John E. Cannaday, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (Contracting) for Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He assists the Deputy Assistant Secretary in carrying out responsibilities for all aspects of contracting related to the acquisition of weapon systems, logistics support, materiel and services for the Air Force. As ADAS(C), he oversees the training, organizing and equipping of a workforce of some 8,000 contracting professionals who execute programs worth more than $65 billion annually.
Mr. Cannaday entered the Air Force in 1984 after receiving his commission through Reserve Officer Training Corps at The Citadel, South Carolina. During his active duty and government civilian career, he has been assigned to seven Military Department and Defense Agencies performing a broad spectrum of acquisition and contracting missions. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2020.
Prior to assuming his current duties, he served as the Deputy Director of Contracts, Operations and Services for the Missile Defense Agency.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration, The Citadel, Charleston, S.C.
1988 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1989 Master of Contract Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
1997 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 1984–June 1986, Contract Specialist, 1014th Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
2. July 1986–June 1988, Contracting Officer, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
3. July 1988–September 1989, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. October 1989–July 1991, Chief, Delta Contract Branch, Space and Missile Systems Center, Delta II Launch Vehicle Contracting Officer, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
5. August 1991–July 1993, Contracting Officer, Office of Special Projects, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Space), Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
6. August 1993–June 1996, Contracting Staff Officer, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
7. July 1996–June 1997, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. July 1997–June 1998, Chief, Contracting Team, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. July 1998–June 1999, Deputy Chief, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. July 1999–June 2001, Commander, Defense Contract Management Agency – Korea, Gimhae Air Base, South Korea
11. July 2001–June 2003, Commander, 50th Contracting Squadron, 50th Space Wing, 14th Air Force, Schriever AFB, Colo.
12. July 2003–May 2004, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2004–June 2006, Chief, Multinational Logistics and Contracting, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB, FL
14. July 2006–July 2010, Director of Procurement, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
15. August 2010–October 2017, Professor of Contract Management, Defense Acquisition University, Huntsville, Ala.
16. November 2017–June 2020, Deputy Director of Contracts, Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
17. July 2020–present, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (Contracting), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
DAU-South “Excellence in Acquisition Learning Model”
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Executive Coach, Defense Acquisition University
Contracting, DAWIA Level III, Acquisition Professional Development
Program Management, DAWIA Level I
(Current as of January 2021)