Kevin D. Hottell, Deputy, Directorate of Simulation
Kevin D. Hottell was a member of the Washington Army National Guard for over four years, originally enlisting to be a carpentry/ masonry specialist. He held enlisted assignments as a wire communications specialist, M-60 machine gunner, and mechanized infantry dismount team leader. After commissioning in 1982, he was a mechanized infantry platoon leader, and later detachment commander. Upon graduation from Washington State University, Hottell was selected for Aviation Branch and attended the Aviation Officer’s Basic Course, Air Assault School, and flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Hottell’s military assignments include four platoon leader positions (two each in infantry and aviation units), personnel, intelligence, operations and training staff positions at the battalion and brigade level, two company commands, and field-grade positions as doctrine writer and instructor, operations officer and executive officer in both training and operational units, forward-deployed and stateside. His military career culminated with assignment as the exercise branch chief for the Directorate of Simulations, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, during which time he was a key participant in formation of the new directorate and development and acquisition of the Flight School XXI Simulation Services contract that currently supports flight training at Fort Novosel.
Hottell is qualified in OH-58A, OH-58C, UH-1H, and UH-60 aircraft, as well as intimately familiar with the AH-1F due to his time as both platoon leader and company commander of AH-1F units.
After retirement from the military, Hottell was hired as a government civilian by the Program Executive Office for Simulations, Training, and Instrumentation as the Fort Rucker customer service representative for PM Field Operations and Support.
After two years in that position, he was selected to be chief of Simulation Requirements Integration Division and ACOR for the FSXXI Simulations contract, representing AVCOE interests to the contract and coordinating budget, resources, testing, and management needs on behalf of AVCOE. He held that position for 12 years before selection as the deputy director of simulation.
Mr. Hottell holds a Bachelor of Arts from Washington State University, a master’s degree from Troy University, and is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certified in both program management and acquisition logistics. He is a graduate of the Aviation Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Instructor Training Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Intermediate Simulation Operations Course and the Advanced Simulation Operations Course.