RICHMOND, Va. –
When German aerospace engineer Matteo Crippa packed up his life, his wife and two children, he brought an eagerness to explore as he knew the journey would be more than just schematics and supply chains.
His yearlong assignment at Defense Logistics Agency Aviation through the Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program wasn’t only about reverse engineering aircraft parts, it was about experiencing American culture: one project, one T-shirt and one new American expression at a time.
The Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program, or ESEP, strengthens international defense cooperation by embedding engineers and scientists with allied organizations.
“The ESEP is a career-enhancement program … to promote international cooperation in military research, development, test and evaluation, as well as acquisition, through the exchange of defense scientists and engineers,” said William Cary, chief of the Engineering and Technology Division at DLA Aviation.
Matteo, a civilian federal employee of the German armed services, or Bundeswehr, said applying was a natural step.
“As you can see from my biography, I’ve moved many, many times since my earliest childhood, so I have now a natural instinct for wanting to see more of the world,” Crippa said. “From a private point of view, I would like to give my children the same great opportunities I had and expand their horizons by meeting new people, cultures and ways of living.”
Crippa was born in Varese, Italy, near the Swiss border. He grew up in Italy and Germany and spent a short time in San Antonio, Texas, while his father, a colonel pilot in the Italian Air Force, was stationed there.
He studied aerospace engineering at the University of Stuttgart and later earned an MBA in aviation management near Berlin. His career included roles with the German Aerospace Center and Airbus before joining the Bundeswehr in 2019 as a civil servant, where he analyzed aircraft structures used in flight testing.
Crippa arrived in Richmond in 2024 speaking fluent Italian, German and English. His children, Andreas and Giulia, learned English quickly once they stepped into their first American classrooms.
“They didn’t know an English word, but the complete process was straightforward, and they had massive support from the complete school staff,” Crippa said. He added that while the slang word “gotcha” puzzled him at first, he soon understood its meaning. His children quickly picked up phrases like “how you doin’?” from classmates.
At DLA Aviation, Crippa was assigned to the Engineering and Technology Division with a focus on reverse engineering. His work involved measuring and analyzing existing parts, creating government-owned technical data packages and helping improve supply readiness.
“Reverse engineering was my main duty at DLA Aviation, and it involved a lot of steps to reach the goal,” he said. “Ultimately the goal is to enhance the supply status of a specific part through the creation of a government-owned technical data package, which leads, in general, to better supply conditions through lower costs, more supply sources or shorter production lead times.”
Cary said his expectations were quickly exceeded.
“Shortly after he arrived, I realized that it would be challenging to challenge Matteo – it was very clear that he was experienced, intelligent and driven to succeed,” Cary said.
Among Crippa’s contributions: modernizing the technical drawing review workflow implementing a digital signature process, customizing CAD templates and training colleagues to use them.
“Matteo brought a wealth of experience and fresh eyes to our day-to-day operations,” said Glen Dupaul, DLA Aviation mechanical engineer. “These were not just conversations. Matteo customized CAD templates, implemented time-saving process improvements and provided training tailored to our department needs.”
Crippa noted that one of the most valuable lessons from his U.S. colleagues was the pronounced “can-do” mentality. In Germany, he explained, engineers often want every detail solved before starting; in the U.S., he observed teammates trying solutions along the way and accepting small failures as part of progress. He said that approach taught him the value of flexibility and problem-solving on the move and it’s something he plans to take back into his work with the Bundeswehr.
But engineering wasn’t the only challenge. There were driver’s licenses to get, schools to enroll in and a new culture to navigate.
Food was a mixed bag. “We knew the fact that in the U.S. everything is big!” he said. His wife, Emiljana, is an accomplished cook of Italian and Albanian dishes, often spoiling DLA colleagues with baklava, cheesecake and other delicacies. Colleagues enjoyed her dishes at department potlucks.
Still, the family gave American cuisine a fair shot. A Richmond colleague introduced Crippa to Jambalaya. “It was so good that I asked him for the recipe,” he said. Cajun and Tex-Mex ranked high on the family’s list of favorites.
The children discovered they loved baseball, or at least the mascots and mid-inning shows at the Richmond Flying Squirrels stadium. For the parents, the highlight was the 4th of July in Washington, D.C., complete with fireworks over the National Mall.
If the workday brought new workflows, weekends brought new wardrobes. Everywhere Crippa traveled, he bought a T-shirt.
“So, I would have to say, ‘Most likely to buy a shirt wherever he goes!’” Cary joked.
The collection grew as the family crisscrossed the U.S.: Washington, D.C.; Monticello, Virginia; Nashville and Memphis in Tennessee; the Alamo and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas; New Orleans’ French Quarter; the USS Alabama in Alabama; Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and New York at Christmas.
“He has been to more museums, landmarks and states than I have visited in the last decade,” Cary admitted.
Colleagues eagerly awaited each Monday to see which landmark would show up next on Crippa’s T-shirts, and to hear the road-trip stories behind it.
Beyond technical expertise and travel tales, Crippa brought a collaborative spirit that impressed coworkers.
“Matteo’s presence was truly enriching; he would be an excellent addition to any workforce and having him with DLA for the past several months was beneficial and very enjoyable for all involved,” said Kyle Hedrick, DLA Aviation’s advanced manufacturing programs point of contact. “We would enthusiastically welcome the opportunity to collaborate with him again.”
Dupaul said he will miss not just the technical discussions about “aircraft wing geometry, critical mach and fatigue cycles,” but also Emi’s desserts.
“Of course, the real question will be if DHL ships cheesecake from Germany,” he quipped.
As his August departure approached, Crippa reflected on the whirlwind year.
“My only advice would be: Don’t think too much about it and simply do it!” he said to future exchange engineers. “At the end, the positive experiences outweigh any negative ones.”
He admitted he wished the year were longer. “The only thing I can say is: Thank you so much for this great, unforgettable and unique experience. I wish I could stay longer and work with you all. Every one of you is welcome to visit me in Germany or Italy and I hope I will see you again in the future!”
In the end, Crippa’s time with DLA Aviation wasn’t just about technical data packages or streamlined workflows. It was about cultural exchange and international friendships, while showing that whether one is engineering a part in Richmond or Munich, the fundamentals are the same: curiosity, collaboration and a little humor along the way.
As he boards his next Caribbean cruise with his family before heading back to Germany, Crippa leaves behind improved processes, expanded perspectives and a collection of T-shirts.