Warren Berry is a man of action.
In 1991, when Operation Desert Storm began, Warren - then a young airman working in Acquisitions and Procurement - longed to be closer to the center of all the action, specifically as an airman.
This led him to cross-train in aircraft maintenance, which then became the new focus of his military career, during which he was able to serve in military affairs positions, attend White House meetings, and be a leadership mentor for newly-minted officers. “It ended up being an incredibly diverse career,” Warren says, “though the bulk of my career focused on the complex business of logistics and sustainment…. and I wouldn’t change a minute of it!”
Warren joined the Air Force under the influence of his father, a career Army enlisted soldier, but also as a way to escape the coal mines of Pennsylvania via the path of higher education offered by the AF - and he stayed because he loved the mission, the challenges, and the people. The narrow parameters of his AFROTC scholarship led him to pursue a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Notre Dame – and while it wasn’t his first choice of a major, the program imparted secondary gifts: logical thinking and a mind for data and the scientific process – all of which helped shape the future of his career.
Also during active duty, Warren completed a Master of Arts in Aviation Management and Operations from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Arts in Military Operational Art and Science from the AF Command and Staff College. In a later tour, Warren served an Executive Fellowship in National Security Affairs with the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 2011, he was named Chief Operations Officer for Logistics (for the first time) as Brigadier General for US Air Forces Europe and Africa at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, a position he held until September of 2013. That same year, he became Major General at the Air Mobility Command, USAF at Scott AF Base in Illinois, where he remained until mid-2015.
In Germany, Brigadier General Warren led all aspects of mission support: logistics, civil engineering, and security for USAF missions and operations across both Europe and Africa and developed innovative operational logistics plans for the US’s increasing presence in Africa, including building a brand-new base in Niger to combat terrorism on the continent.
Back in the US, while serving at Scott AF Base, he executed aircraft and infrastructure sustainment requirements that supported more than 1,100 strategic mobility aircraft and 10 primary Air Force Bases. He also reconfigured the Command’s aerial port global positioning, enhancing the support system’s efficacy and responsiveness, and he pioneered an effective sustainment strategy for the AF’s newest aerial refueler, the KC-46.
Warren’s next tour was as Senior Vice President (Vice Commander, Major General) at Wright-Patterson AF Base in Ohio, as part of the AF Materiel Command. Reporting directly to the woman-in-charge, Warren was responsible for leading 80,000 people and a budget topping $60B to deliver “game-changing capabilities” and after-market sustainment to the USAF weapon systems.
For his final tour, from 2018-2022, Warren served as Executive Vice President (Deputy Chief of Staff, Lt. General) at USAF HQ in Washington, DC. In this role, Warren was solely responsible for resourcing, talent management, and operations encompassing 40% of the USAF budget and 280,000 personnel comprising 4 distinct arenas of business: Aircraft and Munitions Maintenance, Logistics, Civil Engineering, and Force Protection.
Some highlights from this time include creating a new sustainment strategy that improved the readiness of AF aircraft, equipment, and airmen; driving process discipline to operational line units to significantly improve performance (from 22% to 85%); and heading up the optimization of a $12B infrastructure budget and execution plan – which enhanced the facility health of a plant worth over $375B, reversing the negative trends in what was, at that time, a deteriorating infrastructure.
Now retired, Warren has turned his attention to helping industry partners understand and navigate the complex business of serving the DoD customer with their products and services. He applies his executive leadership and organizational design skills to help his consulting clients build and motivate collaborative teams that allow them to reach their fullest potential. When properly resourced and earnestly developed, he says, people will naturally drive organizational success. In his own words:
“It’s about understanding the intersection of a DoD requirement (and capability gap) with the company’s value proposition and then honing both a narrative and a communication strategy to tell the right people who are in a position to act and decide.”
Warren values intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, which are, he says, the bedrock of innovation, complex problem-solving, and (most importantly) thriving organizations that remain laser-focused on the pursuit of their goals – even whilst navigating the tangled labyrinth that is the DoD marketplace.
To discuss Warren’s services on a free consultation call with Jim, please complete THIS form: Subject line “Warren Berry” or call (571) 309-5884 and ask to schedule a meeting.
--------------------
Don’t forget to read my Q&A with Warren Berry (below)!
To never miss an article, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Q&A
In your opinion, what is the most difficult problem government contractors face and why?
Understanding the US government, and once that is done, getting a program across the “valley of death” from a great, innovative idea that has been piloted at several locations or missions to a full-fledged program that receives more stable DoD funding.
What are 3-5 of the most important qualities that a good leader should possess?
Courage, Empathy, Passion, Critical Thinking, and a desire to allow others to lead.
What is one important lesson you learned from your career?
There are reversible decisions and irreversible decisions. Know the difference and be bold in the former and more methodical in the latter.
You’ve moved around a lot. What is your favorite place you’ve ever lived in or visited?
Europe, without a doubt. Thanks in large part to USAF assignments and the ability to travel while there, I’ve visited 59 countries across the world. Favorites? Ireland, Croatia, and the Alps.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Golf, watch any Notre Dame sports, golf, travel, golf, spend time with the people who will cry at my funeral, golf. Did I mention golf?
Do you have a quote/saying/lyric that particularly resonates with you?
The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.
Comments