DCMA celebrates teams with more than 250 Years of functional excellence

Photo By Debra Watts | Defense Contract Management Agency’s Vertical Lift Texas contracting office provides contract administration services in support of three major defense acquisition programs, spanning approximately 3,400 contracts valued in excess of $60 billion. The office is critical to the delivery of H-1 upgrades to the Marine Corps’ AH1Z Viper and UH1Y Venom helicopters, the V-22 Osprey, and MV-75 Cheyenne II equipment and services. (DCMA graphic by Debbie Watts)  

FORT WORTH, TEXAS, UNITED STATES

06.26.2026

Story by Luis Delgadillo 

Defense Contract Management Agency

FORT WORTH, Texas – As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial—reflecting on 250 years of military heritage—the necessity of a resilient and reliable defense industrial base has never been clearer. Today’s team of seven multi-functional experts have a combined 257 years of professional experience and represent DCMA Vertical Lift Texas:

• Terry Taylor, program integrator for the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and H-1 Upgrade Production and Development with 44 Years of experience in various roles with DCMA including: quality assurance specialist, industrial specialist, supervisory management analyst and program integrator

• Charlotte Duffey, industrial specialist with 33 years of experience in finance, supply chain and manufacturing

• John Howell, supply chain management lead and industrial specialist with 43 years of combined military and civilian professional experience. He has worked for 19 years as a DCMA quality assurance and industrial specialist and has 24 years of experience in Air Force aircraft maintenance management and quality assurance

• Steve Richer, aerospace engineer with 38 years of experience

• Gregory Ingram, quality assurance specialist with 35 years total experience with 19 years in DCMA, 15 years as a civilian and four years in the military

• Edilberto Zayas, quality assurance lead with 31 years of combined experience in military aviation maintenance and manufacturing

• Ryan Jones, quality assurance specialist with 33 years of combined federal and military experience, which includes quality assurance, aircraft maintenance, leadership, production manufacturing, repair and overhaul, and sustainment.

DCMA Vertical Lift Texas provides contract administration services in support of three major defense acquisition programs, spanning approximately 3,400 contracts valued in excess of $60 billion. The office is critical to the delivery of H-1 upgrades to the Marine Corps’ AH1Z Viper and UH1Y Venom helicopters, the V-22 Osprey, and MV-75 Cheyenne II equipment and services. The Cheyenne II is a part of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift Program, which is a broad modernization strategy for rotary and tiltrotor-based aviation, aiming to replace or supplement older platforms, ensuring forces have the support and products they need to fight and win. The command’s Future Vertical Lift Program Operations Group recently won a War Department annual contracting award in the category of “Creativity in Contracting Major Defense Acquisition Program Award.” DCMA Vertical Lift Texas strives to continually develop professional excellence through self-assessment, correction, learning and improvement. The team accomplishes these objectives through relentless focus on mission outcomes.

• Date Taken: 06.26.2026
• Date Posted: 06.29.2026 09:37
• Story ID: 568898
• Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS, US
• Hometown: FORT WORTH, TEXAS, US