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Operation StormBreaker: Mission Driven DevSecOps

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About the Webinar

Chet Hayes chats with Dave Raley, the Chief Digital Business Officer at Marine Corps Community Services within the USMC, about the Operation StormBreaker program, which aims to revolutionize software development within the Department of War (DoW). Dave discusses the challenges of traditional software development practices, particularly the lengthy authorization processes, and how Operation StormBreaker addresses these issues through a more agile and efficient approach. The conversation also touches on the importance of cost savings, the role of cloud marketplaces in acquisition, and the need for transformational change within the DoW to keep pace with technological advancements.

Meet the Speakers

Chet Hayes

Vertosoft, Chief Technology Officer

For over a quarter of a century, Chet Hayes has been at the forefront of technological innovation, crafting solutions to some of the government’s most daunting challenges. Now, as the Chief Technology Officer at Vertosoft, he’s driving a new era of digital transformation across government agencies through the adoption of emerging technologies.

Before Vertosoft, Chet showcased his prowess at GDIT, a position that saw him merging traditional strategy with cutting-edge digital insights. His leadership at SAIC further solidified his reputation as a tech visionary in technical leadership capacities.

But his journey didn’t start there. Chet’s impressive portfolio also includes strategic roles with industry giants like MarkLogic Corporation, BEA Systems, and Sun Microsystems. Each chapter of his career has been a testament to his ability to not only foresee the technological curve but to apply it in support of the most demanding government missions.

Dave Raley

Department of War, Chief Digital Business Officer

Dave Raley is the Chief Digital Business Officer at Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS), where he leads enterprise-wide digital transformation initiatives that directly impact the quality of life for Marines and their families. As the founder of MCCS’s innovation capability and the architect behind its customer experience (CX) modernization strategy, Dave has redefined how mission-critical services are delivered across the Marine Corps.

He is the visionary behind Operation StormBreaker, a pioneering DevSecOps and pipeline-as-a-service framework that accelerates secure software delivery across the Department of War. Under his leadership, MCCS achieved the Marine Corps’ first authority-to-operate (ATO) via automated continuous delivery—setting a new benchmark for speed, compliance, and agility in government software development.

Dave’s work has been featured in FedScoop, Federal News Network, GovCIO, and the ATARC Federal IT Newscast podcast, where he shares insights on agile ATOs, CX innovation, and cloud modernization. His efforts have saved MCCS an estimated $100K per application per month by reducing the cost of delay and streamlining acquisition and accreditation processes.

A frequent speaker at DoD and federal IT events, Dave brings a mission-first mindset to every conversation—bridging the gap between emerging technology and operational impact.

Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS)

MCCS exists to serve Marines and their families through their Mission, Vision, and Values that revolve around the Marine Corps ethos of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Spread across 20+ military Installations and in deployed environments, their goal is to move with Marines throughout their career and into retirement. MCCS’s key mission is to enable Marines to adapt, thrive, and stay mission-ready with purpose-driven programs and solutions. This way, they can stay true to their promise of helping Marines adapt, thrive, and win life’s battles. MCCS also partners with Marine Corps Hospitality Services (MCHS) to provide lodging at Installations for Marines and their families.

Beyond the Marine, the readiness of the Corps depends heavily on the secured support system at home. MCCS programs support families facing the shifting tides and challenges of modern military life. Some employees are spouses and dependents of Marines, and some are veterans and retirees, but all of them are part of the Marine Corps family. MCCS is part of Marine Corps, and the MCCS Ecosystem is designed to provide Commanders with Quality-of-Life programs that enhance and enable individual Marine readiness and lethality throughout our force.

Operation StormBreaker

Operation StormBreaker empowers secure, scalable software delivery across the Department of War by uniting technical contributors, integrators, and mission owners in a shared framework for speed and resilience. Designed to collapse traditional delivery timelines and align with Zero Trust principles, StormBreaker is redefining how digital capabilities reach the warfighter. Learn more at www.operationstormbreaker.org