Captain James Howard Completes Ph.D. and Provides Talent to the Maryland Defense Force

By 2LT (MDDF) Anthony Granado
Maryland Defense Force Public Affairs
10 July 2014

The Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) supports the Maryland Army National Guard, the Maryland Air National Guard, and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, with a dedicated and professional body of men and women who volunteer their time and talent for the good of Maryland and its citizens.

One of these talented individuals is Capt. (MDDF) James Howard, Chief of Information Management Branch (MDDF, D6). Capt. (MDDF) Howard works to provide information resources to the MDDF and other related agencies and has been an invaluable part of the MDDF since November, 2006.

This past May, Captain Howard finished his dissertation in completion of his Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where his research focused on the economic and social impacts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program. In his research, Capt. (MDDF) Howard explored how the benefits of flood insurance are distributed regionally, how the government benefits from the program, and how the program provides a framework for analyzing other disaster management regimes. With this information, Capt. (MDDF) Howard believes the government can better provide and price flood insurance to homeowners.

Capt. (MDDF) Howard brings a background as a statistical expert providing high level economic, policy and data consulting to Federal agencies and other clients. Currently, he is employed as an applied analytics scientist and machine learning engineer at Eagle Ray, Inc. and has previously served the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as an internal consultant on statistical computing. Capt. (MDDF) Howard is also a passionate educator, teaching at the University of Maryland University College and the University of Baltimore.

The motto of the MDDF is Officio Vocante Parati – “Ready When Called.” Capt. (MDDF) Howard exemplifies the talent and professionalism of the men and women of the MDDF who are always ready and able when called to serve the people of the State of Maryland.

The Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) is the State’s uniformed volunteer military unit providing professional and technical assistance to the Maryland Military Department. Established in 1917, the MDDF consists of nearly 450 personnel who perform legal, engineering, finance, medical, chaplain, field support and ceremonial services for the State of Maryland. For more information: www.mddf.maryland.gov.