TechNet Indo-Pacific 2025

Thomas (TJ) Johnson
Senior Principal Engineer
Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity


Thomas Johnson (TJ) is a Senior Principal Engineer (SPE) for Combined and Joint Command and Control (C2) in the Marine Corps Tactical System Support Activity (MCTSSA) and is currently serving as the Chief Scientist for Project Dynamis. Project Dynamis is the USMC’s contribution to Project Overmatch. With over two decades of experience, he serves as the technical expert for C2 at MCTSSA and is responsible for advising and consulting the Commanding Officer (CO), Technical Director (TD) and the workforce on employment of and integration of C2 capabilities in support of USMC tactical and operational missions. From 2004 to 2009, TJ gained extensive experience in the employment of various C2 systems as a contractor for General Dynamics from providing technical support for various military and diplomatic operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan, Germany, and South Korea. TJ's experiences include supporting USMC battalion level operations with I and II MEF from Fallujah to Al Qaim, Iraq, supporting CJSOTF operations with Task Force 145, Muti-National Corps- Iraq operations in Baghdad, Coalition operations in Multi-National Division-Central South with the Polish to Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task force operations in Delaram and Kandahar, Afghanistan. In 2010, TJ joined MCTSSA as the Lead Systems Engineer for the Combat Operations Center (COC) where he applied his knowledge of Combined and Joint operations to enhance and increase the USMC’s ability to interoperate with Joint and Combined partners. In 2020, TJ was promoted to his current role where his is focused on researching new technologies, representing MCTSSA in service, joint and combined meetings, mentoring engineering staff, providing technical recommendations, and establishing and facilitating enduring relationship with various C2 systems communities of interest to advance effective C2 systems interoperability. In addition to his current duties, he also serves as the 1. Topic Sponsor for a Marine Corps Systems Command NPS Research study that is investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Improve C4ISR Interoperability mapping and testing Capabilities. 2. The Principal Investigator for a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) between MCTSSA and Ultra Electronics 3. The USMC service chief for Joint Staff Mission Partner Environment (MPE) Interoperability Initiatives recently exercised in CWIX 24 4. Product owner for the MAGTF C2 MVP which is USMC’s effort to convergence of currently disparate air-land centric C2 programs of record to a singular, all-domain MAGTF C2 capability as directed in the Force Design Annual Update June 2023 5. Provides technical support the Deputy Commandant for Information's efforts to transition the USMC to a Mission Partner Environment and mature the USMC's contribution to CJADC2. All combined TJ’s efforts work to accelerate the Marine Corps and Naval Service efforts towards creating the 2030 force the Nation requires in a rapidly changing C2 environment. TJ gained his bachelor’s degree in computer science in in 1997 from the great Tennessee State University, in Nashville, TN and his master’s degree in engineering systems from the Naval Post Graduate School (NPS), in Monterrey, CA in 2017.

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