Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Col. Omar A. Perea to the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee for a term ending September 1, 2027. The committee is tasked with supporting Texas’s economic development by helping to attract and keep aerospace and aviation jobs and investments in the state.
Col. Perea, from El Paso, currently serves as chief of Innovation and Prototyping for Operations Locations in El Paso and College Station, Texas. He is also the Individual Mobilization Augmentee for the Program Executive Officer for Battle Management Command, Control, and Communications at Space Systems Command within the United States Space Force. His previous roles include deputy director of the Warfighting Integration Office at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California and commander of the 19 Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, where he led efforts to operate and modernize the nation’s Global Position System satellite constellation.
Perea began his military career after commissioning from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in 2002. Over his career, he has held various leadership positions across operations, planning, and training within both the Air Force and Space Force as well as their reserves. His assignments have included roles such as Congressional Liaison, Deputy Operations Group Commander, Strategy Plans Deputy Division Chief, Air Operations Center/Joint Space Operations Center Battle Watch Commander, Satellite Operations Instructor, Satellite Vehicle Command and Control Operator, and Satellite Vehicle Engineering Officer.
The appointment comes as part of Governor Abbott’s ongoing efforts to foster economic growth in Texas through initiatives focused on job creation and innovation. According to information from the official website, Governor Abbott’s office leads statewide programs aimed at expanding economic opportunities—including those related to aerospace—and has contributed to Texas leading national job growth figures.
The governor’s office operates out of Austin at the State Insurance Building [source] and forms part of the executive branch responsible for implementing these economic strategies across Texas [source]. Since taking office after his election in 2014 [source], Governor Abbott has prioritized attracting investment into key industries such as aerospace through appointments like that of Col. Perea.
