Sarah E. Zabel

Sarah E. Zabel (born July 9, 1965 in Los Angeles, California) is the former Vice Director of the US Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) where she managed a federal agency of 16,000 military, civilian and contract personnel. Her principal mission was to plan, develop, deliver and operate command and control capabilities and a global enterprise infrastructure in direct support of the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commanders, the Department of Defense components and other mission partners across the full spectrum of operations.

Afterwards she became the Director of the Information Technology Acquisition Process Development, Office of the US Air Force dedicated to Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. In this role, she devises and implements strategies to responsively deliver IT capabilities across the departments of the Air Force.

At the end of 2018, she retired.

Sarah E. Zabel earned her commission from the U.S Air Force Academy in 1987, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. She then graduated of a Master of Science in Computer Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1996, a Master of Military Operational Art and Science at the Air Command and Staff College in Maxwell AFB (Alabama) in 2001, and another Master of Strategic Studies at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 2007.

Major awards and decorations

• Distinguished Service Medal
• Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
• Legion of Merit Medal with oak leaf cluster
• Bronze Star Medal
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
• Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
• Joint Service Commendation Medal
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
• Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
• National Defense Service Medal

Achievements

• 1987 Outstanding Cadet in Computer Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
• 2000 Outstanding Academy Educator, Department of Computer Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
• 2007 Commandant's Award for Distinction in Research, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
• 2015 Certified Information Systems Security Professional

Promotions

1. Second Lieutenant May 27, 1987
2. First Lieutenant May 27, 1989
3. Captain May 27, 1991
4. Major Nov. 1, 1998
5. Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2003
6. Colonel Sept. 1, 2007
7. Brigadier General June 4, 2013
8. Major General Nov 2, 2015

• “The Military Strategy of Global Jihad,” Strategic Studies Institute, 2007