Camouflage Career Fair

Jim Bland graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science/Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and commissioned as a field artillery officer working primarily with the Army’s rocket/missile systems (MLRS). He served in the US Army's 4th Infantry Division helping to field one of the first fully digitized MLRS platoons before transitioning to the US Army Reserve and Colorado Army National Guard (Army Space Command). He resigned as a Captain after serving honorably for 8.5 years. 

Mr. Bland received an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has over twenty years of investing, consulting, finance and operational experience. He began his business career as a strategy consultant at Ernst & Young. He also worked in various consulting and management assignments at HSBC and worked in an operational role at a Madison Dearborn Partners /Columbia Partners telecommunications portfolio company. He currently serves as a Partner with Clear Springs Capital, a family office focused on acquiring and growing founder-owned, niche businesses by utilizing military veteran talent. With 16 years of private equity experience as a partner at a top-quartile institutional private equity fund and at a family office, his private equity career has focused entirely on investing and fostering growth in lower middle market companies. Jim also has extensive board expertise having served on thirteen private, government and non-profit boards. 

Mr. Bland was appointed the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) for Illinois in March 2019 by the Honorable Mark Esper. As the CASA for Illinois, Mr. Bland represents the Secretary of the Army in Illinois and holds a 3-star protocol rank. The CASA for each state provides individual advice to the Secretary on public sentiment toward the Army and serves as a bridge between the Pentagon and the community. They serve as the Secretary’s liaison for Army National Guard and Army Reserve matters, working closely with installation commanders and Army leaders. They also engage with local, regional, and state officials, as well as Federal Agencies, Members of Congress and congressional staff. 

Brigadier William B. Dyer III is the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Military Law and Operations (IMA), with duty at The Pentagon.  In this role, he manages the work of the Military Law and Operations sections of the Army’s Office of the Judge Advocate General, and advises high-level military commanders on worldwide legal and operational issues.  He earned his bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute in 1985 and his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1992.  His military education includes a Masters in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, as well as the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education course, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Judge Advocate Officer Basic and Advanced Courses.

BG Dyer was initially commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and served on the Base Engineering Staff at Lowry AFB, CO.  Following graduation from law school, he was commissioned in the Army and served four years on Active Duty at Ft. Gordon, GA as a Legal Assistance Attorney and Trial Defense Counsel.

After leaving Active Duty, BG Dyer joined the 213th Legal Support Organization and served in a variety of positions including Trial Counsel, Mobilization Officer, and Legal Assistance Attorney.  He was then selected to serve as Staff Judge Advocate of the 416th Engineer Command’s Facility Engineer Center, Southeast.  In 2003, he was mobilized and deployed with the 416th FEC-SE as part of the 3d Infantry Division for the initial invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Following redeployment, BG Dyer became an International/Operational Law Attorney (DIMA) at FORSCOM, and was later selected to be the Staff Judge Advocate for the 3d Medical Command at Ft. Gillem, GA.  His following assignment was Staff Judge Advocate of the 335th Signal Command in East Point, GA.

In 2012, then-COL Dyer was selected to be the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7 for the U.S. Army Reserve Legal Command, where he oversaw all operational and training activities across the Command.  Following his tenure as G-3/5/7, he took Command of the 153d Legal Operations Detachment in Philadelphia.  He relinquished command in December 2015 to become the Deputy Commanding Officer (East) of the United States Army Reserve Legal Command, a position he held until his promotion to flag rank.  He has held his current duty position since being promoted to Brigadier General, with the exception of an 8-month deployment to Afghanistan, where he led the combined US, NATO, and coalition initiative to establish the Rule of Law within the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police.  His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Action Badge.

BG Dyer is a partner in the Atlanta office of Lee & Hayes, where he chairs the firm’s national intellectual property litigation practice, primarily focusing on patent, trademark, and trade secret issues.  He has been nationally recognized by Chambers and Managing Intellectual Property as a leader in the intellectual property field, and is a frequent lecturer on intellectual property topics.  He has been a faculty member of the National Trial Advocacy College at the University of Virginia School of Law since 2006, and is a member of the Georgia Bar.

David Hampton MD, MEng, FACS (Commander, US Navy Reserves) – Originally from Bellevue, WA, Dr. Hampton earned a Bachelors and Masters in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, performed General Surgery residency at Oregon Health & Science University, and completed Trauma-Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowships at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Dr. Hampton has research interests in trauma resuscitation, military medicine, and surgical education.

