Dave Olson

Background

About Dave Olson

I am honored and privileged to have served in an Army uniform for more than 20 years. I started as an enlisted man for seven years turning wrenches on armament systems of attack helicopters. After graduating college, I served as an infantry officer for 14 years and learned a great deal about the people business leading troops from the platoon through the company levels. After commanding an infantry company for nearly two years and mentoring company commanders for another two years, I transitioned to public affairs. As a public affairs officer, I have honed my skills in media relations, crisis communications, planning and community relations. I deployed overseas on 18 operational or strategic missions including three combat tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, several trips to Europe including Germany and the Balkans, one to South Korea, one to Egypt, one to Turkey and several to Latin America. Some highlights include: escorted one head of state, one prime minister, three foreign ministers, three defense ministers, 29 ambassadors, seven U.S. senators and congressmen, and more than 40 distinguished military leaders to see their troops in Egypt in 2010 & 2011 or Iraq in 2006. Hosted delegations from the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel to conduct five bilateral talks to further peaceful relations in the region in 2010 and 2011. Coordinated and facilitated media events and engagements with six Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ministers and their spokesmen to advance their communication campaigns in October 2011 through September 2012. Coordinated and facilitated more than 970 senior leader (lieutenant colonel or higher) and nearly 1,200 junior leader (major or below) media engagements in 2007 to 2008. Compiled 24 stories per week telling the Army story in Southern Baghdad from March 2008 to March 2009. Escorted 65 reporters a day into the courtroom and facilitated daily press conferences during two of the nine Abu Ghraib court martial trials at Fort Hood, Texas in 2005.