LTC Owen L. Roberts II is the Product Lead for Vaccines, Therapeutics and Enablers for the Joint Program Executive Officer (JPEO) for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense, Joint Assisted Acquisition (JA2). In this capacity, LTC Roberts is responsible for domestic and global vaccine requirements.
This mission is a whole-of-government approach, led by the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and brings together medical specialists and logisticians, cutting edge technology, acquisition experts, agile business practices, and unique authorities that enable the acquisition of life-saving vaccines and medical countermeasures, protective equipment, critical supplies, and industrial base expansion for the continued domestic production of life saving products for the DOD and the Nation. This $56B program ensured the President’s COVID-19 response effort was capable of developing and producing more than 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 19 million therapeutics doses and over 2 billion needles and syringes. His work resulted in nearly 600 million doses being safely administered in the United States and more than 200 million doses donated around the globe.
LTC Roberts has served in the U.S. Army for 21 years in various command and staff level position within the military health system, medical logistics, and acquisition communities. In the Republic of Korea with the U.S. Army in various roles as a Battalion Medical Platoon Leader, HHC, 2/72 Regiment, and Deputy SPO, 16th Medical Logistics Battalion. Upon completing his tour, he was assigned to the 45th Sustainment Brigade Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he served as a Medical Operations Planner for the and later deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Following deployment, LTC Roberts was assigned to Schofield Barracks Health Clinic, serving as Chief of Logistics and subsequently selected to command, B Company, Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. Following command, LTC Roberts attended the United States Army Medical Department’s Acquisition and Procurement Internship Program (APIP) at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and was assigned to serve as the first-ever Chief of Contracting for the Defense Health Agency’s National Capital Region.
He has completed Command and General Staff College and is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act trained in Contracting, and Program Management. LTC Roberts is also the Deputy Consultant for Medical Acquisitions to the Army Surgeon General. In 2020 he was selected by the Secretary of Defense to serve on the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force, formerly called “Operation Warp Speed.”
LTC Roberts’ awards and decorations include Two Defense Meritorious Service Medal, with three Oak Leaf Clusters (OLCs), Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism, Iraq Campaign Medal Combat Service, Meritorious Unit Medal, the Expert Field Medical Badge, and Air Assault Badge. LTC Roberts is also a member of the prestigious Order of Military Medical Merit.
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