DR. TROY E. MEINK

Troy E. Meink, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space; and the Director, Executive Agent for Space Staff, Washington, D.C. He provides the principal support to the Under Secretary's role as the Headquarters U.S. Air Force focal point for space matters and in coordinating activities across the Air Force space enterprise.

Dr. Meink is from Lemmon, S.D., and entered the Air Force in 1988 through the ROTC program at South Dakota State University. His assignments have included operations and training, systems engineering, research and development, and program management of major defense acquisition programs. Dr. Meink began his career as a KC-135 Tanker Navigator and Instructor and then a lead test engineer for the design and evaluation of ballistic missile test vehicles for the Missile Defense Agency resulting in two successful launch campaigns. He managed multiple next generation joint research and development programs transitioning global space capabilities, optical sensors, and advanced structures into DoD operations. Dr. Meink subsequently led multiple communications organizations within the Air Force and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Networks and Information Integration. Prior to his current assignment, he was Director, Signals Intelligence Systems Acquisition, National Reconnaissance Office.

As a rated officer, Dr. Meink completed 100 sorties including eight combat and 29 combat support missions in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Provide Comfort. He has authored 20 articles in professional journals and conference publications, has been awarded three patents, and designed, built, and flown two experimental aircraft.

EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, South Dakota State University
1995 Master of Science degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Ohio State University
1999 Doctor of Philosophy degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Ohio State University

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. August 1988 - September 1993, Air Force Navigator and Instructor Navigator, Grissom AFB, Ind.
2. June 1994 - March 1998, Flight Test Engineer and Deputy Program Manager (Air Force Reserve), National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. August 1994 – February 2001, Program Manager and Senior Research Engineer, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. February 2001 - March 2002, Chief Technical Adviser, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. March 2002 - June 2003, Director, Military Satellite Communications Innovations Center, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
6. June 2003 - January 2006, Program Director, Transformational Satellite Communications Systems, Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
7. January 2006 - November 2008, Director, Communications Directorate, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration), the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. November 2008 – October 2013, Director, Signals Intelligence Systems Acquisition, National Reconnaissance Office, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Space and Technology, Chantilly, Va.
9. November 2013 - present, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space; and Director, Executive Agent for Space Staff, Washington, D.C.

AWARDS AND HONORS
Distinguished Presidential Rank Award
Dr. Joseph V. Charyk Award, National Space Clubs
Distinguished graduate, undergraduate navigator training
Stellar Award for Space Achievement, NASA
Scientist and Engineer Award, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
Special Act or Service Award, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
Science and Technology Achievement Award, Air Force Materiel Command
Department of the Air Force Invention Award
Team of the Year, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
Team of the Quarter, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
Theodore Von Karman Award Nominee, Air Force Association
Vern Orr Award Nominee, Air Force Association
Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
John J. Welch Jr. Award, Air Force Space Command
U.S. Air Force Agile Acquisition Transformational Leadership Award

(Current as of November 2013)