FORT LEE, Va. –
Navy Vice Adm. Stephen Tedford assumed command of Defense Contract Management Agency from Sonya Ebright, acting director, during a change of leadership ceremony at the Ordnance Training Support Facility here Dec. 11.
“To all of you here at headquarters, and to everyone in the offices, directorates and commands around the world, thank you for the incredibly warm welcome,” said Tedford, who previously served as the program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons at Naval Air Systems Command since May 2022. “It is an honor and a privilege to stand before you as I assume command of this extraordinary organization. I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me, and I accept this responsibility with humility, respect and a profound sense of purpose.”
The Honorable Michael Duffey, Undersecretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, championed that purpose during his remarks as the ceremony’s presiding official.
“DCMA sometimes flies under the radar. Some don’t understand what you do, or the great value you provide, but I do,” said Duffey. “DCMA’s visibility in the Pentagon, and among the acquisition community, has risen greatly this past year. I believe that the value DCMA brings to the department at this moment represents the direction of the administration, and what we’re trying to accomplish through ‘Rebuilding our Military.’”
Both Duffey and Tedford thanked Ebright for her transitional role as the agency’s acting director. She assumed the top leadership role after Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Greg Masiello, the agency’s former director, was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office in June.
“I want to express my deep gratitude to Sonya Ebright for her seamless leadership as acting director at DCMA,” said Duffey. “Sonya, your dedication to this agency and its mission is truly remarkable. You provided stability when it was needed most. We had no idea that your time would include navigating a government shutdown, making this an even more challenging transition. We’re fortunate across the department to have experienced leaders to draw on, and you are a great example. Thirty-seven years in the Navy, retiring as a captain from your last position here at DCMA, then transitioning into the Senior Executive Service and now deputy to your third director.”
Tedford echoed the undersecretary’s sentiment, highlighting Ebright’s focus on driving the agency’s acquisition reform efforts.
“I want to extend a sincere thank you to Sonya Ebright for her exceptional leadership of DCMA since this summer,” said Tedford. “Sonya, your dedication to this agency, and your commitment to keeping this enterprise not just stable, but moving forward, has been remarkable.”
As DCMA continues to work with America’s military leadership, key decisions makers and Defense Industrial Base to revive, enhance and accelerate Defense acquisition, Tedford brings a versatile professional history to the effort.
He was commissioned an ensign through Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps and was designated a naval aviator in 1993. He received his bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University and was a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School Cooperative Program at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Upon graduation from USNTPS, Tedford earned his master's degree in aeronautical engineering.
Tedford’s initial operational tours were with the Golden Eagles of Patrol Squadron (VP) 9, located at Barbers Point, Hawaii, and the Golden Swordsmen of VP-47 in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, during which time he deployed to Diego Garcia; Misawa, Japan; and Bahrain. Tedford also deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet where he executed 250 combat flight hours in support of Operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.
He accumulated more than 3,100 flight hours in 40 different aircraft during his career. His full biography can be found here.
“Vice Admiral Tedford is here to continue this legacy and to lead DCMA through this acquisition transformation and into emerging missions,” said Duffey. “Success will require a relentless focus on urgency. We need to compress timelines, accelerate decision-making, and get capabilities into the hands of our warfighters as quickly as possible.”
As DCMA director, Tedford leads a War Department agency consisting of more than 9,800 civilians and military personnel who manage over 311,000 contracts worldwide with a total value of $8.5 trillion. The agency provides contract administration services for the department, other federal organizations and international partners, and is an essential part of the acquisition process from pre-award to sustainment. Every business day, DCMA receives nearly 1,000 new contracts and authorizes more than $1 billion in payments to contractors, delivering more than a million and a half items – from fighter jets to fasteners – to our warfighters.
“DCMA’s mission is both expansive and essential,” said Tedford. “Every contract we oversee, every program we safeguard and every dollar we are entrusted to steward directly strengthens the warfighter. Our oversight ensures that the U.S. military receives the capability, quality and readiness it requires – not eventually, not theoretically, but reliably and on time. This agency’s work sits at the intersection of acquisition, industry and operational readiness. It is where accountability meets ingenuity, and where stewardship meets the sacred obligation we all share: to support those who serve on the front lines.”