Col Connie L. Clay is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Washington, D.C. She augments leadership of the 100-member acquisition staff organization charged with planning, managing and analyzing the Air Force's 200 billion dollars (FYDP) research, development, and acquisition investment budget. Colonel Clay oversees the integration of full life cycle acquisition equities into strategy, requirements, policy, processes, funding, program execution, information technology, and workforce management. These activities enable the 25,000-member Air Force acquisition corps to deliver the vital capabilities necessary to accomplish the Air Force’s core missions.
Col Clay enlisted in the Air Force in November 1993 as a personnel technician and later received her commission from the Air Force through ROTC and re-entered active duty in October 2000. She has served at multiple levels in the personnel and acquisition career fields to include flight, squadron, division, center, COCOM and HAF. Col Clay separated from active duty and became a reservist in 2005. She has deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Arts, Environmental Sciences, University of Washington
2003 Masters of Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Touro University
2005 Squadron Officer School (Residence)
2011 Air Command and Staff College (Non-Residence)
2017 Air War College (Non-Residence)
2021 Africa Seminar, Capitol Hill Club, Washington DC
2024 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Oct 2000-Jul 2002, Chief, Relocations and Employments, 62d Mission Support Squadron, McChord AFB, WA
2. Jul 2002-Feb 2003, Section Commander, 62d Logistics Readiness Squadron, McChord AFB, WA
3. Feb 2003-Aug 2003, Executive Officer, 62d Mission Support Group, McChord AFB, WA
4. Aug 2003-Jul 2004, Chief, Customer Support, Military Personnel Flight, 96th Mission Support Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
5. Jul 2004-Nov 2005, Section Commander, 96th Mission Support Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
6. Nov 2005-Jan 2006, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Military Personnel Flight Commander, 96th Mission Support Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
7. Jan 2006-Jun 2008, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Resources Advisor, Engineering and Acquisition Excellence Directorate, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, FL
8. Jun 2008-Mar 2011, Chief, Satellite Personnel Activity, 442d Mission Support Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
9. Mar 2011-Apr 2013, Director of Operations, 919th Force Support Squadron, Duke Field, FL
10. Apr 2013-Jan 2016, Commander, 919th Special Operations Force Support Squadron, Duke Field, FL
11. Jan 2016-Sep 2016, Joint Manpower Requirements Analyst, Special Operations Command Central, HQ U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL
12. Oct 2016-May 2020, Deputy, Weapons Division, Directorate of Global Power Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
13. May 2020-Jun 2023, Reserve Acquisition Career Field Manager and SAF/AQ Reserve Advisor, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
14. Jul 2023-Mar 2024, Director, AFWERX Reserve Program, Air Force Research Laboratory, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
15. Mar 2024 – present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Arlington, VA.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
Jan 2016-Sep 2016, Joint Manpower Requirements Analyst, Special Operations Command Central, HQ U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL
DEPLOYMENTS
1. Nov 2001-Feb 2002 Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Jacobabad AB, Jacobabad, Pakistan. Team Chief, Personnel Support for Contingency Operation (PERSCO)
2. Feb-May 2002 Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, United States Embassy, Islamabad, Pakistan. J1, Office of the Defense Representative-Pakistan
3. May-Sep 2011 Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and NEW DAWN and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Al Udeid AB, Doha, Qatar, Executive Officer, 379th Expeditionary Mission Support Group
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air and Space Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Defense Financial Management, Acquisition, 2017 DoD Financial Management Certification, Level 3, 2023
Acquisition Professional Development Program, Business Financial Management, Advanced, 2014 Acquisition Professional Development Program, Program Management, Practitioner, 2021
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Unit Level Company Grade Officer of the Year, McChord AFB, WA 2001 Base Level Personnel Manager of the Year, McChord AFB, WA 2002 Base Level Personnel Manager of the Year, McChord AFB, WA
2004 Mission Support Group Company Grade Officer of the Year, Eglin AFB, FL 2004 Base Level Personnel Manager of the Year, Eglin AFB, FL
2004 Military Personnel Flight of the Year, Eglin AFB, FL
2005 Outstanding Contributor, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL 2008 Military Personnel Flight of the Year, Eglin AFB, FL
2011 Outstanding Unit Award, 379th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, Al Udeid AB, Qatar 2013 Outstanding Unit Award, 919th Special Operations Force Support Sq, Duke Field, FL
2015 Major General Eugene L. Eubank Award, Small Installation, 919th Special Operations Force Support Squadron, Duke Field, FL
2017 Individual Mobilization Augmentee of the Year, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
2017 Outstanding Individual Reservist of the Year, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Directorate of Global Power Programs, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 14 Oct 2000
First Lieutenant 14 Oct 2002
Captain 14 Oct 2004
Major 18 May 2010
Lieutenant Colonel 28 Aug 2015
Colonel 08 Jun 2020
(Current as of March 2024)