Col. Robert A. Mantz is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. He is responsible for assisting the Deputy for Acquisition Integration in planning, managing, and analyzing the Air Force’s $200 billion Future Years Defense Program research and development, and acquisition investment budget.
Col. Mantz attended the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and graduated in 1989 with a B.S. in Chemistry. Previously he was Senior Lead for Power and Energy in the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering, Joint Reserve Directorate and Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory Detachment 14, and acting Air Force Office of Scientific Research Deputy Director. Before assuming his current position, the Colonel served as the Air Force Senior Director to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region III assigned to National Security Emergency Preparedness, a Directorate of 1AF/AFNORTH.
In his civilian life Dr. Mantz was previously a Program Manager in The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Strategic Technology Office (DARPA/STO) where he managed the Biofuels and Deployable Energy Storage programs. He was also employed previously in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory as the paints and coatings research group leader and corrosion focal point and is currently the division chief of the chemistry division and program manager of the Electrochemistry program at the Army Research Office in Durham, N.C.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
1994 Masters of Science in Chemistry, California State University, Northridge
1997 Ph.D. in Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
1997 Squadron Officers School, In-Residence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Air War College – Air Reserve Component Seminar, by seminar and correspondence
2011 Canadian Joint Command and Staff Programme, in residence and correspondence
2012 Reserve Component National Security Course, by seminar
2015 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, in residence and correspondence
2017 LOGTECH Program for Executives in Logistics and Technology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2017 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Capitol Hill Club, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1989 - July 1993, Chemical Research Officer, Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Edwards AFB, Calif.
2. July 1993 - January 1997, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology Civilian Institution, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh
3. January 1997 - April 2002, Senior Fuels Chemist, Air Force Fuels Branch, Propulsion Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. April 2002 - May 2006, Reserve Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Mathematics, Information and Life Sciences Directorate, Arlington, Va.
5. May 2006 - January 2007, Acting Senior Reservist, Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.
6. January 2007 - November 2007, Reserve Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Mathematics, Information and Life Sciences Directorate, Arlington, Va.
7. November 2007 - November 2008, Senior Reservist, Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.
8. December 2008 - June 2009, Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Detachment 14 and Acting Deputy Director, Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.
9. June 2009 - November 2012, Senior Military Staff Specialist and Senior Lead for Power and Energy, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering, Joint Reserve Directorate, Arlington, Va.
10. November 2012 - March 2014, Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer to Virginia, 1st Air Force/National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
11. March 2014 - November 2015, Regional Reserve Director to FEMA Region III, 1st Air Force/National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
12. November 2015 - November 2016, Senior Director to FEMA Region III, 1st Air Force/National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
13. December 2016 - present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, The Pentagon.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2009 - November 2012, Senior Military Staff Specialist and Senior Lead for Power and Energy, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering, Joint Reserve Directorate, The Pentagon, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Joint Qualified Officer (JQO) - 2017
Acquisition Profession Development Program Certification Levels – Engineering III, Science and Technology Manager III, Life Cycle Logistics I, Program Management I, Test and Evaluation I
Air Force Office of Scientific Research Reserve Officer of the Year - 2003, 2004, 2006
Phi Lambda Upsilon award for Excellence in Graduate Research - 1996
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991
Captain May 31, 1993
Major Aug. 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 2007
Colonel Sept. 1, 2012
(Current as of February 2018)