Joseph E. ‘Joe’ Halloran was born to the late Colonel Joseph E. Halloran II and Mrs. Bly Baker Halloran on June 27, 1947 in Yuma, AZ. As the son of a career Army Engineer officer, Joe lived all over the world—England, Germany, Korea, New York, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arizona. Joe was athletically and academically gifted and demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and potential as a young man. He was equally flexible and adventurous, having attended and excelled at three different high schools. Joe was a Star Scout, National Merit Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society and the debate team, participated in high school football and ran cross country and track. He was the one-mile, state (AZ) track champion and record holder. Joe received his appointment to the Academy from Representative Morris K. Udall of Arizona.
Joe fit right in at the Academy with his well-rounded abilities as a student, athlete, leader and classmate. With his dry wit and sense of humor, he was the Company B-2 comedian and a “one man skit team.” He enjoyed playing poker with his classmates and impersonating fellow cadets, professors and TACs.
Joe earned his nickname, ‘Moder,’ as a yearling at Camp Buckner. During the “return to Buckner run” in full gear with rifle, Joe motivated his struggling classmates by calling his special cadence of “motor out and motor in,” as an engine might do when climbing a hill. The re-motivated platoon then finished the run intact and Joe’s cadet nickname ‘Moder’ was coined and would stick with him for the next 3 years.
At the Academy, Joe participated in cross country, triathlon, debate, the Fine Arts Forum and the Dialectic Society. His skills for the latter were demonstrated at the Camp Buckner Illumination Weekend and the 100th Night Production. He was also an eager performer on B-2’s intramural teams. He maintained good grades without much effort, coached several classmates and didn’t miss many movies or weekends.
Upon graduation, Joe branched Field Artillery and attended Ranger School and the Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK. Afterwards, in 1970, he reported to Germany and served in the 6th Battalion, 40th Field Artillery as a battery XO, CO and battalion S-2. For his outstanding performance in these three billets, he received the Army Commendation Medal. In 1973, Joe left Germany and reported to the 2-17 Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, serving as a battery CO and receiving his second Army Commendation Medal.
From 1974 to 1975, Joe attended the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course at Fort Sill and then received orders to the master’s program in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) with a follow-on assignment as an English professor at USMA. From 1978 to 1981, Joe taught English and took great interest in his cadets’ academic progress and general welfare, mentoring struggling cadets who were in danger of being discharged for academic performance. While serving as an English professor, Joe pursued a doctorate in education from UNC, using weekends and leave periods to travel to North Carolina to complete his degree requirements.
In addition to being a professional field artilleryman, Joe was a gifted writer and wrote several articles in Army Magazine and The Field Artillery Journal, including “Earned Rank,” “The NCO: Is He and Endangered Species?” “Shell Game” and “Making a Targeting Cell Work.” All his articles demonstrated a balance of leadership interests and technical artillery skills. This balance was evident throughout his entire life.
In 1982, Joe reported back to Fort Sill and worked in the Combat Developments Division of the Artillery School. Then commandant of the Artillery School, Lieutenant General John S. Crosby, praised Joe for “being a special adviser and one of the finest minds in Combat Development, which was developing many of the artillery weapons for the Army of today.”
In 1983, Joe resigned from active duty, although he maintained his reserve commission and later retired as a lieutenant colonel. After retirement, Joe joined a small defense contractor startup with some friends in the Lawton, OK area. From 1983 to 1998, Joe worked for several different contractors on technology issues, federal contracts and business development and training.
In 1999, Joe joined SAIC and worked his way up to become a vice president. He revamped SAIC’s business development process, advanced the company’s customer relationship management concept, revised online ads and conducted worldwide training in business development. Joe’s workshops and seminars were known worldwide. Joe was a classic mentor and his smiling, calm demeanor was an inspiration to his coworkers. He won bids with a total value of $2.3 billion dollars during a four-year period, the highest for SAIC at the time.
On August 26, 2007, Joe died suddenly at Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, MD, having just taught one of his popular Business Development “Boot Camp” workshops. He was a humble man who had achieved much in his 60 years.
Arnold Punaro, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SAIC’s Washington operations, said the following upon learning of Joe’s death: “From the first day he arrived at SAIC, Joe became one of the most popular, most productive and most respected employees in the company. His reputation went far beyond his job title. He never forgot his West Point training and basic leadership skills and cared more about others than himself. You don’t replace a Joe Halloran. We will miss him greatly.”
Joe is survived by his wife, Cynthia; his children, Ann Linnell Halloran, Army Lieutenant Colonel Joseph E. Halloran IV and Britt Ann Nielsen; his two sisters, B.B. Montalvo and Patti Halloran; and four grandchildren.