Author: Dr. Ray A. Letteer, DSc

Dr. Ray A. Letteer, DScDr. Ray A. Letteer, former Director of Operations Risk Assessment at the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Office of the Chief Information Officer and as the head of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Cybersecurity, has over 40 years of extensive experience in information system security, information assurance, and cybersecurity. Recognized as one of the most experienced cybersecurity leaders in the DoD, he was assigned the role of the appointed Approving Official (AO) for all Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) networks and systems.

The Procurement Decision
From the Fall 2026 Issue

The Procurement Decision: Where Cybersecurity Governance Begins

Author(s):

Bobbie Stempfley, Vice President | Dell Technologies , Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

Dr. Ray A. Letteer, DSc, Former Director of Operations Risk Assessment, Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer, Former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Authorizing Official (AO), United States Marine Corps

Henry J. Sienkiewicz, Adjunct Faculty | Georgetown and George Washington Universities, Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

Keith K. Nakasone, Independent Consultant, ProcureTech Consulting, LLC

Every significant cybersecurity incident begins with a trust decision. Long before an adversary exploits a vulnerability, before a System Owner assumes operational responsibility, before an Authorizing Official accepts residual risk, and before

Federal System Owner in the Age of Continuous Authorization
From the Summer 2026 Issue

The Federal System Owner in the Age of Continuous Authorization

Author(s):

Bobbie Stempfley, Vice President | Dell Technologies , Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

Dr. Ray A. Letteer, DSc, Former Director of Operations Risk Assessment, Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer, Former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Authorizing Official (AO), United States Marine Corps

Henry J. Sienkiewicz, Adjunct Faculty | Georgetown and George Washington Universities, Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

Introduction: When Ownership No Longer Means Control Federal system ownership is undergoing a quiet but consequential transformation (National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST], 2018; Office of Management and Budget [OMB], 2016).

From the Spring 2026 Issue

Stewards of Mission Risk: The Evolving Role of the Authorizing Officials (AO)

Author(s):

Bobbie Stempfley, Vice President | Dell Technologies , Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

Dr. Ray A. Letteer, DSc, Former Director of Operations Risk Assessment, Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer, Former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Authorizing Official (AO), United States Marine Corps

Henry J. Sienkiewicz, Adjunct Faculty | Georgetown and George Washington Universities, Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

Introduction In a harsh misrepresentation, organizational Authorizing Officials (AO) are often thought of as an obstacle or simply a bureaucratic signature – a roadblock to progress. Reality intrudes. Reality should intrude. The

From the Winter 2026 Issue

The ATO Bottleneck: Rethinking Responsibility and Enabling Automation

Author(s):

Dr. Ray A. Letteer, DSc, Former Director of Operations Risk Assessment, Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer, Former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Authorizing Official (AO), United States Marine Corps

Henry J. Sienkiewicz, Adjunct Faculty | Georgetown and George Washington Universities, Former CIO, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)

The pace of the Authorization to Operate (ATO) process has long been a source of frustration and lost productivity. Technology can only make a difference if it is deployed. Yet, the pace