Daniel "Dan" Cary, Capt, USAF

764th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron

Ramstein AB, Germany | Jan 2026-Present

Acquisition Flight Commander / Procuring Contracting Officer, Air Base Air Defense - Capt

• Leads Air Base Air Defense contracting for U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa, supervising four contracting professionals and coordinating a 12-person acquisition team supporting multiple headquarters organizations.
• Converted an urgent $6.2M command priority into a contract action in under one hour, accelerating delivery of six laser defense systems and helping protect 30,000 people, more than $10B in assets, and 100,000+ sorties.
• Redirected $2.5M in available medical funding to expand early childhood developmental support to 30 specialists, strengthening family readiness for 25,000 military children across 64 schools in eight countries.
• Built a $2.75M acquisition strategy for an Air Base Air Defense test bed and six operations-center connections, reducing contractor fees by 10% while improving base defense coordination for six main operating bases.

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, California | Jul 2024-Dec 2025

Graduate Student - 1LT

• Completed a Master of Science in Defense Contract Management with a 3.98 GPA across 26 courses and 85 credits.
• Co-authored "Establishing Standardized Metrics for the Acquisition of Services Pathway", developing an outcome-focused framework for service acquisitions exceeding $200B annually.
• Supported OUSD(A&S) with a core-plus-tail governance model and seven foundational metrics that help leaders compare cost, schedule, quality, customer satisfaction, compliance, and mission outcomes.
• Created H4D and Acquisition Business Intelligence prototypes, including dashboards, data standards, operating procedures, and AI-enabled feedback concepts for Air Force contracting teams.
• Delivered master's-level actionable guidance to SAF/AMP supporting Air Force Category Management rollout and briefed research to U.S. and international contracting cells.
• Selected to lead 47 Air Force graduate students, organizing communication, mentoring, event support, and newcomer outreach while helping the group stay connected and mission-focused.

AFLCMC/WAMK, USAF F-16

Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio | 2022-2024

Deputy Division Chief - 1LT

• Spearheaded contract support to a $6.7B F-16 modernization and service-life-extension portfolio, executing 100+ actions and obligating $250M across 10 electronic warfare, software, radar, mission-computer, and fifth-generation radio programs.
• Guided $6.3B Post Block Integration Team acquisition development and 17 modifications valued at $150M to modernize F-16 capabilities through 2040.
• Resolved a contract termination claim delayed more than seven years by coordinating DCMA, legal, and program stakeholders to execute a $3.2M award in under two weeks.
• Partnered with DAF365 to develop acquisition tracking software, cutting 300 annual manhours and scaling the tool to six MAJCOMs for faster portfolio decision support.
• Created contingency contracting training with 120 hours of academics and hands-on exercises for 6,000 Airmen.

Section Chief and Procuring Contracting Officer - 2LT

• Led a seven-member team managing 34 contracts and a multi-billion-dollar F-16 portfolio, delivering acquisition strategies, solicitations, awards, modifications, and closeout actions.
• Led a $45M F-16 communications suite acquisition, streamlined IDIQ processes, and reduced lead time by 15% to upgrade 1,000 aircraft supporting 10,000 sorties and 21,000 flight hours.
• Drove a $60M Universal Armament Interface on-ramp, corrected 20 backlogged errors, and added $1M in additional research and development to strengthen aircraft and weapons standard development.
• Mentored contracting professionals on cost analysis, pricing, and negotiation for complex proposals, contributing to Directorate Small Team of the Quarter and Division Civilian of the Quarter recognition.

HQ USAFE/A4 and AFICC/KU

Ramstein AB, Germany | 2017-2022

Manager, Contingency Operations - MSgt

• Led contracting support for humanitarian assistance, noncombatant evacuations, and contingency operations across two combatant commands, 104 nations, and 29 NATO allies.
• Served as MAJCOM's first NCO contracting war planner, established a contracting planners' course, and coordinated SAF/AQC engagements supporting a major operational-plan rewrite.
• Maintained oversight of 22 contracting officers at six sites in five countries and unified five contracting teams for nuclear weapon incident response task force readiness.
• Selected by the USAFE-AFAFRICA Commander as the command's number one Senior Leader Enlisted Commissioning Program selectee.

Team Lead, Foreign Military Engagements - MSgt

• Coordinated multinational exercises and partnership engagements across 75 EUCOM and AFRICOM partner countries, strengthening interoperability and strategic readiness.
• Led a $1.1M, 22-nation partner engagement hosting 180 medical representatives and general officers for disease threat reduction and AFRICOM's top medical line of effort.
• Served as sole contracting officer for a four-month counter-drug mission, executing a $1M logistics plan to open a $5M radar site and deliver West African airspace depiction spanning more than 1,000 miles.

Team Lead, Senior Leader Engagements - TSgt

• Earned a $5M contracting warrant and oversaw more than 1,000 contracts and $100M in requirements supporting 50+ MAJCOM events each year.
• Led Air Force One contract support for five European POTUS visits across 13 locations, overseeing 13 contracting officers enabling U.S. and European Union strategic engagement.
• Oversaw a 30-member foreign military engagement team and developed support plans for 32 aircraft and 2,500 personnel while refining a $3.4B European Deterrence Initiative plan.

319th Contracting Squadron

Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota | 2012-2017

Team Lead, Acquisition Element - TSgt

• Managed a 12-person acquisition team responsible for a $150M portfolio supporting four MAJCOMs, 1,600 personnel, 220 facilities, and $1.6B in infrastructure for global RQ-4 ISR operations.
• Served as Interim Superintendent and First Sergeant, executing commander priorities and investing $600K in initiatives benefiting 3,500 Airmen and families.

Contracting Officer - SSgt

• Deployed to Al Udeid AB, Qatar, supporting Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom Sentinel; completed 58 contract actions and saved $285K as lead negotiator.
• Authored a $20M fire protection acquisition plan protecting a $1.6B PL-3 asset and strengthening mission readiness.
• Led a six-person contract closeout team through review of 1,153 files, correcting a five-year backlog and accounting for $14.8M in taxpayer funds.

Contracting Specialist - SSgt

• Executed 19 commodity, service, and construction actions totaling $14.2M while ensuring compliant support to operational requirements.
• Supported a $10M GAO case by expediting acquisition information to AFLOA and strengthening legal responsiveness.
• Overhauled flight training with teleconferences and hands-on courses covering 63 contracting and contingency topics and 1,675 training hours.

355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona | 2007-2012

Dedicated Crew Chief - SrA

• Maintained 83 A-10 aircraft valued at more than $971M, supporting 4,140 sorties, 8,280 flight hours, and production of 56 combat-ready fighter pilots.
• Performed preflight, thru-flight, and postflight inspections while sustaining a 100% pass rate on five QA evaluations and strengthening a deployed unit's 95% QA rating.
• Deployed to Osan AB, Republic of Korea, maintained a 96% mission capable rate, supported a PACAF Operational Readiness Inspection rated "Excellent," and earned the 51 AMXS Top Steed award.

Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief - A1C

• Maintained 27 A-10C aircraft valued over $315M and supported graduation of 30 A/OA-10 combat-ready pilots.
• Deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, launching aircraft in defense of Army Outpost Kamdesh and contributing to the protection of 86 trapped soldiers.