HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Col. Michael Alexander will retire June 11 after a military career that began with enlisted service and culminated in leading acquisition programs supporting national defense.
Alexander, senior materiel leader with Electronic Systems, said the acquisition enterprise has evolved significantly during his time at Hanscom AFB, with increasing urgency tied to national defense priorities.
“What we do is critical to our National Defense Strategy,” he said. “We have seen larger monetary investments from Congress, and we have partnered with the Pentagon and combatant commands to deliver capabilities faster.”
Alexander, who has led the Ground Based Air Defense Systems Division since June 2023, joined the Air Force in 1991 as a college sophomore, influenced by world events and a search for purpose.
“I was influenced by Desert Storm in 1990,” he said. “But I have to say that a lack of direction in my life is what really drew me to serve.”
Alexander was an enlisted Airman before earning his commission as an officer in 1999.
Over the course of his 33-year career, Alexander contributed to programs involving missile defense, C-17 production, unmanned aircraft, air traffic control, weather systems, global communications and air domain sensors.
Among those efforts, he said one program stands above the rest.
“One of the programs closest to my heart is the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar,” said Alexander. “I was a materiel leader for that program when I arrived at Hanscom AFB. It is rewarding to see this system in going through the paces of production, testing, and fielding.”
Among the most challenging periods in his career, Alexander pointed to an Operation Enduring Freedom deployment to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, following the 9/11 attacks.
“I worked in the Master Air Attack Planning Cell as a targeting officer for the Combined Air Forces Air Component commander,” he said. “Our pace of operations was very demanding, but it is an experience that I will forever cherish in terms of delivering airpower.”
Throughout his career, Alexander emphasized teamwork and collaboration, particularly within the acquisition community.
“I tried to focus on team collaboration through a coherent organizational structure, a consistent battle rhythm and optimal touch points with our personnel and extended stakeholders,” he said.
That people-first approach also shaped how he mentored the next generation of acquisition professionals.
“I tried to model behavior by conveying a sense of seriousness about our mission and by setting a positive example in terms of how I related with people inside and outside my organization,” said Alexander. “At the end of the day, our acquisition business is a people business.”
The colonel said acquisition professionals must recognize the long-term impact of their work.
“The systems we develop or modernize are extremely complex,” said Alexander. “There must be a proper balance between speed of delivery and a healthy appreciation of technical risk.”
As he prepares to retire, Alexander said he leaves Hanscom AFB with gratitude for the people and community that shaped his final assignment.
“I’d like to convey that I have loved being a part of this community here,” Alexander said. “At the end of the day, I hope people enjoyed working with me as much as I enjoyed working with them.”