AFRL’s Top Civilian Executive Retires

  • Published
  • By Deborah Csutoras
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The executive director for the Air Force Research Laboratory headquartered here retired from federal service Wednesday in a formal ceremony conducted at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

A member of the Senior Executive Service, Les McFawn retired after a 38 years in both the active-duty Air Force and civil service.

As AFRL's senior civilian, Mr. McFawn was the Principal Assistant to the Commander and the senior civilian executive responsible for managing the Air Force's $2 billion science and technology program, additional customer funded research and development of $1.7 billion, and a workforce of approximately 9,500 people.

During the retirement ceremony conducted by Lt. Gen Ted Bowlds, commander of the Electronic Systems Command and former commander of AFRL, Mr. McFawn said there were four primary reasons he loved every job during his AF career: each contributed to the AF mission; he was able to make a personal contribution that made a difference; being able to work with cool technology; and the people, which included wonderful supervisors, mentors and co-workers.

Mr. McFawn began his Air Force career here at Wright-Patterson AFB in 1969 as a second lieutenant in the Avionics Laboratory. He earned a bachelor of science degree in electronics engineering in 1968 and a master's degree in electronics engineering in 1969, both from Florida State University. He earned a second master's degree in computer engineering in 1977 from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Effective Monday, Mr. Joseph Sciabica began work as AFRL's executive director. Mr. Sciabica was previously the director of the AFRL Sensors Directorate. Mr. Sciabica entered federal civil service in 1982. He graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1982 with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering, earned a master of science in systems management from the University of Southern California at the Edwards AFB Satellite Campus, and a second master of science degree in national security strategy at the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. Mr. Sciabica was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2003.