Colonel R. Scott Buran, USMC (Retired)

Areas of Expertise: Non-Lethal Weapons, Naval Expeditionary Operations, Operational Planning and Military Art, Use of Force, U.S. Congressional Matters

Colonel Buran received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1982 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in May 1982 via the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program.

Upon completion of The Basic School, Quantico, Virginia and the Artillery Officer Basic Course, U.S. Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1983, Colonel Buran reported to the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. While assigned to the Division he served as a Forward Observer and Adjutant with the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines and as Executive Officer, Headquarters Battery, 11th Marines.

During July 1985 Colonel Buran was ordered overseas to Marine Barracks, U.S. Naval Base, Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines where he served as a Platoon Commander, Guard Officer and Naval Provisional Rifle Company Commander. Returning to the United States in November 1986, Colonel Buran was assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California where he served as a Series Commander, Company Commander, and Battalion Operations Officer.

From March 1989 through November 1989 Colonel Buran attended the U.S. Army Field Artillery Advanced Course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In November 1989 he reported to the 10th Marine Regiment, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and served as Commanding Officer, Headquarters Battery, Commanding Officer, Battery |, and Assistant Operations Officer, 3d Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment. During this tour Colonel Buran participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and forward deployed to the Mediterranean in support of Landing Force Sixth Fleet operations with Battalion Landing Team 2/4, 24 Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).

Following his tour at 2d Marine Division, Colonel Buran served as a

Congressional Liaison Officer to the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC from August 1992 through July 1996.

1 Colonel Buran then attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting, Quantico, Virginia. Upon graduation in July 1998 Colonel Buran was assigned to the G3/G5, EUCOM Regional Operations and Plans, Headquarters Marine Corps Forces Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. During this tour he was assigned to Joint Task Force NOBLE ANVIL, Naples, Italy and Task Force Falcon, Kosovo from 11 March through 14 July 1999 in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE and Operation JOINT GUARDIAN.

Following his tour of duty at Headquarters Marine Corps Forces Atlantic, Colonel Buran attended the Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia. Upon graduation in September 2000 he was subsequently assigned as an Observer/Trainer with the Deployable Training Team, Joint Warfighting Center, United States Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.

In May 2002 Colonel Buran was transferred to the 2d Marine Division where he served as Commanding Officer, 5th Battalion, 10th Marines. Upon relinquishing command in June 2004 Colonel Buran was selected as a Federal Executive Fellow and assigned to the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.

Upon completion of the CMC Fellowship, Col Buran was transferred to Okinawa, Japan and assumed the duties as the Deputy G-3, Ill MEF from 7 July 2005 through 5 July 2006. Colonel Buran then served as the Chief of Staff, 3rd Marine Division from 6 July 2006 through 8 August 2007, and from 23 August 2007 through 6 May 2008 was assigned to Multi-National Corps — Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq as the Deputy CJ3.

Prior to his retirement on 1 September 2012, Colonel Buran served as the U.S. Marine Corps Senior Service Representative at the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, PA. From 1 September 2013 through 15 May 2014 Colonel Buran served as the Maritime Stability Operations advisor to the U.S. Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute at Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, PA.

Colonel Buran is presently employed by The Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, State College, PA as a Non-Lethal Weapons Course Instructor and is the Executor Director, Cor Christi Trinitatis Institute, a non-profit 501(c)3 institute dedicated to the moral renewal of youth and family.

Colonel Buran is married to the former Ann E. Minogue of Alexandria, Virginia. They have three children: Elizabeth, Sydney, and Samuel.

Captain Michael A. Waters

Judge Advocate General’s Corps United States Navy

CAPT Mike Waters was born in Inkster, Michigan, on July 2, 1957. He graduated from St. Augustine Seminary High School in 1975 then proceeded to Michigan State University, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980.  CAPT Waters attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School, graduating cum laude in 1985.  CAPT Waters received a direct commission into the JAG Corps in December 1985.

CAPT Waters’ first assignment was with the Naval Legal Service Office in Subic Bay, RP.  While at the NLSO he served as Trial Counsel, Command Services Department head and International Law Attorney as well as the SJA for Naval Hospital and Naval Magazine.  After Subic, CAPT Waters was then assigned SJA to the Naval Activities Commander in London, England.  In London, he directly supported CINCUSNAVEUR personnel, tenant commands throughout Scotland and Europe, and served as the Liaison Officer with Scotland Yard.

In 1993, CAPT Waters served as the Command Judge Advocate onboard USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73).  He brought the legal department on line after GW’s commissioning, serving as Legal Department Head over a Brig, Security, and Legal Division, as well as a Marine Detachment.  The Brig Division won the CINCLANTLFT Award as the best afloat brig for 1994.  CAPT Waters served aboard GW during its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, supporting flight operations over Kuwait and Yugoslavia.  During that cruise, CAPT Waters’ repair locker extinguished a major class-Bravo fire.

In 1994, CAPT Waters was assigned to the Administrative Law Division of the Office of the Judge Advocate General, located in the Pentagon.  After serving in OJAG, CAPT Waters attended The George Washington University, where he earned a Masters of Law in International Environmental Law, graduating with highest honors.

