Mr. Kirk A. Phillips
Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance
Kirk A. Phillips is the Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance (AF OEA). AF OEA serves as the integrator of energy and water resilience efforts by ensuring projects align with installation needs and with the three goals of the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Installation Energy Strategic Plan — identify enabling system vulnerabilities, improve resilience planning, and ensure resilience results. As such, AF OEA connects DAF enterprise and installation stakeholders with energy and water resilience partners, emerging technologies, and industry best practices.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Phillips was the Health Safety and Environmental Practice Leader and Vice President at LJB Inc. and worked as a thought leader with the American Industrial Hygiene Association on Total Exposure Health. As the Practice Leader of HS&E, he provided comprehensive health, safety and environmental services to all segments of industry across the US and Internationally. In 2018, Mr. Phillips retired as a Colonel from the Air Force after serving as the Biomedical Science Corps Associate Chief for Bioenvironmental Engineering in the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General. In this capacity, he oversaw development and execution of Air Force occupational and environmental health policies and development of the career field’s 362 officers and 960 enlisted members. In 2014, Mr. Phillips developed the Total Exposure Health as a strategic initiative to institutionalize primary prevention in work, environmental and lifestyle exposures. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Phillips was the Director of Policy and Programs for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Mr. Phillips entered the Air Force from a four-year R.O.T.C. scholarship in 1985. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and his masters degree in engineering and environmental management, where he was a distinguished graduate. Mr. Phillips has held a broad range of leadership positions throughout the Air Force. Initially serving as Chief and Flight Commander at three operational bases for a combined period of 11 years, he also completed a 12-month fellowship at the Air Force Medical Operations Agency (AFMOA). Mr. Phillips served as a staff officer at a major command and Air Staff in the AF Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, the AF Surgeon General, and the Air Force Medical Support Agency offices. He deployed to Qatar in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. He served a tour at the Air National Guard Readiness Center, where he oversaw the occupational health program for 93 ANG bases and 242 units. Mr. Phillips led his career field as Deputy in the Bioenvironmental Engineering Division at AFMOA and he was Commander, 47th Medical Support Squadron, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
Education
1990 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Missouri, Rolla
1993 Master of Science in Engineering & Environmental Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
1996 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 Fellow, Occupational & Environmental Health, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Washinton, D.C.
2002 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Air War College Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
Assignments
October 1989 – April 1992, Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering Services, USAF Clinic, Brooks, Texas, Joint Military Medical Command, Systems Command and AETC
April 1992 – September 1993, Graduate Student, Air Force institute of Technology, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
September 1993 – June 1996, Assistant Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight, 18th Medical Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan
June 1996 – May 2000, Flight Commander, Bioenvironmental Engineering, 509th Medical Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
May 2000 – May 2001, Fellow, Occupational and Environmental Health, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
May 2001 – May 2003, Environmental, Safety and Health Policy Officer for Ranges and Airspace, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations (A3/5), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
May 2003 – May 2006, National Guard Bureau Command Bioenvironmental Engineer, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews AFB, Md.
May 2006 – May 2007, Chief, Environmental Safety and Occupational Health, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
May 2007 – June 2009, Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering Force Development, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
June 2009 – Jun 2011, Commander, 47th Medical Support Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
Jun 2011 – Apr 2014, Director, Plans and Policy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Logistics), the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Apr 14 to Feb 18, BSC Associate Chief for Bioenvironmental Engineering, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Major Awards and Decorations
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Publications
“A Decision Support Model Using Life Cycle Cost Analysis to Select Cost Effective Alternatives for Hazardous Materials,” Air Force Institute of Technology, 1993
“Total Exposure Health: An Introduction,” Taylor and Francis, 2020
Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant September 19,1989
First Lieutenant September 19, 1991
Captain September 19, 1993
Major April 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2006
Colonel November 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel Patrick M. Sheehan 
Deputy Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance
Lt. Col. Patrick Sheehan is the Deputy Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance (AF OEA), Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla. AF OEA serves as the integrator of energy and water resilience efforts by ensuring projects align with installation needs and with the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Installation Energy Strategic Plan. AF OEA connects DAF enterprise and installation stakeholders with energy and water resilience partners, emerging technologies, and industry best practices.
Lt. Col. Sheehan commissioned in May 2008 from Air Force Detachment 340, Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He completed his Master of Human Relations degree from the University of Oklahoma in 2011. He served in a variety of positions across various Major Commands and Combatant Commands to include Chief of Construction Management for U.S. Air Force in Europe’s largest construction program, as well as Assistant Director of Operations and Chief of Group Training for Air Mobility Command’s two Mobility Support Advisory Squadrons. Additionally, he served as Air Advisor – Mission Commander on deployments to Tanzania, Ethiopia, Chad, Niger, and Mauritania.
Lt. Col. Sheehan has also served as the Chief of Policy for United States Southern Command in Doral, Fla. where he was responsible for developing, coordinating and implementing Combatant Commander directed policies with the Joint Staff, Department of Defense, interagency and hose nation government officials for 31 nations and 16 independent territories. He has deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as well as joint Air Mobility Command/Department of State missions throughout Africa. He also served as the Commander, 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron, aboard Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti where he was responsible for leading a team of 83 military personnel across 12 specialties, empowering over 2,700 combat sorties for military and diplomatic operations supporting Operation Octave Quartz, Octave Shield, and Prosperity Guardian. Prior to his current position, Lt. Col. Sheehan was Commander, 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, Altus Air Force Base, Okla. where he led 313 military and civilian engineers responsible for the operations and maintenance of $3.1 billion dollars in facilities and utilities.
EDUCATION
2008 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts
2008 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Master of Human Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman
2013 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2025 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
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June 2008 – August 2010, Chief of Base Development and Chief of Operations Support, 11th Civil Engineer Squadron, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
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September 2010 – November 2011, Chief of Design, 65th Civil Engineer Squadron, Lajes Air Base, Azores, Portugal
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December 2011 – September 2013, Chief of Construction Management and Group Executive Officer, 86th Civil Engineer Squadron, 86th Civil Engineer Group, Ramstein AB, Germany (March 2013 – September 2013, Special Operations Command Central, Forward Engineer, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
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January 2014 – December 2016, Commander, Plans and Programs Flight and Commander, Training Flight, 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
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January 2017 – June 2018, Deputy Chief of Engineer Requirements (A4C) and Chief of Range Engineering (A3A), Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
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June 2018 – June 2019, Deputy Commander, 607th Materiel Maintenance Squadron, Daegu AB, Korea
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July 2021 – June 2023, Commander, 366th Training Squadron Detachment 6, Naval Construction Battalion Center-Gulfport, Miss.
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July 2023 – July 2026, Commander, 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla. (October 2023 – April 2024, Commander, 726 Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron, Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti)
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August 2026 – Present, Deputy Director Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- June 2019 – July 2021, Political-Military Affairs Officer and Chief of Policy, Directorate of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (J5), United States Southern Command, Fla., as a Major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 17, 2008
First Lieutenant May 28, 2010
Captain May 28, 2012
Major March 1, 2018
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2023
(Current as of August 2026)