Lt Col Christopher Gay

Lt Col Chris Gay is an instructor of acquisition management at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH.  He develops and instructs service and product acquisition curriculum as a part of continuing education through the AFIT School of Systems and Logistics (AFIT/LS).  Lt Col Gay was commissioned in September 1997 through the Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, AL.  He has held various positions within the Air Force as a member of the acquisition corps over the past 24 years.  He has been a deputy, division chief, program manager and project officer for multiple Air Force acquisition programs spanning a range of capabilities to include Intel, weapon, simulation, aircraft, unmanned systems, and aircraft maintenance services. Lt Col Gay was selected for AFIT/EN’s faculty pipeline and attended the University of Virginia where he earned a doctorate in Systems and Information Engineering in May 2017.  

Lt Col Gay has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel.  He returned in August 2021 from a one-year accompanied assignment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

EDUCATION

1995 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Delta State University, Cleveland, MS

2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

2006 Defense-focused Master of Business Administration, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA

2009 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence

2017 Doctorate of System Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

ASSIGNMENTS

1. October 1997 – June 2000, Deputy Program Manager Integrated Broadcast Service, Program Manager Communication Support Processor / Deployable Wing Intelligence Capability, Project Manager IC4I Contract, Electronic Systems Command, Hanscom AFB, MA
2. June 2000 – July 2004, Program Manager, Special Programs Office, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, FL
3. August 2004 – June 2006, Student, Defense-focused MBA, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
4. June 2006 – June 2010, Flt CC A-10 Integration, Chief AETC & ACC Heavy Sim Programs, Hill AFB, UT
   • August 2007 – April 2008, Air Planner, Joint Special Operations Task Force – Central, Baghdad, Iraq
   • August 2009 – March 2010, Deputy, Security Assistance Office, Kabul, Afghanistan
5. July 2010 – July 2013, Chief RPA Squadron Operations Center & Payload and Sensor Systems, Medium Altitude Unmanned Aerial Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB (WPAFB), OH
6. August 2013 – June 2016, Doctoral Student, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
7. June 2016 – June 2019, Assistant Professor of Systems Engineering, AFIT, WPAFB, OH
   • April 2017 – October 2017, Chief, Budget and Infrastructure, U.S. Security Coordinator, Jerusalem, Israel
8. June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Requirements Development Branch, AETC/A5R, Randolph AFB, TX
9. August 2020 – August 2021, Director, Foreign Military Sales, Joint Advisory Division, U.S. Military Training Mission, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
10. August 2021 – present, Instructor of Acquisition Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two gold oak leaf clusters

Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with two gold oak leaf clusters

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star

Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and gold oak leave cluster

NATO Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant September 30, 1997

First Lieutenant September 30, 1999

Captain September 30, 2001

Major June 1, 2007

Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2012