Edwin H. Oshiba is the Administrative Assistant, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Oshiba is the Department of the Air Force’s Senior Career Official/Advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force. In this capacity, he provides advice and assistance directly to the Secretary, Under Secretary and Department of the Air Force Secretariat while managing the day-to-day administration and integration of the Headquarters, Department of the Air Force. In this role, he also oversees the execution and programming of the Headquarters Department of the Air Force portfolio with an annual budget of $5.6 billion and 24,000 personnel. He administratively manages and supports the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Secretariat and associated field operating agencies to include manpower, personnel, organization, budget and logistics.
Prior to this role, Mr. Oshiba served as the Director, Competitive Activities. He led the formulation, review, and execution of strategic plans and assessments focused on creating competitive advantage for the Department of the Air Force, and ensured the synchronization, integration and oversight of sensitive activities and special access programs, to bolster the department's competitive posture. Additionally, he was the Department of the Air Force Senior Agency Official and the Security Program Executive for Insider Threat policy and implementation and provided innovative approaches in support of intelligence and intelligence-related activities. Mr. Oshiba also performed the duties of the Under Secretary of the Air Force during the 2025 Administration transition.
Mr. Oshiba commissioned into the Air Force in 1989 upon graduating from Santa Clara University. He commanded four civil engineer squadrons (both in-garrison and deployed) and an expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force (Prime BEEF) group that provided direct support to Army and Marine Corps combat units across Afghanistan. Additionally, he served in a variety of positions at garrison, major command and Headquarters U.S. Air Force levels. He retired in 2015 at the rank of colonel and transitioned to the Senior Executive Service corps, serving as Deputy Director, Air Force Civil Engineer; Director, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, San Antonio, Texas; and several positions on the Headquarters Air Force and Secretariat staff.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Santa Clara University, Calif.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1997 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science, Engineering and Environmental Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2003 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2019 Vanguard Senior Executive Development Program, Alexandria, Va.
2020 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
2024 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar II, Arlington, Va.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. February 1989–January 2015, Various positions at garrison, expeditionary locations, Major Command and Headquarters Air Force-levels as an active-duty Air Force Civil Engineer officer
2. February 2015–February 2018, Deputy Director of Civil Engineers, Directorate of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
3. February 2018–November 2018, Director, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
4. November 2018–January 2022, Director of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
5. January 2022–March 2023, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. March 2023–December 2023, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. December 2023–December 2024, Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. December 2024–February 2025, Director, Competitive Activities, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. February 2025–July 2025, Performing the Duties of Under Secretary of the Air Force, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. July 2025–November 2025, Director, Competitive Activities, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. November 2025–March 2026, Director, Administration & Management, and Director of Staff, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. March 2026–present, Administrative Assistant, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
CIVILIAN AWARDS AND HONORS
2023 Presidential Rank Award (Distinguished)
2021 Presidential Rank Award (Meritorious)
Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers Distinguished Career Service Award
MILITARY DECORATIONS AND HONORS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Society of American Military Engineers
(Current as of April 2026)