes the 

words that appear on Mr. Mahen’s and Ms. Staubach’s medallions and briefly explains 

the nature of the Pioneers’ specific contributions. Mr. Mahen’s and Ms. Staubach’s 

medallions now join the other 93 medallions that commemorate the contributions of 

Pioneers over the years. When you visit Pioneer Hall, I encourage you to review the 

citations on the medallions to gain a sense of the scope of the Pioneers’ contributions 

and the lasting impact they had on the NRO and our nation’s national security.

Dr. James Outzen

Director, Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance

Foreword
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Mr. Mahen pioneered the development of a revolutionary new reconnaissance 

satellite and supporting infrastructure that significantly enhanced and 

strengthened national security over the past decade. This program enabled 

the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to better counter its most critical 

threats and broadened the NRO’s spatial, spectral, and temporal capabilities.

Medallion Citation

Edward C. Mahen, Jr.

Period of Pioneering Contribution: 2004 – 2010 Career in National Reconnaissance: 1998 – Present

Mr. Mahen’s pioneering contribution dramatically extended the capabilities of the NRO 

satellite constellation in support of CIA and DoD missions. During the Pioneer Recognition 

Ceremony for Mr. Mahen’s induction into the NRO’s Pioneer Hall, he will be presented 

with a commemorative plaque citation, which states:

Mr. Mahen pioneered the development of a revolutionary new reconnaissance 

satellite and supporting infrastructure that significantly enhanced and strengthened 

national security over the past decade. This program enabled the National 

Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to better counter its most critical threats and 

broadened the NRO’s spatial, spectral, and temporal capabilities.

Mr. Mahen has served at the NRO in numerous capacities since 1998. Mr. Mahen began 

his NRO career under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act as a Senior Technical Advisor 

for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), assessing CIA’s current and future needs 

and how the NRO could meet these requirements. Mr. Mahen supported the Advanced 

Systems and Technolgy Directorate as the Chief Technology Officer and a Program 

Manager, researching new technologies that led to the development of revolutionary new 

intelligence capabilites. Mr. Mahen is assigned presently to the Geospacial Intelligence 

Systems Acquisition Directorate, where he works on current and future satellite systems 

that support critical intelligence missions. Mr. Mahen was born in Richmond Heights, 

Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science in physics and a Master of Science in electric 

engineering from the University of Missouri.

Edward C. Mahen, Jr.
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Ms. Carol Staubach pioneered the future of overhead reconnaissance 

by modernizing the NRO’s SIGINT ground architecture, delivering 

unprecedented intelligence capabilities and the blueprint followed by others 

for the future NRO Enterprise. She overcame social, fiscal, international, and 

technical challenges changing the course of the NRO forever.

Medallion Citation

Carol A. Staubach

Period of Pioneering Contribution: 1997 – 2000 Career in National Reconnaissance: 1988 – 2019

Ms. Staubach’s pioneering contribution, which began in the late 1990’s, remains the blue 

print for NRO’s common integrated enterprise ground architecture. During the Pioneer 

Recognition Ceremony for Ms. Staubach’s induction into the NRO’s Pioneer Hall, her 

family will be presented with a commemorative plaque citation, which states:

Ms. Carol Staubach pioneered the future of overhead reconnaissance by 

modernizing the NRO’s SIGINT ground architecture, delivering unprecedented 

intelligence capabilities and the blueprint followed by others for the future NRO 

Enterprise. She overcame social, fiscal, international, and technical challenges 

changing the course of the NRO forever.

Ms. Staubach’s government service career began at the Central Intelligence Agency in 

1970 and continued at the NRO from 1988 until her retirement from federal service in 

2003. Ms. Staubach served in a number of leadership positions at the NRO in the Imagery 

Systems Acquisition and Operations (now GEOINT) and SIGINT Systems Acquisition 

and Operations Directorates. She later led hundreds of employees and oversaw numerous 

contracts as Director of the Imagery Systems Acquisition and Operations (now GEOINT) 

and the Advanced Systems and Technology Directorates. After her retirement, Ms. 

