Brig. Gen. Roderick C. Owens is the Mobilization Assistant to the Principal Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is dual-hatted and serves as the Mobilization Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisitions and Integration in a liaison capacity between the Air Force Acquisitions and the Space Force Acquisitions organizations. He is responsible for assisting in the development and execution of policies and procedures in support of the operation and improvement of the Air Force’s acquisition system. He assists in overseeing the Air Force research and development, test, production and modernization program portfolio of over $60 billion annually. He also assists in overseeing architecture and integration with respect to acquisition of space systems and programs in the armed forces, as well as overseeing and directing space acquisition centers in the Department of the Air Force.
Brig. Gen. Owens serves as the Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Defense Contract Management Agency under the authority, direction and control of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment at Fort Lee, Virginia. Management functions require knowledge of operational war-fighter support, acquisition, contracting, industrial base, quality assurance, production surveillance, systems and financial management and small business support. Assists the Director in providing leadership for 12,000 civilian and 860 military personnel from all services in four major subordinate commands and management for 317,000 contracts valued at $112 billion. Brig. Gen. Owens supports the Director in achieving program goals for all aspects of the DCMA mission in delivering actionable acquisition insight from the factory floor to the front line and aids the Director in providing worldwide contract management support to the military services, Defense Logistics Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Government agencies, foreign governments and international agencies.
Brig. Gen. Owens received a commission in the Air Force through the United States Air Force Academy in 1993. In 1996, he obtained a Master of Business Administration. He served on active duty and transitioned to Individual Ready Reserve status until joining the Air Force Reserve in 2001. And, in 2015 graduated from Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia.
Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Owens was the Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to The Deputy Assistant Secretary, Acquisition Integration (SAF/AQX), Department of the Air Force at the Pentagon. The directorate is responsible for developing, maintaining, and integrating acquisition management policy, strategic management efforts, providing program advice, lessons learned, information technology, industrial insight and financial execution and reporting. Mission areas include enterprise execution (execution and acquisition reporting for Air Force modernization programs); enterprise oversight/requirements (advises Service Acquisition Executive through the Office of Secretary of Defense oversight process); business intelligence/industrial preparedness (monitors and reports on industrial affairs); strategic plans and initiatives strategic congressional communications, Air Force corporate process, continuous process improvement; acquisition policy; and acquisition computer information officer/portfolio management. Brig. Gen. Owens also served as the IMA to the Director of the Mission Operations Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Virginia. He also served as the Director of The Office of Continuity. His senior assignments include serving as the IMA to the Director National Reconnaissance Operations Center, Chief NROC Reserve Operations, Field Representative to U.S. Strategic Command and Program Manager of Special Sensors Risk Team. He spent his initial career in various System Program Offices at the Space and Missiles Center, Los Angeles AFB.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Sciences and Mechanical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1997 Master of Business Administration and Management, Chapman University, Orange County, Calif.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course
2015 Advance Joint Professional Military Education, Norfolk, Va.
2019 Enterprise Perspective Seminar
2023 Strategic Mindset Seminar
2023 Continuous Improvement and Innovation Executive Course
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1993–June 1994, Satellite System Test Manager, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.
Shape2. June 1994–May 1995, Launch Vehicle Integration Engineer, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
3. July 1995–September 1998, Manager, Titan IV Centaur Mechanical Systems, Los Angeles, AFB, Calif.
4. May 2001–April 2002, Program Manager, Special Sensors Risk Team, Air Force Element Aerospace Data Duty Office, Washington, D.C.
5. April 2002–April 2004, Deputy Chief of Operations and Maintenance Division, Air Force Element Aerospace Data Duty Office, Washington, D.C. .
6. April 2004–April 2005, Deputy Ground Segment Manager, Air Force Element Aerospace Data Duty Office, Washington, D.C.
7. April 2005–April 2006, Program Manager, Special Sensor Risk Team, Air Force Element Aerospace Data Duty Office, Washington, D.C.
8. April 2006–April 2008, National Reconnaissance Office Liaison Officer and Field Representative to U.S. Strategic Command, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. August 2008–April 2009, Program Manager, Special Sensors Risk Team, Chantilly, Va.
10. April 2009–September 2011, Field Representative to U.S. Strategic Command, Chantilly, Va.
11. September 2011–September 2012, Chief, NROC Reserve Operations, Chantilly, Va.
12. September 2012–December 2014, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, NROC, Chantilly, Va.
13. December 2016–October 2017, IMA to the Director MOD and Director, Office of Continuity, Chantilly, Va.
14. October 2017–May 2019, IMA to the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Acquisition Integration (SAF/AQX) Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. May 2019–June 2023, MA to Director, Defense Contract Management Agency, Fort Lee, Va.
16. June 2023–present, MA to the Principal Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1995–October 2017, National Reconnaissance Office, Air Force Space Command, Chantilly, Va., as a first lieutenant to colonel
2. May 2019–June 2023, Defense Contract Management Agency, Under Secretary of Defense, Fort Lee, Va., as a colonel and brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air and Space Longevity Service with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Training Ribbon
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Program Management Institute
Association of Graduates
Air Force Academy Association of Graduates – D.C. Chapter
(Current as of January 2024)