Col. Karen A.F. Landale, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center deputy director of contracting is reflecting on her successful 22-year military career as she retires Jan. 15.
Landale leads a 500-person mission focused contracting workforce to deliver innovative and agile solutions to the warfighter. She oversees more than $4 billion in annual contract obligations and supports multiple program executive officers across approximately 300 programs.
Landale earned her commission in 2002 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Tampa. Prior to her current position, Landale was the contingency contracting policy chief of defense pricing and contracting at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
Her promotion to colonel became effective two months before joining Team Hanscom. In taking on leadership roles, Landale leveraged her professional experience to develop future leaders on her team.
“Good leadership is giving people opportunities and removing roadblocks, as well as encouraging them to be leaders,” said Landale.
Landale’s prior assignments also include commander, 773rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where she led 45 military and civilian personnel executing a $6.1 billion contract portfolio, including $163 million in annual obligations…
Upon retirement, Col. Landale plans to search for private sector employment, and plans to do so, with an advantage.
“Federal contracting is not common, and I am finding this professional experience to be well sought after in the private sector.”
Advancements in artificial intelligence are also beginning to support contracting officers’ ability to expedite the procurement of warfighting capabilities.
“At Hanscom, we are in the perfect location to integrate AI in the contracting process,” Landale said. “I am so impressed with our workforce, that I know Hanscom will be at the forefront of integrating AI.”
The integration of AI technology to support the contracting and acquisition process, specifically proposal reviews, is a solution she endorses.
“Did the AI algorithm pick up on what individuals did not? Once we have perfected that, we can speed up the acquisition process,” she said.
Even with AI in the equation, Landale added, the human element remains a vital component…
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