Staubuch continued to support the Intelligence Community and aerospace agencies as 

an executive at Booz Allen Hamilton and as an Independent consultant. She also served 

for many years as an NRO Pioneer Selection Board member. Ms. Staubach was born in 

Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, physics 

and secondary education at the University of Pittsburgh and pursued graduate study in 

mathematics and engineering administration at the University of Pittsburgh and George 

Washington University. Ms. Staubach passed away on 3 June 2019.

Carol A. Staubach
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2019

Carol A. Staubach 

2018

Edward C. Mahen, Jr.

2017

Timothy J. Barnes

2016

Thomas R. Reinehr

2015

L. Porter Davis

2014

Thomas C. “Chris” Fitzsimmons

John. R Stavlo

2013

William G. Montgomery

Donald N. Simkins, Ph.D.

2012

Robert P. O’Donnell, Ph.D.

2011

Thomas A. Brackey

Joseph J. Eash III, Col, USAF (Ret)

Michael N. Parker, Ph.D.

John W. Shipley, Ph.D.

Richard C. Van Wagoner

2010

Robert H. Dumais

Jack A. Gibbs, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)

Richard J. Randazzo, Col, USAF (Ret)

2009

James P. Campbell, Ph.D.

Lacy G. Cook

Michael F. Maguire

2008

Raymond E. Anderson, Col, USAF (Ret)

Howard G. Brotherton

Hilliard W. Paige, Sr.

2007

Paul G. Kaminski

Sun Yet Wong

2006

Ingard M. Clausen

Fred V. Hellrich

David L. Klinger, Ph.D.

Jane A. Wood

2005

Robert E. Eisenhauer

Roger C. Marsh

Edward A. Miller, Ph.D.

Wayne L. Proffitt

2004

M. Sam Araki

Harvey Cohen, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)

Robert G. Kaemmerer

James W. McAnally

2003

Carl L. Ferdensi, Jr.

David Raspet, Col, USAF (Ret)

James W. Stoner, Ph.D.

Charles C. Tevis

Pioneers of National Reconnaissance

2002 

Vance D. Coffman, Ph.D. 

Lee M. Hammarstrom 

Robert L. Paulson, Col, USAF (Ret)

2001

Donald L. Cromer, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret) 

A.J. (Tony) Iorillo 

Vincent S. Rose 

John Walton 

2000

James G. Baker, Ph.D. 

C. Lee Battle, Jr., Col, USAF (Ret)

John T. Bennett 

John W. Browning, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Jon H. Bryson, Col, USAF (Ret) 

A. Roy Burks 

Frank S. Buzard, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Cornelius W. “Connie” Chambers 

John O. Copley, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Robert H. Crotser 

John J. Crowley 

James C. de Broekert

Gary S. Geyer, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Thomas O. Haig, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Frederick H. Kaufman 

Robert J. Kohler 

Ellis E. Lapin 

Lloyd K. Lauderdale, Ph.D.

Richard S. Leghorn, Col, USAF (Ret)

Walter J. Levison 

Howard O. Lorenzen 

Frank J. Madden 

James T. Mannen, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Paul W. Mayhew, Ph.D. 

Reid D. Mayo 

James E. Morgan 

Mark N. Morton 

Alden V. Munson, Jr. 

Charles L. Murphy, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Frederic C.E. “Fritz” Oder, Col, USAF (Ret)

John Parangosky

Julius P. “Val” Peline, Ph.D. 

Robert M. Powell 

Edward H. Reese 

Osmond J. “Ozzie” Ritland, 

Major General, USAF (Ret) 

Lee W. Roberts, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Charles R. “Charlie” Roth 

Robert W. “Rob” Roy, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Charles P. Spoelhof 

Forrest H. Stieg 

Marvin S. Stone, Ph.D. 

Don F. Tang 

Albert D. “Bud” Wheelon, Ph.D. 

Peter G. Wilhelm 

Roy H. Worthington, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Robert W. Yundt, Col, USAF (Ret)
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Pioneer Hall

National Reconnaissance Office

Chantilly, Virginia 
NRO| MSC 20-81956