Mr. Eric Hannis serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Strategy and Acquisition Reform (DASA(SAR)). In this role, he serves as the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) for the design and implementation of acquisition policy and reform initiatives. He is responsible for leading legislative analysis and driving innovation within the Army acquisition enterprise.
Mr. Hannis brings over 30 years of leadership in defense, government relations, legislative affairs, and international affairs. Prior to his appointment, he served as Director of Legislative Affairs at Textron, Inc. and Director of Government Relations at Raytheon Technologies, where he led efforts to secure international military sales and advanced legislative initiatives related to defense acquisition, supply chain resilience, and emerging technologies.
From 2012 to 2015, Mr. Hannis served as Country Director for Afghanistan and Central Asia within the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs (SAF/IA). He managed Foreign Military Sales programs and security cooperation initiatives, enhancing partner nation capabilities and improving coalition interoperability. He also served as SAF/IA’s liaison to Congress.
Mr. Hannis also served on active duty in the United States Air Force for over 9 years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He held numerous leadership roles over a 24-year career, including Joint Logistics Operations Officer, F-16 and C-130 Maintenance Officer, C-130/F-5 Weapon Systems Manager for the Navy and Marine Corps, and Flight Commander. His military service included deployments to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, as well as the Republic of Korea as part of the U.S./ROK Combined Forces Command Staff. He was fully qualified as an Aircraft Maintenance/Munitions Officer, Logistics Readiness Officer, and International Politico-Military Affairs Officer. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, among others.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Hannis held senior legislative roles on Capitol Hill, serving as Military Legislative Assistant to a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Senior Legislative/Appropriations Assistant to a senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee. In these roles, he advised on defense, homeland security, and foreign affairs portfolios, authored legislation, and spearheaded initiatives to support military readiness and national security. After his work in the U.S. House of Representatives, he also provided strategic consulting to Fortune 500 defense companies, focusing on legislative advocacy and acquisition reform.
Mr. Hannis earned his Juris Doctor (JD) from the Catholic University School of Law, where he received a certificate in international law. He graduated with honors from Hamilton College with an AB degree and studied abroad at the University of Oxford, England. He has also served as a Senior Fellow at the Alexander Hamilton Institute (AHI) since 2014. His extensive experience uniquely positions him to drive innovation and reform within the Army acquisition enterprise.