From July 1998-June 2000, CAPT Waters served as Legislative Counsel in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs.  While responsible to Congress for all environmental issues facing the Navy, CAPT Waters also guided SECNAV and CNO through the Senate Confirmation maze.  From August 2000-June 2002, CAPT Waters served as Executive Officer for the Trial Service Office, Southeast located in Mayport, Florida.  During his tenure, TSO Southeast tried the most Courts in the Navy and earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation.  CAPT Waters retired from the Navy after serving four years as Counsel to the Superintendent, United States Naval Academy.

CAPT Waters currently serves as an Assistant General Counsel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

CAPT Waters is entitled to wear the following awards:  The Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (4 Awards), the Navy Commendation Medal, Achievement Medal (2 Awards), Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation (2 Awards), the Battle “E,” the National Defense Service Medal (2 Awards), the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (6 Awards), the NATO Medal, the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation, and Expert Pistol and Rifle Ribbons.

CAPT Waters is married to the former Anne Marie Murray and they live in Springfield, Virginia.  They have four children: Richard (23), Michael (21), Mary Beth (19), and John (9).

Deacon Michael A. Waters

Permanent Deacon, Diocese of Arlington VA

Deacon Mike Waters was born in Inkster, Michigan, on July 2, 1957. He graduated from St. Augustine Seminary High School in 1975 then proceeded to Michigan State University, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980.  Mike Waters attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School, graduating cum laude in 1985.  Mike Waters received a direct commission into the U.S. Navy JAG Corps in December 1985.

Mike Waters’ first Navy assignment was with the Naval Legal Service Office in Subic Bay, RP.  While at the NLSO he served as Trial Counsel, Command Services Department head and International Law Attorney as well as the SJA for Naval Hospital and Naval Magazine.  While in the Philippines, Mike met then Chaplain George Tracy, forming a life-long relationship with the future Monseigneur, and assisting him in the founding of Cor Christi Institute, a charism in the Catholic Church dedicated to administering to the “poverty of affluence” found in Military and secular leadership. After Subic, Mike Waters was then assigned as Staff Judge Advocate to the Naval Activities Commander in London, England.  In London, he directly supported CINCUSNAVEUR personnel, tenant commands throughout Scotland and Europe, and served as the Liaison Officer with Scotland Yard.

In 1993, Mike Waters served as the Command Judge Advocate onboard the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73).  He brought the legal department on line after GW’s commissioning, serving as Legal Department Head over a Brig, Security, and Legal Division, as well as a Marine Detachment.  The Brig Division won the CINCLANTLFT Award as the best afloat brig for 1994.  Mike Waters served aboard GW during its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, supporting flight operations over Kuwait and Yugoslavia.  During that cruise, MIKE Waters’ repair locker was credited with extinguishing a major shipboard fire.

In 1994, Mike Waters was assigned to the Administrative Law Division of the Office of the Judge Advocate General, located in the Pentagon.  After serving in OJAG, CAPT Waters attended The George Washington University, where he earned a Masters of Law in International Environmental Law, graduating with highest honors.

From July 1998-June 2000, Mike Waters served as Legislative Counsel in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs.  While responsible to Congress for all environmental issues facing the Navy, Mike Waters also guided SECNAV and the Chief of Naval Operations through the Senate Confirmation maze.  From August 2000-June 2002, Mike Waters served as Executive Officer for the Trial Service Office, Southeast, located in Mayport, Florida.  During his tenure, TSO Southeast tried the most Courts in the Navy and earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation.  Mike Waters retired from the Navy after serving four years as Counsel to the Superintendent, United States Naval Academy.

Mike Waters served from 2006-2013 as an Assistant General Counsel, Ethics, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Headquarters in the District of Columbia.  Mike performed extensive ethics training throughout the Bureau and gave ethics counsel and advice for senior leadership and for rank and file FBI Special Agents and personnel.  While at the FBI, Mike was selected to enter the diaconate formation program for the Diocese of Arlington VA.  After the course of the five-year diaconate formation and Academic program, Bishop Loverde of Arlington Diocese determined Mike had a call to the diaconate and ordained him to the Permanent Diaconate in January of 2015.  Mike was assigned to serve as Deacon at St. Lawrence Parish in Alexandria, VA following receiving Holy Orders.  After FBI, Mike was selected to serve as Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Ethics, for the Department of Homeland Security where he was responsible for the day to day operation of the DHS Ethics program with oversight of a department with 250,000 plus employees.  Mike retired after three years with DHS and after 31 years total Federal service in July of 2017.

Deacon Waters is married to the former Anne Marie Murray and they live in Springfield, Virginia.  They have four children: Richard (33), Michael (31), Mary Beth (26), and John (21), and six grandchildren.

Military Honors:  Mike Waters is entitled to wear the following awards:  The Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (4 Awards), the Navy Commendation Medal, Achievement Medal (2 Awards), Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation (2 Awards), the Battle “E,” the National Defense Service Medal (2 Awards), the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (6 Awards), the NATO Medal, the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation, and Expert Pistol and Rifle Ribbons.