Mr. William K. Uptmor is the Director, Capability Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Force Modernization, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, Mr. Uptmor orchestrates the Air Force capability development enterprise by synchronizing modernization efforts with joint and Office of the Secretary of War priorities. Additionally, he oversees related modernization requirements, integrates and prioritizes functional Program Objective Memorandum inputs, coordinates across Air Staff, Major Commands, OSW, Joint Staff and key stakeholders, and provides functional subject matter expert support to Force Design, Mission Integration, and Force Analysis and Planning Directorate processes.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Uptmor served as the Deputy Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, HAF, Arlington, Va. He led a staff of military and civilians in the annual development of the Air Force’s 30-Year Resource Allocation Plan. Mr. Uptmor was also responsible for the development and integration of the Air Force strategy and long-range plans to ensure the Air Force builds and employs effective air, space and cyber forces to achieve national defense objectives.
Mr. Uptmor entered the Air Force in 1989 as a Graduate of Montana State University and the AFROTC program with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. His staff assignments include two previous tours in the Pentagon as a Division Chief on the Joint Staff (J-8) and Branch Chief, Tanker Requirements, KC-135 Program Element Monitor on the Headquarters Air Force Staff in Operations and Plans. He also served as a contingency and exercise planner at the Tanker Airlift Control Center, Air Mobility Command. Mr. Uptmor is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in KC-135A/Q/R/T aircraft.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, AFROTC, Montana State University, Bozeman
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science and Technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2002 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1989–April 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. October 1991–May 1994, Copilot, Aircraft Commander, Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y.
3. August 1994–August 1998, Instructor/Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Training, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
4. August 1998–August 2000, Contingency/Exercise Planner, Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC/A8), Scott AFB, Ill.
5. December 2000–December 2003, Chief, 909th Air Refueling Squadron Standards/Evaluation and Operations Officer, Kadena Air Base, Japan
6. December 2003–December 2005, KC-135 PEM, Executive Officer AF/XOR, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. January 2006–November 2007, Operations Officer, 6th Operations Support Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
8. December 2007–June 2010, Commander, 911th ARS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
9. July 2010–May 2011, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. May 2011–October 2013, Division Chief (J-8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. November 2013–December 2016, Retired
12. December 2016–September 2019, Associate, Nuclear Deterrence Panel, (A-8), Headquarters Air Force the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. September 2019–December 2022, Associate, Planning Integration, (A-8), HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. December 2022–June 2026, Deputy Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2026–present, Director, Capability Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Force Modernization, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,500 hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38 and KC-135R/T/A/Q
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
(Current as of July 2026)