Kenneth D. Watson, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Commander of Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, located in Columbus, OH. In this capacity he is co-responsible for the logistics operations of over 2,500 joint military and civilian professionals at 37 locations worldwide to include three DLA Depot Level Reparable detachments, four detachments supporting U.S. Naval Shipyards and at deployed units. He is directly responsible for supply chain functions to include management of almost two million spare and repair parts. In 2020, DLA Land and Maritime’s sales exceeded $4 billion. He assumed his current post in October 2019.

Mr. Watson previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Materiel Readiness, serving as the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, providing integration and oversight of the Department's annual $90 billion maintenance program. In this capacity he developed policies and procedures for materiel readiness and maintenance support of major weapon systems and military equipment within the Department of Defense. 

Mr. Watson also served as the Deputy Director, Strategy, Capabilities, Policy, and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command. During this assignment he deployed to Afghanistan as the Director of Sustainment under the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan. He has served in numerous Joint assignments, serving as the Deputy Chief of the Capabilities Division in the Directorate of Logistics (J4), the Joint Staff, also deploying to Iraq under the Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq. He is a 2011 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort Leslie J. McNair in Washington, D.C. and graduate of the Defense Senior Leader Development Program 2010 cohort. On the Air Staff he was the Deputy to the Associate Director of Resource Integration assigned to the Directorate of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff/Logistics, Installation & Mission Support, Pentagon, Washington D.C. With the associate director, he was responsible for Air Force logistics, installations and mission support long-range planning, strategic support planning and associated policies.

Mr. Watson began his civil service career in 1989 as Palace Acquire Intern Inventory Management Specialist at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. His diverse experience includes Logistics Management for the F-117A and Commander in Chief Mobile Alternate Headquarters programs. He managed airborne electrical accessories for the Commodities Division at Sacramento Air Logistics Center. Watson served as a Logistics Plans specialist while assigned to HQ USAF on a Logistics Civilian Career Program career broadening position. He also performed logistics requirements analysis, Acquisition Program management, and was chief of the Strategic Planning Division, Plans and Programs Directorate, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. Watson served for three years overseas as the deputy for Mission Support, 31st Mission Support Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. He holds both baccalaureate and masters’ degrees.

EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Arts Degree, California State University, Sacramento
2001 Master of Science Degree, Military Operational Art & Science
2001 Top 10 percent graduate, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Distinguished graduate, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1989 - September 1992, Inventory management specialist, GS-2010/7-9-11, Palace Acquire Program, SM-ALC/LIEG, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif.
2. October 1992 - September 1997, Project manager/IMS lead, GS-2010/12, SM-ALC/QLA, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif.
3. September 1997 - July 1998, Chief, CINC Mobile Alternate Headquarters (CMAH) Logistics Division, GS-346/13, Directorate of Specialized Management, SM-ALC/QLP, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif.
4. July 1998 - July 2000, Logistics Plans specialist, GS-346/13, Contingency Plans & Crisis Action Division, HQ USAF/ILXX, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
5. August 2000 - July 2001, Student, GS-346/13, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
6. July 2001 - March 2004, Chief, Projects Branch, Acquisition IPT Lead, GS-346/13, High Frequency Global Communications (HFGCS) System Program Office, OC-ALC/PSXA, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
7. April 2004 - April 2005, Chief, Strategic Planning Division, GS-343/14, Plans and Programs Directorate, OC-ALC/XPX, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
8. April 2005 - July 2008, Deputy for Mission Support, 31st Mission Support Group, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy
9. July 2008 - July 2010, Deputy to the Associate Director of Resource Integration, Program Integration Division, HQ USAF/A4/7PE, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
10. August 2010 - June 2011, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Ft. Leslie J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2011 - March 2012, Deputy Chief, Capabilities Division, Directorate of Logistics, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
12. April 2012 - April 2013, Chief, Operations Center, Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq, Embassy Military Attaché and Security Assistance Annex, Baghdad, Iraq
13. July 2013 - December 2016, Deputy Director, Strategy, Capabilities, Policy and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill
14. January 2017- October 2019, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Maintenance Policy and Programs, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington DC
15. October 2019 - Present, Deputy Commander, DLA Land and Maritime, Defense Logistics Agency, Columbus, OH

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Joint Meritorious Civilian Service (2)
Joint Civil Service Commendation Award (2)
Distinguished Graduate, Industrial College of the Armed Forces
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Exemplary Civilian Service Award (2)
Sustained Superior Performance Awards 1990 through 2006
2002 Wiley Post Civilian Leadership Award

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Level I Certified Program Management
Level II Certified Acquisition Logistics

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
GS-7 January 1989 – December 1989
GS-9 January 1990 – September 1992
GS-11 October 1992 – March 1995
GS-12 April 1995 – August 1997
GS-13 September 1997 – March 2004
GS-14 April 2004 – January 2007
YC-3/GS-15 January 2007 – June 2013
SES July 2013- Present

(Current as of March 2021)