Mr. Christopher M. Wilcox, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Deputy Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for policy, resources and oversight of developmental and operational testing. He assists the Director in overseeing the Air Force’s test infrastructure worth $4 billion, and the programming and execution of the Air Force test portfolio with an annual budget of $1.9 billion.
Mr. Wilcox started his civil service as a test project manager with the U.S. Air Force at Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, in 1994. He attended the University of Tennessee and graduated with a master’s degree in aerospace in 1997. He then served as a flight test engineer at Edwards AFB, California, supporting weapons testing on the B-1, B-2, B-52 and F-22, and as a test and evaluation program integrator in the Missile Defense Agency supporting the Theater High Altitude Area Defense and Israeli Arrow air defense programs. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Wilcox served as Deputy/Technical Director with the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, directing the test and evaluation of all U.S. Army aviation, artillery and air defense systems.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1997 Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Tennessee, Tullahoma
2012 Aberdeen Proving Ground Cohort Leadership Development Program, Graduate, Aberdeen, Md.
2017 Senior Manager Course, National Security Leadership, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 1994–June 1997, Test Program Manager, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.
2. June 1997–October 2000, Armament Engineer, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, Calif.
3. October 2000–April 2002, Test and Evaluation Program Integrator, Missile Defense Agency, Arlington, Va.
4. April 2002–October 2009, Program Evaluator, U.S. Army Evaluation Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
5. October 2009–July 2021, Deputy/Technical Director, U.S. Army Evaluation Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
6. July 2021–present, Deputy Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2008 Department of Army Commendation Medal
2009 Superior Civilian Service Award
2016 The Honorable Order of Saint Barbara
2016 Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
2021 Meritorious Civilian Service Medal
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Member, Defense and Army Acquisition Corps
Test and Evaluation, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program
Project Management, Level I, APDP
System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering, Level I, APDP
(Current as of October 2022)