UAH professor selected for U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame

UAH professor selected for U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame

Mr. Phil Deaton, retired United States (U.S.) Army colonel and adjunct professor at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Business, was selected to be inducted into the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame.

“In my 32-year Army career I received a number of awards…all of which I am very proud of, but this honor feels very different to me,” said Deaton.

The Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to recognize and memorialize persons who have made a positive, significant contribution to the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps. Deaton will join notable UAH professor and scientist, Dr. Wernher Von Braun, a pioneering rocket engineer who led the U.S. Saturn V program that sent U.S. astronauts to the Moon.

Throughout his military career, Deaton led large-scale logistics, acquisition and maintenance operations supporting global missions, including the Persian Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan and humanitarian deployments. He is credited with resolving critical maintenance and supply chain challenges in support of the Global War on Terror, delivering multimillion-dollar cost savings and improving readiness through process optimization. His leadership spanned multi-billion-dollar contracting programs, enterprise-level aviation sustainment and high-priority operational missions across the Middle East, Central Asia and the U.S.

Deaton’s operational record includes managing logistics for armored and aviation units in combat zones, directing hurricane relief efforts, overseeing international construction projects and training contracting officers for $18B in reconstruction funding. His expertise in acquisition strategy, supply chain management and aviation maintenance readiness has had a lasting impact on Army operational effectiveness worldwide.

Deaton has shared his experiences with UAH business students for the last 15 years while serving as an adjunct professor in the College of Business. He focuses on teaching acquisition curriculum courses such as Introduction to Contract Management and Contract Pricing & Cost Analysis.

"We have been grateful to have the benefit of Mr. Deaton's experience and expertise in the area of acquisitions and contract management. His passion for helping UAH students learn and succeed in this field has made a positive difference in their lives and careers for more than a decade,” says Dr. Jason Greene, dean of the UAH College of Business.

Deaton was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1985 after earning an AS degree from Marion Military Institute. He holds BA, BS and MS degrees from Mississippi State University, as well as an MS from Troy University. His military education includes numerous advanced leadership, logistics, and program management courses. He is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with Level III Acquisition Certification in Contracting, Logistics and Program Management. Phil also holds professional certifications in program management, supply chain management, contract management and executive logistics management.

Deaton retired from the Army in July 2016 after a 32-year career, finishing as Aviation Assistant Program Executive Officer for Operations, Logistics and Acquisition Systems Management at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. He now lives near Houston, Texas, with his wife Wendy, close to their sons and daughters-in-law. He currently works as a Department of Defense contracting consultant and program coordinator for an oil and gas company.