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Brig. Gen. Stephanie Q. Howard

Executive Director, Operational Contract Support, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment

Brigadier General Howard graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1994, where she majored in Mathematical Sciences. She was commissioned as an ordnance officer, with a focus on ammunition. Her active-duty assignments include the 20th Ordnance Company (EOD) in Kaiserslautern, two tours in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and commander of the 720th Ordnance Company (EOD) in Mannheim. After another assignment in Darmstadt, Germany, General Howard transitioned to the United States Army Reserve.

Brigadier General Howard’s Reserve career began at Ft Indiantown Gap, PA. After 9/11, she was mobilized and spent the next two and a half years on active duty at Army Materiel Command in Alexandria, VA. During this time General Howard became a multi-functional logistician.

Brigadier General Howard has spent time instructing ROTC at George Mason University and the University of Virginia, working for at the Leader Development Research Unit at Fort Leavenworth, teaching Intermediate Level Education (ILE) in Germany and Virginia, and working for the Chief of the Army Reserve. She commanded 2d Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) Battalion and 2d Brigade, 94th Division (Transportation). She was the Deputy Commander, 451st Sustainment Command, and Deputy Commanding General, 108th Training Command. As a general officer, she performed as acting Vice Director of the Army Staff and recently left command of Army Reserve Sustainment Command. General Howard now works for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment). She is responsible for oversight of operational contract support, and she is developing an integrated strategy for supply chain risk management across the Department of Defense.

She has an MBA from Darden Business School, University of Virginia, and is married to Colonel (retired) Jonathan Howard, a member of the Senior Executive Service. They reside in Lorton, VA with their high school son, Nathan. Their son Evan attends Harvard University, and their daughter Megan works at Bridgewater Associates.