BRIGADIER GENERAL MARIA C. OWENS

Brig. Gen. Maria C. Owens is Director for Manpower and Personnel, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. General Owens is responsible for providing the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff manpower and personnel advice and support to ensure maximum readiness and sustainability of the total force. The J-1 or Manpower and Personnel Directorate provides plans, policy and guidance on joint personnel readiness. J-1 also provides manpower management policies, plans and oversight for all joint and combined activities reporting to or through the Chairman. The directorate gives policy and guidance on joint officer management matters and administers the internal Joint Staff civilian and military personnel programs.

General Owens received her commission in 1975 through the Air Force ROTC program at Baylor University. Prior to her current assignment, she served as the Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Homeland Security, Washington. General Owens also served as the Executive Secretary for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, where she directed the administrative support staff of the Secretary. She was the primary OSD liaison with the White House, National Security Council and State Department.

General Owens has served as a personnel officer on the Air Staff, at the Air Force Personnel Center and Headquarters European Command. Her prior assignments include positions as Director of Executive Support, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Commander, 436th Support Group, Dover Air Force Base, Del.; and Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

EDUCATION
1975 Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
1976 Master's degree in public administration, Webster College
1977 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1985 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1995 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1975 - August 1976, assistant club officer, Randolph AFB, Texas
2. September 1976 - May 1979, Commander, Headquarters Squadron, 12th Civil Engineering Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. June 1979 - August 1980, Chief of Presentations, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
4. August 1980 - April 1983, staff officer for personnel plans, Directorate of Manpower and Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
5. May 1983 - December 1984, assistant executive officer to the Director of Personnel plans, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
6. January 1985 - July 1985, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
7. August 1985 - May 1988, Chief, Special Duty Assignments and Chief, Assignment Policy, Air Force Military Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas
8. June 1988 - June 1989, Director, Personnel Division, 8th Combat Support Group, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
9. July 1989 - August 1990, Director, Personnel Division, Electronic Systems Division, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
10. September 1990 - August 1991, Deputy Commander, 3245th Air Base Group, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
11. September 1991 - June 1993, Director, Executive Support, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
12. July 1993 - June 1995, Chief, Personnel Division and Deputy Director for Manpower, Personnel and Administration, Headquarters European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
13. July 1995 - July 1996, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. August 1996 - June 1998, Commander, 436th Support Group, Dover AFB, Del.
15. July 1998 - May 1999, Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
16. June 1999 - June 2001, Executive Secretary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2001 - April 2002, Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.
18. April 2002 - present, Director for Manpower and Personnel, J-1, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 16, 1975
First Lieutenant July 5, 1977
Captain July 5, 1979
Major Aug. 1, 1984
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 1989
Colonel Feb. 1, 1994
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2002


(Current as of November 2003)