Who Is Alan J. Swygert
Air Force Veteran
Coalition Builder
Servant Leader
AJ Swygert is an expert in enhancing organizational efficiency through tailored strategies and innovative technology solutions.
Delivers high-quality service tailored to government clients.
Forms and manages alliances to work toward a common goal.
Prioritizes customers' needs and helps them grow.
I am a servant leader with a distinguished career spanning 26 years in the USAF, during which I controlled commercial and USAF air traffic in a Level II RAPCON/Tower, flew various military aircraft, and managed multibillion-dollar government projects/programs, both nationally and internationally. I bring a wealth of experience to any organization. My diverse background and additional 22 1/2-year tenure as a federal employee further enhance my qualifications. Following my military retirement, I have had the privilege of holding Directorships in key government departments, including the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the US State Department (DOS), the US Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
My most recent role was as the Executive Director of Vendor Relations at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In that capacity, I represented the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary, and other key leaders of the VA's 1,500 hospitals/clinics. I met with over 18,000 vendors annually, often working six or seven days a week with minimal downtime. I flawlessly resolved over 250 congressional inquiries (annually) and collaborated on more than 100 inquiries referred by SECVA and the Deputy SECVA. I also directed 100 efforts supporting the Veterans Healthcare (VHA) mission and directly supporting the VA Under Secretary for Health. My primary duty was to serve as the Industry Liaison to the Department, assessing vendors' risk, performance, and service from an enterprise perspective. I also monitored corporate sustainability and social responsibility in addition to compliance, spending, and strategic planning. I implemented analytical features, including spend tracking analysis, scorecarding, benchmarking, performance metrics, and best practices, in my study of critical performance measures. My ultimate goal was to build strong partnerships with key industrial/academic leaders, providing deep industry expertise, thought leadership, and consultative insights on best-in-class vendor practices.
Before assuming the duties as the VA's Executive Director of Vendor Relations, I was the VHA Executive Director of Logistics and its Chief Supply Chain Officer. In that capacity, I led a team of 23,000 logisticians and was responsible for directing the tactical and strategic logistics for the VA's 1500 medical facilities. I was responsible for managing, administering, and providing technical direction for all logistical functions. I optimized the supply chain by reducing risk, minimizing operating cost, eliminating duplication, and leveraging resources such as people, technology, and supplies. I implemented formal business cases, created integrated work plans to ensure quality, and established a standardized governance structure. I developed, implemented, and maintained regulations, procedures, and policies affecting the supply chain. I managed all phases of the acquisition cycle, including planning, testing, integration support, and disposal. I was responsible for program cost, schedule, performance, and assessing the progress of projects. I planned, implemented, monitored, and evaluated complex programs that required the application of advanced logistics and program management principles, utilizing an extensive range of qualitative and quantitative techniques. I supported all phases of the acquisition life cycle, including definition, integration, scheduling, training, modernization, sustainment, and disposal.
Before accepting my roles in the VA, I served as the DHS Chief of Monitoring/Compliance, where I was charged with safeguarding the 529,000,000 records associated with DHS' Immigration and Social Security Administration's databases, preventing the fraudulent use of counterfeit documents and referring instances of fraud, discrimination, misuse and illegal or unauthorized use of the system to enforcement authorities. I provided executive oversight, program management support, risk management, and functional requirements determination support for the program across the nation. While at DHS, I also served as the Deputy Chief of Asset Management and was the day-to-day Fiscal Steward for the Agency's 115,399 personal property assets. I was responsible for all real estate acquisitions, including third-party financing initiatives, inventory accountability reporting, support services, disposition, and evaluation of real estate legal instruments.
From 2007 to 2008, I served as the Director of Program Support and Strategic Planning at the US State Department. I was responsible for planning, directing, and controlling the portfolio supporting the $ 2,500,000,000 lockbox contract, the 2500-person federal staffing plan, and 4400-person outsourcing contracts, the refund process, the Budget Strategic Plan, the Financial Plan, and the workload management for the Department's network of 17 regional Passport offices/centers.
From 2004 to 2007, I served as the Director of Decontamination for the DoD. In this role, I led a joint service team responsible for the cost, schedule, performance, and life cycle management of decontaminants and all applicable apparatus used in combating chemical/biological threats. I was credited with fielding 838,000 systems on time, under budget, and filling a critical warfighter need in Iraq, showcasing my successful project management skills and ability to deliver under pressure.
Academically energetic, I am a FAI/DAWAI Level III certified Program Manager, a Level III Test/Evaluation Engineer, and a Level III Logistician, demonstrating my commitment to professional development and my extensive qualifications in these areas.