About
AUSA’s Noon Report webinar series features presentations by senior Army leaders responsible for key programs and initiatives, as well as contemporary military authors who weave together the past, present and future story of the United States Army.

Please join us on Tuesday, 24 February, at 12:00 PM EST, for a Noon Report with two of the Army's senior technical experts for a conversation on the future of the U.S. Army: How will we get ahead of a rapidly evolving and complex global threat landscape? The Army is undergoing a profound transformation; this session will explore how new organizations and advanced technologies are being implemented across the force—and how Warrant Officers are at the forefront of these efforts, shaping the future of warfare.

When
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 · 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (US & Canada) (GMT -5:00)
Agenda
  • 11:45-12:00: Log-on
  • 12:00: Opening remarks by CW5(R) Yolondria Dixon-Carter, AUSA Senior Fellow
  • 12:05-12:25: Fireside Chat with CW5 Rylan Knight, CW5 Matt McDougall & CW5(R) Yolondria Dixon-Carter
  • 12:25-12:45: Question & Answer Session with CW5 Rylan Knight, CW5 Matt McDougall & CW5(R) Yolondria Dixon-Carter
  • 12:50: Closing remarks by CW5(R) Yolondria Dixon-Carter, AUSA Senior Fellow
Presenters
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CW5 Rylan Knight
Chief Technology Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-6
Chief Warrant Officer Five (CW5) Rylan Knight is currently assigned as the Chief Technology Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-6. In this role he is responsible for providing technical leadership and advice to the DCS, G-6 for planning, strategy, network architecture, and implementation of Command, Control, Computers, Communications (C4) and Cyber Operations and Networks for worldwide Army operations.
CW5 Knight joined the Army in 2000 as a Multi-channel Transmission Systems Operator. Following training, he spent his initial six years serving in positions of increasing responsibility as a Soldier and NCO in the Army’s 501st Signal Battalion and later the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
As a Warrant Officer, he has served in a diverse range of highly technical positions and has deployed globally in support of multiple named and contingency operations. He most recently served as the Senior
Technical Advisor, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) J6. His previous assignments as a Warrant Officer also include: Senior Technical Advisor, HQDA G-3/5/7 Strategic Operations; Chief Technical Officer, 7th Signal Command (Theater); Fellow, Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Senior Network Integration Technician, Brigade Modernization Command (BMC); Chief Technology Officer, 54th Signal Battalion, 160th Signal Brigade; Network Operations OIC and later Group S6, Asymmetric Warfare Group; Network Engineer, 25th Signal Battalion, 160th Signal Brigade; and Network Management Technician, 7th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade (TTSB), 5th Signal Command.
CW5 Knight is a graduate of the Warrant Officer Basic and Advanced Courses; Warrant Officer Intermediate Level and Senior Service Education; Joint Command, Control, Communications & Computer Planners Course (JC4PC); and the Army Force Management Course. He holds a master’s degree in technology management from Georgetown University.
His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC), Army Commendation Medal with 5 OLC, Army Achievement Medal, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Pathfinder Badge. Other awards include the Signal Corps Regimental Bronze Order of Mercury among other unit and individual awards, decorations, and badges.
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CW5 Matt McDougall
Senior Network Operations Technician
CW5 Matt McDougall is a 255Z, Senior Network Operations Technician and currently serves as the Senior Technical Advisor for the US Army Western Hemisphere Command G6, Fort Bragg, NC.
A native of Mojave, CA, he enlisted in 1996 into the US Air Force as a 2E1X3, Ground Radio Maintenance Technician. In 2005, he applied for and was accepted to become a Warrant Officer in the Army as a 251A Information Systems Technician.
CW5 McDougall’s previous assignments, in order, were 92nd Communications Squadron, Fairchild AFB, WA; Joint Communications Unit, Ft Bragg, NC; 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Ft. Lewis, WA; 10th Special Forces Group, Ft. Carson, CO; Joint Communications Unit, Ft Bragg, NC; Joint Special Operations Command, Ft. Bragg, NC; 1st Special Forces Command, Ft. Bragg, NC; 8th Army, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea; and XVIII Airborne Corps, Ft Bragg, NC.
He holds a M.S. in Computer Information Systems from Florida Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Cybersecurity from University of Maryland, Global Campus.
CW5 McDougall is married to the former Heather Brinton (LTC, USA), and they have one daughter, Elizabeth.
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CW5 Yolondria Dixon-Carter, U.S. Army Retired
AUSA Senior Fellow
Chief Warrant Officer Five Yolondria Dixon-Carter retired in 2025 after serving 36 years in the United States Army’s Human Resources field—13 years as an Enlisted Soldier and 23 years as a Warrant Officer.
She culminated her distinguished career as the Army’s first Chief Warrant Officer of the Army, previously known as the Senior Warrant Officer Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army and a key member of the Department of the Army Staff. In this historic role, she provided strategic oversight and advocacy for more than 30,000 Warrant Officers serving across 17 branches and over 40 specialties. She also served as Chair of the Army Senior Warrant Officer Council, leading 37 Command Chief Warrant Officers and Senior Warrant Officers representing the Active Army, National Guard, and U.S. Army Reserve.
Her career includes numerous senior executive-level assignments, to include Assistant Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Chief of Staff of the Army. She has served around the world on five continents and completed multiple deployments across three countries.
Yolondria holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Forensic Science from Saint Leo University. Her awards and decorations are extensive, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Air Assault Badge, the Combat Action Badge, as well as the Inspector General Identification Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge. In 2024, she was inducted into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame and named one of Northern Virginia’s Most Influential Women.
Today, she continues to inspire others as a motivational speaker across military, faith-based, and youth audiences. Passionate about giving back, she dedicates her time to mentorship, leadership development, ministry, and community service—particularly through her work with Top Teens of America, where she empowers the next generation of leaders and continues her journey from the battlefield to the community speaking life and delivering purpose.
She is married to Sergeant Major Emanuel Carter, a 31-Year Veteran. Together they are blessed with two adult children, Shanteria and Rashard, and three grandchildren.
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