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New AFLCMC director, familiar face with big goals

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. O'Brien
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Rafael Garcia knows his business and strives to make a difference. Since arriving at Tinker in early March, the newly named director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Propulsion Directorate has hit the ground running.

Having served here twice before in several capacities, the newly appointed senior executive service member has extensive knowledge of Tinker and the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, which he will use to his advantage.

"A lot of the plan of attack is outreach and putting in place processes and procedures that allow us to operate as one Propulsion community," Mr. Garcia said. "There are two primary product-centered divisions - Propulsion Sustainment and Propulsion Acquisition, which are located here and at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, respectively.

"My goal is to continue to build on the great work that Col. Mark Beierle, former acting director, did in starting to set up this organization," said Mr. Garcia. "At the end of the day, we're going to be that single voice for propulsion for both the Air Force and our international partners."

Mr. Garcia began his civil service career in December 1992 as an engine/mechanical system structural integrity engineer at the San Antonio Air Logistics Center at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. Following two more engineering assignments, he came to Tinker in August 2000. Mr. Garcia served as the supervisory chief for the Fighter Propulsion Division's F100 Systems Engineering Branch at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. Two years later he left for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

In February 2004, Mr. Garcia returned to Tinker. In his seven years here, he worked in several systems program offices, familiarizing himself with engineering on the B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker. Most recently, he served as the division chief for the Propulsion Sustainment Division, which is now part of the AFLCMC Propulsion Directorate.

"Tinker is a great installation, a great place to be," Mr. Garcia said. "Two of the advantages of being at a location like Tinker are: one, the great people and two, the results of our modifications and planning take place just downstairs on the shop floor. We can see the stuff being put on the engines or airplanes. So you really get that full cradle-to-grave feel here."

Mr. Garcia left in 2011 to attend the Senior Developmental Education program at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. After the year-long program, Mr. Garcia served as a special assistant to the assistant secretary of Defense for Acquisition where he focused on acquisition reform initiatives.

To ensure the Propulsion Directorate is the single voice of propulsion, Mr. Garcia said it will take collaboration and communication with Tinker and industry partners, and other Air Force organizations.

In the end, the result will be worth the effort, he said.

"We're the greatest Air Force in the world and we got there because of the hard work and dedication of our Airmen and personnel," Mr. Garcia said. "These are challenging times, but we can never forget we are here to support the warfighter and continue to fly, fight and win, and be the No. 1 Air Force in the world."