Mr. William D. Dries, Jr., a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Principal Deputy Director, Headquarters Air Force Studies & Analysis, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for the development of Air and Space Force-wide policy, guidance, modeling, simulation, and analyses that inform Air and Space Force leadership decisions concerning current and future warfighting capabilities.
Mr. Dries served on active duty in the Air Force from 1988 to 2011 in a variety of operational, training, and staff assignments. He commanded at the squadron level, deployed three times, and accumulated more than 3,000 flying hours, including over 500 combat hours. Following his active-duty retirement, he transitioned to federal civil service in 2012. Prior to his current position, Mr. Dries served as Deputy Director of Training and Readiness on the Air Staff, responsible for policy, guidance, and oversight of Air Force operational training infrastructure, officer and enlisted operations career field management, operational readiness and reporting, and aircrew management.
Mr. Dries was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2022.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Saint Martin’s College, Lacey, Wash.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1997 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2000 Master of Science, Technology Management, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, S.D.
2002 US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2003 Master of Military Arts and Sciences, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2005 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill
2018 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2022 U.S. Air Force Senior Leader Orientation Course, Washington, D.C.
2024 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Boston
2024 Advanced Professional Executive SES Orientation Program, Washington, D.C.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. January 1988–June 1990, Flight Test Engineer, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
2. June 1990–June 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. June 1991–April 1993, Systems Engineer, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. April 1993–October 1993, Student, 338th Combat Crew Training Squadron (B-1), Dyess AFB, Texas
5. October 1993–May 1998, B-1 Pilot/Instructor/Evaluator/Weapons Officer, 77th and 37th Bomb Squadrons, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
6. May 1998–May 2001, Instructor Pilot/Evaluator/Assistant Operations Officer, B-1 Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
7. May 2001–May 2003, Student, US Army Command and General Staff College and School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. May 2003–July 2005, Chief of Strategy, 612 Air Operations Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9. July 2005–April 2006, Chief of Safety, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
10. April 2006–June 2008, Operations Officer, later Commander, 77th Weapons Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
11. June 2008–June 2009, Deputy Commander, 379th Expeditionary Operations Group, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
12. July 2009–March 2011, Chief of Strategy, Concepts and Wargaming, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. June 2012–May 2017, Associate Chief of Concepts, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. May 2017–May 2018, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. May 2018–November 2018, Deputy Chief of Capability Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. November 2018–March 2022, Associate Combat Forces Panel Chair, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. March 2022–February 2025, Deputy Director of Training and Readiness, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. February 2025–present, Principal Deputy Director, Studies and Analysis, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,000 hours
Aircraft flown: B-1, T-37, T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
(Current as of February 2025)