John F. Vona, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director of Operational Requirements and Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this position, Mr. Vona leads more than 180 military, civilian and contractor personnel in establishing capability-based requirements policy, developing, prioritizing, and advocating for operational requirements, and guiding future modernization and technology programs. The Directorate is the Air Force Futures’ center of expertise leading Capability Development and Joint Requirements Integration and is comprised of 19 teams encompassing nearly the entire Air Force modernization portfolio, including air superiority, nuclear, mobility, autonomous platforms, weapons, sensors, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, base defense, personnel recovery and cyber capabilities along with requirements integration with Intelligence Community and space counterparts. He oversees the Air Force's Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System processes, and advocates for Air Force equities at the Joint Staff/J8 Joint Requirements Oversight Council.
Mr. Vona began his Air Force career in 1985 as an Electronics Engineering Technician at the 485th Engineering Installation Group, fielding secure communications systems to multiple U.S. and ally/partner sites. He then spent 16 years at the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, progressing through various engineering, program management and leadership positions developing, acquiring, fielding and sustaining advanced intelligence processing, exploitation and dissemination capabilities for multiple Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customers. Mr. Vona next directed the Air Force Command and Control and Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center (later, AF C2 Integration Center) Plans and Integration Division, leading C2 gap analysis, supervising advanced technology initiatives and guiding strategy and transition planning for Air Force experimentation. After joining Air Combat Command in 2013, he served as the Air Operations Center Weapon System Division Chief and then as Technical Director of the ACC Requirements Directorate. He later led the Information Superiority Division, directing modernization and sustainment of the AF Distributed Common Ground System and related battlespace awareness programs, later leading transition of Air Force cyberspace weapon system programs into ACC.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Vona served as the Deputy Director of the Plans, Program and Requirements Directorate, Headquarters Air Combat Command. He supervised a staff of 25 divisions of more than 700 personnel and led planning and programming for over $60 billion annually. He supported a force of over 146,000 personnel and 2,800 aircraft, including 10 unified commands and U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command. He directed operational requirements functions for Combat Air Force weapon system acquisition, modernization, sustainment, and test for over 140 programs. He also served as a senior technical advisor and guided multiple innovation, experimentation, and advanced technology initiatives, teaming with Air Force Research Laboratory, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and other government and industry partners.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Syracuse University, N.Y.
1992 Master of Science, Electrical Engineering, Syracuse University, N.Y.
1995 Maxwell School of Government National Security Studies Program, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y.
1996 Advanced Management Program, State University of New York, Marcy
2008 Air War College, Maxell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Leadership for a Democratic Society Program, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va.
2021 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2022 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1985−1986, Electronics Engineering Technician, 485th Engineering and Installation Group, Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y.
2. 1988−1997, Electronics and Computer Engineer, Rome Laboratory, later Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, Rome, N.Y.
3. 1998−2004, Chief, Information Handling Branch and Director, Air Force Intelligence Data Handling System Program Office, Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, Rome, N.Y.
4. 2004−2011, Chief, Plans and Integration Division, Air Force Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center, Langley AFB, Va.
5. 2011−2013, Technical Director, Air Force Command and Control Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
6. 2013−2015, Chief, Air Operations Center Division and Technical Director, Requirements Directorate, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
7. 2015−2019, Chief, Information Superiority Division, Directorate of Plans, Programs and Requirements, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
8. 2019−2023, Deputy Director, Plans, Programs and Requirements, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
9. 2023-present, Director of Operational Requirements and Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2010 Association of Old Crows Electronic Warfare Team Award
2015 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2016 Chief Acquisition Officer Council Acquisition Excellence Award
PUBLICATIONS
“Global Effects: Pilot Explores Integrated Command and Control” High Frontier, the Journal for Space and Missile Professionals, Volume 5, Number 3, May 2009 (sole author)
(Current as of January 2024)