DOUGLAS D. SANDERS

Douglas D. Sanders, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He assists the Administrative Assistant in executing the responsibilities of the office, to include performing high-level assignments according to secretarial policies, goals and objectives. He oversees the execution and programming of the Headquarters U.S. Air Force portfolio with an annual budget of $5.6 billion and 37,000 personnel. Mr. Sanders also assists in managing and administratively supporting the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, its 1,650-member Secretariat and 2,400-member-supported field operating agencies, to include manpower, personnel, organization, budget, supply and the Secretary's contingency fund; providing information, personnel and industrial security oversight for U.S. treaty issues, special access programs and antiterrorism. He also assists in establishing policy and overseeing worldwide Air Force Departmental Publishing, the Air Force Declassification Office, the Air Force Art Program Office and the Air Force Executive Dining Facility.

Mr. Sanders previously served as the Deputy General Counsel for Fiscal, Ethics & Administrative Law and Deputy General Counsel for Installations, Energy & Environment, Office of the General Counsel, HAF, Arlington, Va. Prior to his appointment to the Senior Executive Service, he held a variety of public service positions primarily focused on litigating environmental and real property issues and strategic planning for a world-wide legal enterprise. He is admitted to practice law in California and the District of Columbia.

EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts, Economic and Political Science, Indiana University, Bloomington
1994 Juris Doctor, cum laude, Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, Calif.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1994–1995, Deputy District Attorney, Riverside County, Calif.
1995–1997, Associate, Ault, Deprey, Jones & Gorman, San Diego, Calif.
1997–2000, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate (Captain), Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
2000–2004, Associate, Schlecht, Shevlin & Shoenberger, Palm Springs, Calif.
2004–2008, Attorney/Chief, Environmental Litigation Branch, Air Force Legal Operations Operations Agency, Arlington, Va.
2008–2011, Chief, Environmental Litigation Center, AFLOA, Arlington, Va.
2011–2015, Associate Director, Civil Law & Litigation, AFLOA, Andrews AFB, Md.
2015–2016, Deputy General Counsel, Installations, Energy and Environment, Washington, D.C.
2016–2020, Deputy General Counsel, Fiscal, Ethics, and Administrative Law, Washington, D.C.
2020–present, Deputy Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2005 Air Force General Counsel’s Award
2005 Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Civilian Attorney of the Year Award
2008 Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcement Section, Commendation Award
2009 Department of the Air Force, Outstanding Civilian Attorney of the Year (Wrightson Award)
2015 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2020 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2023 Meritorious Presidential Rank Award

(Current as of November 2023)