Brig. Gen. Amanda L. Okeson is the Sentinel Systems Program Manager, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. In this capacity, she leads a wing-equivalent team charged with developing, producing, fielding, and maintaining the next-generation land-based leg of the nuclear triad. She is responsible for the total life-cycle management of the LGM-35A Sentinel weapon system, which will replace the LGM-30 Minuteman III, as well as the Mk21A reentry vehicle and Fuze Modernization programs.
Brig. Gen. Okeson commissioned in 2002 through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Her assignments span multiple acquisition and leadership roles, as both a developmental engineer in the space and intelligence communities and as a program manager in the aircraft acquisition environment. She served as a Lead Systems Engineer for the development of next-generation space encryption devices; a Group Executive Officer both stateside and in Iraq; an Intelligence Flight Commander; a Squadron Assistant Director of Operations; the Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Force Materiel Command; and as Team Chief for MQ-1/9 Sensors and Payloads. She also served as the Air Force Executive Liaison Agent for the Defense Intelligence Agency, as the Materiel Leader for RQ-4 Global Hawk Capabilities, and as the C-17 System Program Manager in the Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate.
Prior to this assignment, Brig. Gen. Okeson served as the F-16 System Program Manager and Chief of the Falcon Division, located at Hill AFB, Utah and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. In this role, she was responsible for total life-cycle management of F-16 aircraft supporting the United States and 29 international partners.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Science, Aeronautics, Space Studies, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., by correspondence
2014 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Senior Acquisition Course Concentration, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2003–January 2005, Satellite Operations Engineer, Center for Research Support, Space and Missiles Systems Center Detachment 12, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.
2. January 2005–January 2006, Space Information Security Engineer, Special Projects Directorate, Cryptologic Systems Group, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. January 2006–May 2006, Executive Officer, 447th Air Expeditionary Group, Sather Air Base, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq
4. May 2006–January 2007, Ground Operating Equipment–Increment 1 Lead Systems Engineer, Special Projects Directorate, Cryptologic Systems Group, Lackland AFB, Texas
5. January 2007–December 2008, Executive Officer and Squadron Section Commander, Cryptologic Systems Group, Lackland AFB, Texas
6. December 2008–July 2010, Flight Commander, Command and Control Systems and Software Analysis Flight, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. July 2010–July 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, Electronic Analysis Squadron, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. July 2011–July 2012, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. July 2012–August 2013, Chief, MQ-1/9 Sensors and Payloads, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. August 2013–June 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. June 2014–June 2016, Executive Liaison Agent, Office of Partner Engagement, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2016–June 2019, Materiel Leader, RQ-4 Capabilities Program Manager, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
13. July 2019–June 2020, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. July 2020–June 2021, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. August 2021–July 2023, Senior Materiel Leader, C-17 System Program Manager, C-17 Globemaster III Division, Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
16. July 2023–June 2024, Senior Materiel Leader-Upper, F-16 System Program Manager, F-16 Division, Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill AFB, Utah
17. June 2024–present, Senior Materiel Leader-Upper, Sentinel Systems Program Manager, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 14, 2002
First Lieutenant Dec. 28, 2004
Captain Dec. 28, 2006
Major Nov. 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2016
Colonel March 1, 2021
Brigadier General Frocked
(Current as of March 2026)