Brigadier General (ret.) Louis A. Abbenante,
Vice President/COO
Brigadier General Louis A. Abbenante retired from the Army in July of 2006 after 28 years of service. At the time of his retirement he served as the Commander, 43d Chemical Brigade and the Deputy Director of the Joint Staff, Connecticut National Guard. While in this assignment he was selected to participate in the US Army Chief of Staff Strategic Leadership Program. Prior to that assignment he was the Plans Operations and Military Support Officer for the Rhode Island National Guard. While holding that position he also served as the National Chairman of the Plans Operations and Military Support Officer Advisory Committee (POMSAC). As National Chairman he assisted the National Guard Bureau and other entities within the Department of Defense in formulating emerging policies in national security and homeland defense. He was also responsible for identifying prevailing trends in military assistance to civil authorities and assisted in drafting changes to critical legislation. BG Abbenante was also a subject matter expert and primary instructor at the National Interagency Civil Military Institute's Homeland security Familiarization Program. In 2003 he was the Director of an eight-state homeland security exercise, "Northeast Sentinel" conducted at the U S Naval War College War Gaming Center. BG Abbenante's assignments also include a tour as an Assistant Professor of Military Science at Providence College as well as numerous aviations assignments.
Upon retirement for the Army National Guard Active Guard and Reserve program in 2004 BG Abbenante joined Benchmark International where he was responsible for the development and execution of multiple Homeland Security/Homeland Defense related command and control projects to include a multi-state Joint Operations Center Homeland Defense initiative, Operations Center training programs for military and civilian personnel, and standardized Operations Center procedures for enhanced situational awareness.
BG Abbenante is a US Army Aviator, qualified in scout, attack and utility helicopters and is also certified as a US Army Aviation Accident Investigator. His civilian education consists of a Master of Science in Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, a Master of Arts in International Relations from Salve Regina University, a Bachelor of Science in Education from Rhode Island College and attendance at Georgetown University School of Government Affairs, Congressional Operations Program and Legislative Affairs Program.