Colonel Alicia D. Abrams is the Vice Commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. As the U.S. Air Force’s Operational Test Agency, AFOTEC’s mission is to independently test and evaluate new capabilities in operationally realistic environments to inform warfighters and influence national resource decisions. The Center evaluates the overall mission capability of all Air Force acquisition category I and II programs, as well as other programs under the oversight of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. AFOTEC is a direct reporting unit to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and is comprised of 640 military, civilian, and contractor personnel including five detachments and numerous operating locations across the U.S.
Colonel Abrams graduated from Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and earned her commission through Officer Training School in 2001. Colonel Abrams has served in key positions at Space Systems Command, National Reconaissance Office, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, the Air Staff and Electronic Systems Center.
Prior to her current position, Colonel Abrams was the Division Chief for the Shared Early Warning System in the Strategic Warning and Surveillance Systems Directorate at Space Systems Command located at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
EDUCATION:
2001 Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.
2001 Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Aerospace Basic, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Business Administration & Management, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
2012 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2020 Air War College by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2001 – September 2002, Project Manager, Ground Theater Air Control Systems (GTACS) Integration, Battle Management Command, Control and Communication Capabilities System Program Office, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
2. September 2002 – September 2003, Test Manager, Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Systems (DCAPES), Battle Management Command, Control & Communication Capabilities SPO, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
3. September 2003 – September 2004, Project Officer, Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS), Battle Management Command, Control and Communication Capabilities SPO, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
4. September 2004 – September 2005, Lead Analyst, Global Positioning System (GPS) III, Detachment 4, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Peterson AFB, Colo.
5. September 2005 – June 2007, Chief, Command Staff Branch, Detachment 4, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Peterson AFB, Colo.
(Current as of July 2022)
6. June 2007 – April 2009, Executive Officer, Directorate of Air Operations, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
7. April 2009 – October 2009, Quality Assurance Representative, Defense Contract Management Agency Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
8. October 2009 – April 2010, Chief, Program and Budget Branch, Directorate of Global Reach Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. April 2010 – May 2011, Program Element Monitor, C-27J and Joint Future Theater Lift, Directorate of Global Reach Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. May 2011 – October 2014, Deputy Chief, Advanced Extremely High Frequency Space Branch, MILSATCOM Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
11. November 2014 – August 2018, Deputy Chief, Spacecraft Division, Electro-Optical System Program Office, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
12. August 2018 – August 2021, Materiel Leader, Future Acquisitions, Electro-Optical System Program Office, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
13. August 2021 – June 2022: Division Chief, Shared Early Warning System, Strategic Warning & Surveillance Systems Directorate, Space Systems Command, Peterson SFB, Colo.
14. June 2022 – present, Vice Commander, Headquarters, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
AF Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air Force Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant Sept. 27, 2001
First Lieutenant Sept. 27, 2003
Captain Sept. 27, 2005
Major Nov. 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1, 2015
Colonel June 1, 2022