Service to Mission: Veterans at GTRI
At Georgia Tech Research Institute, nearly 40 percent of our workforce are veterans who continue serving the nation through mission-critical research. For these professionals, the transition from military service to GTRI is not a career change but a continuation of their commitment to national security. The skills they developed in uniform (operating complex systems, leading teams under pressure, understanding real-world military operations) directly strengthen the research they conduct today.
This Veterans Month, we're proud to share the stories of six GTRI employees whose service across the military branches exemplifies our core values: integrity, innovation, and dedication to the nation's defense.
John "Bugs" Bunnell
Air Force, Director, Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities
GTRI, Principal Research Associate
What drew John “Bugs” Bunnell to the Air Force was the same thing that pulled him to GTRI: advanced technology and service. He began his 28-year Air Force career as a backseater who managed combat duties in the F-15E Strike Eagle. Eventually, he commanded the 494th Fighter Squadron and served in war zones from Kosovo to Iraq and Afghanistan. During his early years in a fighter squadron, he earned the nickname “Bugs,” a play on Bunnell’s last name that stuck throughout his military career and followed him to GTRI.
Zachary Guyton was drawn to the Army because he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself. Although he is retired from military service, his work at GTRI allows him to continue serving the same mission.
Family has shaped nearly every step of Sarah Lamp’s professional journey, from military service to space research. Growing up, Lamp’s father admired the military, though he couldn’t enlist because of medical issues. Military service was also part of her family’s history: Her grandfather served as a World War II medic, and her brother later flew F-16s. Wanting to make her father proud while serving a purpose larger than herself, Lamp joined the Air Force in 2003.
Megan Lee
Navy, Chief Information System Technician at Commander Naval Special Warfare Group Three
GTRI, Senior Research Associate
Megan Lee was so eager to serve that she enlisted in the Navy at 17. She then spent 20 years on active duty and another 10 in the Navy Reserve. Today, she continues supporting the warfighter through her work at GTRI, a mission that remains one of the most rewarding parts of her career.
When people thank Troy Littles for his military service, he often feels a little embarrassed. “I did this not for people to thank me,” Littles said. “I did it because I really wanted to do it. There is something in my heart about this country.” Littles initially joined the Marines after high school and ultimately spent 26 years in the Army. For him, military service was about serving the nation, a mission he continues today
as GTRI’s chief operating officer.
Christopher Patton always knew he wanted to help people. That desire is part of what led him to join the Coast Guard a year after 9/11 — and what continues to motivate his work at GTRI today.“I just wanted to do what I could,” said Patton, who also considered careers in firefighting and emergency medical services.