Colonel Peter Sandness is the Deputy Program Executive Officer and Deputy Director of the Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) Directorate. In this position, he is responsible for acquiring, operating, and sustaining operational support information technology systems for the Air Force and the Department of Defense. Colonel Sandness oversees over 140 programs, a workforce of more than 2,000 military, civil service, and contractor support personnel, and an annual budget exceeding one billion dollars.
Colonel Sandness grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He earned his commission in 1997 from the U.S. Air Force Academy where he also played ice hockey for the Falcons. He has served in key program manager positions within Air Force Materiel Command as well as Air Education and Training Command to deliver airlift and tanker systems along with information technology capabilities. In addition, he has proudly served in Headquarters Air Force in the Pentagon. Deployments to Baghdad, Iraq and to Stuttgart, Germany have provided significant joint operations and interagency experience.
Prior to joining the BES team, Col Sandness was the Deputy Director of the Plans and Programs Directorate at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1999 Master of Business Administration, Western New England University, Springfield, Massachusetts
2002 Squadron Officer School, Air University (in-residence)
2007 Certificate in Sports Management, University of California - Davis, Davis, California
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Air University (correspondence)
2011 Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College
2012 Air War College, Air University (seminar)
2014 Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University
2017 Master of Arts, Strategic Studies, Air War College
ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CERTIFICATIONS
Level III Program Management -- Level II Test and Evaluation -- Level I Life Cycle Logistics
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1997 - August 2000, PROGRAM MANAGER, Navigation and Landing Systems, Electronic Systems Center,
Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
2. August 2000 - August 2002, OPERATIONAL ANALYST, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Directorate of Requirements, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
3. August 2002 - January 2003, PROGRAM MANAGER, HC-130J Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Mobility Directorate, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
4. January 2003 - July 2004, ASSISTANT TO THE COMMANDER, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
5. July 2004 - August 2007, TEST MANAGER, 350th Electronic Systems Wing, Electronic Systems Center, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
6. August 2007 - July 2010, PROGRAM MANAGER, e-Learning Systems, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas (April 2008 - September 2008, Liaison, Personal Security Coordination Center, Baghdad, Iraq)
7. July 2010 - June 2011, STUDENT Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
8. June 2011 - July 2014, PROGRAM ELEMENT MONITOR, DEPUTY DIVISION CHIEF, and then CHIEF EXECUTIVE ACTION GROUP, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. (September 2011 - March 2012, Staff Officer, Headquarters European Command, Stuttgart, Germany)
9. July 2014 - July 2016, MATERIEL LEADER, KC-46 Test and Evaluation, Tanker Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
10. July 2016 - May 2017, STUDENT, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
11. May 2017 - July 2018, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, Acquisition Excellence Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
12. July 2018 - July 2020, DIRECTOR, Acquisition & Industry Relations, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2020 - July 2021, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, Plans and Programs Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
14. July 2021 - Present, SENIOR MATERIEL LEADER/DEPUTY PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICER, Business and Enterprise Systems, and Deputy Director of the Business and Enterprise Systems Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Air Force Tester of the Year
2006 Air Force Materiel Command Test Team of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major December 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2012
Colonel August 1, 2018
(Current as of July 2021)