Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. “Trey” Obering III, who was director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) until his November retirement, has joined the Schaefer Corp. board of directors.

The company is a contractor to the armed forces and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, MDA, NASA and the Department of Homeland Security.

A native of Birmingham, Ala., Obering entered the Air Force in 1973 after completing the University of Notre Dame ROTC program as a distinguished graduate.

He received his pilot wings in 1975 and flew operational assignments in the F-4E. He was later assigned to the Space Shuttle program and participated in 15 space shuttle launches as a NASA orbiter project engineer and was responsible for integrating firing room launch operations.

Other prior assignments include tours with the Air Force Inspector General, the Defense Mapping Agency, and Electronic Systems Center.

Prior to his assignment at MDA, he planned and programmed 68 joint, Air Force, and international programs, including Global Hawk and Predator, with a $28 billion budget as mission area director for information dominance on the Air Staff.

“During his 35 years of dedicated military service,” said John Garcia, CEO of Schafer Corporation, “General Obering became one of the foremost experts and leading voices on missile defense, including providing support for some of the most highly sophisticated technology programs within the military services. His insights and guidance will be invaluable as Schafer strives to help customers fulfill complex and important mission requirements in related sectors.”