Jim Martin, Raytown High School, Class of 1971

Jim Martin graduated from Raytown High in 1971.  He is proud to say he received “1” ratings at the State Music Contest all fours years in high school.  He received the State Industrial Arts “Grand Prize” award as a sophomore, designing and building a walnut roll-top desk.

Martin received his Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, in 1975 and immediately entered the Navy’s Aerospace Engineering Office program. Later, he received two Master’s, one in Education and the other in Management Science.

Competing against all the test pilots at the Naval Air Test Center, Martin was awarded the Admiral Merlin O’Neill “Officer of the Year” award. As an Aerospace Engineering Officer in the United States Navy, he served more than seven years at sea during his 22-year tenure, along with five combat theaters.  He crossed the equator, the International Date Line and the Arctic Circle several times. He has visited all 50 states, six Canadian provinces, and 36 countries.

At the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Office, Martin was the Senior Program Manager leading a group of Intelligence Analysts providing integrated analytic assessments of multi-agency counter-terrorism IED efforts.  He was also the Programs Reviewer exercising oversight of a $6 billion portfolio of 475 programs focused on attacking Improvised Explosive Device (IED) terrorist networks.

Martin was the Senior Logistics Manager for the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force where he produced, delivered, and installed 600 projects providing solutions to gaps in combat capability.  His duties included combat deployments to Iraq.

He enjoys playing rugby, flying, parachuting, and scuba diving. Martin still plays drums with the Kansas City Celtic Pipes and Drums and was the orchestra pit percussionist in the Raytown Arts Council’s production of “Brigadoon” in 2015.  He and his wife, Karen, also a 1971 Raytown High School graduate, reside in Kansas City.