Mr. Douglas D. Sanders, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force. He is the Senior Civilian Career Attorney in the Department and provides oversight, guidance and direction regarding legal advice provided by the five divisions in the General Counsel’s Office.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Sanders was the Deputy Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. Mr. Sanders previously served as the Deputy General Counsel for Fiscal, Ethics and Administrative Law and Deputy General Counsel for Installations, Energy and Environment, Office of the General Counsel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Prior to his appointment to the Senior Executive Service, he held a variety of public service positions primarily focused on litigating environmental and real property issues and strategic planning for a world-wide legal enterprise. He is admitted to practice law in California and the District of Columbia.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts, Economic and Political Science, Indiana University, Bloomington Ind.
1994 Juris Doctor, cum laude, Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1994–1995 Deputy District Attorney, Riverside County, Calif.
2. 1995–1997 Associate, Ault, Deprey, Jones & Gorman, San Diego, Calif.
3. 1997–2000 Assistant Staff Judge Advocate (Captain), Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
4. 2000–2004 Associate, Schlecht, Shevlin and Shoenberger, Palm Springs, Calif.
5. 2004–2008 Attorney/Chief, Environmental Litigation Branch, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Arlington, Va.
6. 2008–2011 Chief, Environmental Litigation Center, AFLOA, Arlington, Va.
7. 2011–2015 Associate Director, Civil Law & Litigation, AFLOA, Andrews AFB, Md.
8. 2015–2016 Deputy General Counsel, Installations, Energy, and Environment, Washington, D.C.
9. 2016–2020 Deputy General Counsel, Fiscal, Ethics and Administrative Law, Washington, D.C.
10. 2020–2024 Deputy Administrative Assistant, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2005 Air Force General Counsel’s Award
2005 Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Civilian Attorney of the Year Award
2008 Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcement Section, Commendation Award
2009 Department of the Air Force, Outstanding Civilian Attorney of the Year (Wrightson Award)
2015 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2020 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2023 Presidential Rank Award
(Current as of July 2024)