Helping the Army Keep Pace with Today’s Threats

As the SETA Program Manager for the Army’s Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) program, James Lemmond embodies what CIS Secure is all about: deep technical expertise, servant leadership and an unwavering commitment to national security.

For those unfamiliar with the program, the Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) team supports the Army’s TENCAP mission by accelerating the development, prototyping and acquisition of capabilities that deliver actionable national-level intelligence to deployed warfighters.

James has the privilege of leading a team of 40 exceptional professionals whose expertise, firsthand operational military experience and unwavering commitment to the mission have made the CIS Secure SETA team an indispensable partner to the Army’s TENCAP program. Their engineering, technical, logistics, acquisition, and program management expertise continues to drive the modernization of the Army’s signals intelligence (SIGINT) and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) capabilities. While much of their work remains classified, their purpose is unmistakable: ensuring America’s warfighters receive the intelligence, technology and operational advantage they need to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving battlespace.

A Career Built on Service

James’ journey began in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as an avionics technician specializing in electronic countermeasures systems. What started as an opportunity to learn electronics quickly became the foundation for a lifelong career in national defense.

Following his military service, James earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from California State University, Long Beach, followed by a master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University.

His career has spanned satellite communications, cellular communications, signals intelligence, software development, and program management. Along the way, he progressed from engineer to technical lead, then program manager, ultimately leading multidisciplinary teams supporting some of the government’s most critical national security missions.

Looking back, James doesn’t describe his career as carefully planned.

I’d love to say it was my grand plan for everything to align the way it did, but that is not the case. I’m sure it was God’s plan. I just followed His lead.

Instead, he credits his success to embracing opportunities as they came, trusting God’s direction and remaining open to where each new challenge could lead.

Leadership Through Teamwork

Leading the TENCAP’s SETA team requires far more than technical expertise. James’ team includes specialists in systems engineering, software development, cybersecurity, logistics, geospatial intelligence, signals intelligence and program management, all working together to bridge emerging technologies with the Army’s operational needs.

What truly distinguishes the CIS Secure SETA team is the depth of real-world operational experience its members bring to the mission. Many are veterans who have served in combat and other operational theaters around the world. Having experienced firsthand the challenges faced by deployed forces, they understand not only how technology works, but how it must perform when lives are on the line. Their operational insight enables them to develop practical, mission-focused solutions that directly support the Army’s evolving needs.

James is quick to credit TENCAP’s success to the exceptional professionals who make up the CIS Secure SETA team. Their firsthand military experience, technical excellence and unparalleled dedication to our country, the TENCAP mission and the warfighter have earned the trust of Army leadership and continue to make them a force multiplier for the program. Their willingness to go above and beyond—often behind the scenes and without recognition—helps ensure that Soldiers receive innovative capabilities faster and with greater operational impact.

For James, leadership begins with trust, teamwork and adaptability.

You can walk into TENCAP with a plan every day but before you get to your desk, everything can change.

That mindset is essential in an environment where technology evolves rapidly, and operational priorities can shift without warning. Success depends on having a team capable of adapting quickly while remaining focused on the mission.

James compares it to his days playing football.

You have a group of people striving toward a common goal, adapting to changing conditions, accomplishing something together and succeeding as a result of their efforts.

For him, the greatest reward is knowing the team’s efforts help protect America’s warfighters and give them every possible advantage when they are called into harm’s way.

Keeping the Army Mission Ready

According to James, today’s operational environment presents two significant challenges.

The first is keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology and the threats that emerge alongside it. America’s adversaries continue to innovate, requiring the Army to anticipate and counter new threats faster than ever before.

The second is the changing nature of warfare itself. Modern conflicts demand new ways of thinking, requiring the military to continually adapt how it develops, fields and employs advanced capabilities.

Meeting those challenges requires extraordinary talent. Building and retaining teams with this specialized knowledge enables the CIS Secure SETA team to deliver capabilities that few organizations can provide.

For James, mission readiness extends well beyond technology.

Having a strong team, understanding the technologies, controlling what you can control and adapting to inevitable change—that’s what readiness means for the SETA team and TENCAP.

A Commitment That Extends Beyond Work

Outside the office, James has been married to his high school sweetheart for more than three decades. The two met in 1980 while he was a football player and she was a cheerleader, and together they raised three children, now all in their twenties.

A lifelong football fan, James remains loyal to both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants—a combination that often surprises fellow fans.

I have been a fan of both since the late 70s through many ups and downs. Friends ride me about having two teams but the Steelers played in the first football game that I ever watched on television, and the Giants were the team that I could see every week! Even though they were awful! Lol!

Whether leading complex defense programs or cheering from the sidelines, James returns to the same principle that has guided his life and career from the beginning: when talented people unite around a meaningful mission, extraordinary things become possible.

For James, that mission has always been larger than any individual. It is about serving God, serving the nation, building exceptional teams and ensuring America’s warfighters receive every possible advantage when it matters most.