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Col. (P) Robert “RJ” Mikesh became the project manager for PEO EIS’ Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A) project management office in September 2022. In that capacity, he is responsible for developing, integrating and deploying a portfolio of programs and applications that span the Army’s human capital and readiness domains.
Prior to assuming leadership of IPPS-A, Mikesh was the executive officer to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army from August 2021 to September 2022.
Before that, Mikesh was by-name selected by Gen. Gus Perna in spring 2020 to help lead Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the White House’s national program to accelerate the development, manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. Specifically, he was tasked with leading the IT component of the initiative, responsible for developing the logistics systems needed to ensure that vaccine orders were received, shipped and tracked. For his efforts, Mikesh was presented the prestigious Fed 100 award.
Prior to supporting OWS, Mikesh was dual-hatted as assistant program executive officer for PEO EIS’ Business Mission Area and as project manager for the Army Enterprise Systems Integration Program — now known as the Army Data and Analytics Program. During his nearly three years in the latter role, he oversaw the adoption of new software acquisition and contracting approaches, shaped the Army’s enterprise resource planning modernization and cloud strategies, and aligned EIS’ portfolios for maximum efficiency.
From 2016 to 2017, Mikesh served as the senior military assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics in the Office of the Secretary Of Defense.
Before that, he was the product manager for EIS’ Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program from 2012 to 2015. There, he worked closely with partners across the DOD and Army to implement elements of the Army CIO and G-6’s IT network modernization plan at all camps, posts and stations in the continental United States.
Other prior assignments included serving as platoon leader and company executive officer with the 3rd Infantry Division, 1996-1999; company commander, 2nd Aviation Battalion in South Korea, 2000-2001; recruiting company commander, Seattle Recruiting Battalion, 2001-2004; project leader at the Prototype Integration Facility of the Aviation & Missile, Research, Development and Engineering Center, Redstone Arsenal, 2004-2005; project leader with the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force at Fort Belvoir, 2005; assistant product manager (APM) for Personnel Recovery Support
Equipment in Product Manager Air Warrior, PEO Soldier, 2006-2007; APM for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers for U.S. Army Special Operations Command’s Ground Application Program Office, Fort Belvoir, 2008-2009; Acquisition Corps assignment officer at U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, 2010-2011; and APM for Special Programs with the Defense Continuity Integrated Network Program Office, Alexandria VA, 2011-2012.
Mikesh was commissioned in 1995 through Army ROTC at Clarkson University where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Mikesh’s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Army Aviator Badge and the Army Recruiter Badge.
Mikesh holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, a Master of Science in management/acquisition and contract management, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Additional education includes completion of the Army Acquisition Basic Course and the Command and General Staff College Intermediate Level Education Course.
He holds an advanced Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification in Program Management and foundational-level certification in both Engineering and Technical Management and Test and Evaluation.