Lorna B. Estep, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Executive Director, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Ms. Estep advises the AFMC commander in managing all aspects of the command’s mission. The command employs 89,000 people and manages $72 billion annually, executing the critical mission of warfighter support through leading-edge science and technology, cradle-to-grave life cycle weapon systems management, world-class developmental test and evaluation, and world-class depot maintenance and supply chain management. As the command’s senior civilian, Ms. Estep also advises the AFMC commander on labor union relations and development of the civilian work force. Civilians make up more than 70% of the command -- the highest percentage among all Air Force major commands -- and AFMC employs 40% of the total Air Force civilians.
Ms. Estep started her career as a Navy logistics management intern. She has directed the Joint Center for Flexible Computer Integrated Manufacturing, was the first program manager for Rapid Acquisition of Manufactured Parts and has served as Technical Director of Information Technology Initiatives at the Naval Supply Systems Command. In these positions she has developed logistics programs for the Department of Defense, implemented one of the first integrated and agile data-driven manufacturing systems, and directed the development of complex technical data systems for the Navy.
As the Director of Joint Logistics Systems Center, Ms. Estep had the duties of a commanding officer for a major subordinate command. In addition, she acted as the Logistics Community Manager, an emerging organization to coordinate and implement the revised Defense Department logistics strategy for achieving Joint Vision 2010 through modern information techniques and processes. She has also served as Chief Information Officer for the Naval Sea Systems Command in Arlington, Va.; Executive Director of Headquarters Materiel Systems Group at Wright- Patterson AFB; Deputy Director for Logistics Readiness at the Pentagon; Executive Director, Air Force Global Logistics Support Center; and Deputy Director of Logistics, Air Force Materiel Command.
Prior to her current assignment, she was the Executive Director, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
EDUCATION
1978 Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa
1982 Master of Science degree in Administration, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
1989 Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. August 1978-August 1980, Navy logistics management intern, Fleet Material Support Office, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
2. August 1980-August 1981, transportation specialist, Naval Supply Systems Command, Arlington, Va.
3. August 1981-December 1983, program control team leader, Naval Supply Systems Command, Arlington, Va.
4. January 1984-June 1986, branch Director of Warehousing, Equipment and Systems, Naval Supply Systems Command, Arlington, Va.
5. June 1986-June 1992, Manager, Rapid Acquisition and Manufacture of Parts Program, Arlington, Va. (December 1991-December 1993, Director, Joint Center for Flexible Computer Integration Manufacturing, North Charleston, S.C.)
6. January 1994-January 1995, Technical Director, Information Technology Initiatives, Naval Supply Systems Command, Arlington, Va.
7. January 1995-April 1996, Director of Enterprise Integration, Naval Supply Systems Command, Arlington, Va.
8. April 1996-July 1997, Director of Plans, Programs and Resources, Joint Logistics Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. July 1997-October 1998, Logistics Community Manager and Deputy Director, later, Director, Joint Logistics Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. October 1998-March 1999, Chief Information Officer, Naval Sea Systems Command, Arlington, Va.
11. March 1999-June 2003, Executive Director, Headquarters Materiel Systems Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. June 2003-April 2005, Deputy Director of Logistics Readiness, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. May 2005-June 2008, Deputy Director of Supply, Directorate of Logistics, Headquarters AFMC, Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. July 2008-November 2010, Executive Director, Air Force Global Logistics Supply Center, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
15. November 2010-July 2014, Deputy Director of Logistics, Directorate of Logistics and Sustainment, Headquarters AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
16. July 2014–October 2018, Director of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. October 2018–June 2022, Executive Director, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
18. June 2022–present, Executive Director, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
AWARDS AND HONORS
1990 National Capital Region Award and national nominee, Society of Logistics Engineers
1991 Navy Civilian Meritorious Medal
1993 Navy Civilian Distinguished Service Medal
2003 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2005 Air Force Exceptional Civilian Service Medal
2008 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2018 Air Force Exceptional Civilian Service Award
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1993 Military Advisor, Lean Production Sub Panel, Defense Science Board
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Armed Forces Communications and Electronic Association International
Senior Member, Society of Manufacturing Engineers
International Advisory Board for Concurrent Engineering
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Acquisition Professional
Program Management, Level III
(Current as of June 2022)