David Kaplan

David M. Kaplan is a 1969 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served with distinction in the U.S. Army Signal Corps for 22 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1991. During the Vietnam War, he managed critical communications systems across South Vietnam. He later returned to West Point, where he developed and taught a foundational leadership course emphasizing ethical responsibility.

During the Cold War, Lieutenant Colonel Kaplan served in Germany as Chief of the Contingency Plans Branch, overseeing communications planning for potential European deployments. He later led key research and development initiatives, including work on the Position Location Reporting System (PLRS), a precursor to modern GPS technology, and played a vital role in its deployment during Operation Desert Storm.  Following his military career, he supported U.S. and NATO defense initiatives and worked in the federal sector implementing security technologies.

A dedicated community leader, Lieutenant Colonel Kaplan actively supports veterans’ organizations in Stamford, serves on Congressman Jim Himes’ Service Academy Selection Panel, and contributes to numerous civic and veterans’ groups. He is a former member of the Stamford Patriotic & Special Events Commission and has directed multiple Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades.

Lieutenant Colonel Kaplan and his wife, Elissa, reside in Stamford and remain deeply committed to community service.