Veterans Day - Honoring All Who Served

US Army Mission & Installation Contracting Command
Manuel F. Saenz
Deputy to the Commander
410th Contracting Support Brigade
 

Manuel F. Saenz is the Deputy to the Commander of the 410th Contracting Support Brigade, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio - Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The 410th CSB is a subordinate unit of the US Army Mission & Installation Contracting Command that provides effective and agile expeditionary contracting across the full spectrum of militaryoperations for Army Service Component Commands and the joint warfighter plus provides effective and responsive contracting support to the Army and other federal agencies at Army installations within and outside of the continental United States. The 410th CSB provides direct support to US Army Western Hemisphere Command plus general support to US Northern Command and US Southern Command and their service component commands.
 

In his previous assignment, Mr. Saenz served as the Chief of the Strategic Sourcing Analysis Branch at Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing strategic sourcing initiatives and governance; and providing timely and effective strategic sourcing policy, 
training and business advice to Air Force Materiel Command.

Mr. Saenz entered the U.S. Air Force in 1992 upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy. He held several base and major command positions including Chief of Contracting for 12th Air Force/U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; plus, Chief of the Non-Metals Contracting Branch and Chief of the
Air Vehicles Contracting Division, Detachment 1, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Following these assignments, Major Saenz served as the Commander of the 17th Contracting Squadron, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. There he led a 35-person squadron in support of the 17th Training Wing and 14 tenant organizations. He managed an $83 million annual program for acquisition planning, centralized purchasing, contract administration, contract surveillance, and all required negotiations. After his first command tour, Major Saenz served as Contracts Management Staff Officer/Contracting Officer at Headquarters Air Force Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. During this tour, he deployed for the first time as the Deputy Chief of the Specialized Contracts Division for Joint Contracting Command – Iraq/Afghanistan in Camp Victory, Iraq. There he led acquisition strategies for over $800 million in information operations, surveillance, and operational support contracts supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. After his tour on the HQ AETC Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Saenz was the Commander of the 30th Contracting Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, where he led 65 contracting professionals to negotiate, award, and administer contracts supporting base operations, associated organizations, and other federal government agencies. The 30th Contracting Squadron administered over 100 30th Space Wing contracts valued more than $880 million and retained secondary contract administration delegations from other U.S. Air Force 
units and federal government agencies exceeding $44 billion. Further, during this tour, he deployed as the Commander of the Kandahar Regional Contracting Center for Joint Contracting Command – Iraq/ Afghanistan in Kandahar, Afghanistan. There he led 29 multi-service personnel and awarded 1,400 contract actions valued at $210 million 
providing construction, service, and commodity contracts supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon completing his second command tour, Lieutenant Colonel Saenz moved to HQ Air Force Materiel Command staff as Chief, Strategic Sourcing Analysis Branch. During this assignment, he deployed to Iraq where he served as Commander of the Regional Contracting Center – North and Regional Contracting Center – Balad for CENTCOM Joint Theater Support Contracting Command. There he led 39 joint service personnel executing over 1,300 contract actions valued at more than $38 million
supporting the responsible drawdown of forces during Operation New Dawn. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in August 2012.

In addition to a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the United States Air Force Academy, Mr. Saenz holds a Master of Art in Procurement and Acquisition Management from Webster University. He is also a 1997 graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officer School and a 2003 graduate of the Air Command and Staff College.

Mr. Saenz' awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (w/ one oak leaf cluster), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (w/ four oak leaf clusters), the Air Force Commendation Medal (w/ two oak leaf clusters), the Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Army Contracting Command Contingency Contracting Award#320. Mr. Saenz has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. He is DAWIA Level III Certified in Contracting plus is a member of the Army and Air Force Acquisition Corps.