Dr. Hampton has over 16 years of active and reserve military experience. He spent 4 years as a General Medical Officer for the III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan, and is currently a Naval Reservist assigned to the 4th Marine Logistics Group, Surgical Company Bravo. Dr. Hampton is an Assistant Professor of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and acts as an Associate Surgical Clerkship Director at University of Chicago Medicine.

James “Nathan” Kline is the Division Chaplain and Observer Coach/Trainer for First Army Division East at Fort Knox, KY.

Nathan served as a tanker with the 3rd Armor Division in Germany from 1988 to 1990. He was in Berlin when the Wall came down and witnessed the reunification of Germany. From 1990-1992 Nathan served a two-year, full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manila, Philippines, including six months in remote villages on the island of Palawan in the South China Sea.

Nathan graduated magna cum laude from Florida Southern College, majoring in English, Religion, and Philosophy. He received the Master of Divinity, with honors, from The Divinity School, University of Chicago, where he was also awarded the J. Coert Rylaarsdam Prize for his efforts in guiding Jewish, Christian, Muslim relations. Nathan served as a student pastor of the United Church of Hyde Park: a single congregation comprised of members whose denominations are United Methodist, Presbyterian USA, or United Church of Christ. While teaching World Religions at Prairie State College, Nathan also ran a consulting business working with key religious and government leaders around the world. In 2015 Nathan received the Master of Science with highest honors from George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution with an emphasis on world religions and religious-based conflict. In 2019 he received the D. Min. from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. with research and writing focused on theologies that equip chaplains for pluralistic ministry and advising commands of religion on the battlefield.

Nathan entered the US Army Chaplaincy in 2004. Assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Stewart, GA) as a battalion chaplain, Nathan twice deployed to combat zones for a total of twenty-seven months: once with 1-3 BTB “Desert Cats” in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III to Takrit, Iraq, and again with 3-69 Armor BN “Speed & Power” for OIF V to Ramadi, Iraq. As a religious leader, Nathan’s service here included a role in the Anbar Awakening in 2007-08. Nathan also served in Stuttgart, Germany from 2008-2011, concurrently as the Panzer Community Chaplain and the Chaplain Resource Manager. For two-and-a-half years Nathan worked as the Brigade Chaplain for the 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Sill, OK. He is a 2013 graduate of the US Army’s Command and General Staff College. From 2015-2018 he was the World Religions, Culture, and Conflict instructor at the United States Army Chaplain Center and School, where he was the 2016 Instructor of the Year and Chaplain Captain Career Course Manager in 2018. From 2018-2020 Nathan served as Brigade Chaplain for the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, NC.

Nathan is the inaugural inductee to the U.S Army Chaplain Corps’ Order of St. Martin of Tours.

Chaplain Kline’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with (1OLC), the Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), the Army Commendation Medal with (2OLC), the Army Achievement Medal with (1OLC), the Iraqi Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Airborne (Parachutist) and Combat Action Badges.

Nathan’s wife, Dawn, serves the community as a special education teacher. They are the parents of three children: Benjamin (22), a student at UNC Chapel Hill, Jared (15), and Sophia (11).

Sapan Shah M.D., J.D. is a Managing Partner and prior Board Director of Alera Group, an independent, national insurance and financial services firm. Being a physician and an attorney, Sapan has a unique perspective on medical professional liability issues across the United States. His practice at Alera Group focuses on risk, insurance and business issues for client physicians, hospitals and other healthcare entities.

Dr. Shah’s background includes a diverse experience of medicine, litigation, and early stage investing. Dr. Shah is admitted to the Illinois Bar and is a commissioned officer in the US Army JAG Corps.

Dr. Shah is keenly interested in innovative ways to improve healthcare. He is an active Angel Investor in Hyde Park Angels  (HPA) in Chicago, having invested in 40+ startups. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of Kaizen Health, a Board observer for Blueprint, and was previously a Board Director for Regroup therapy, all HPA healthcare portfolio companies. 

Dr. Shah is also active in numerous community and public service activities. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Burke Neurological Institute in White Plaines, NY as well as The Civic Federation in Chicago. 

Dr. Shah lives in Libertyville, IL with his wife, Rachna Shah, M.D., an allergist in private practice.