Terry J. Pudas has served as the Deputy Director, Force Transformation since October 2001. He serves as advocate, focal point, and catalyst for Department of Defense transformation. The Office of Force Transformation provides recommendations for linking the Departments transformation efforts to strategic functions, evaluates the transformation efforts of the Military Departments, and promotes synergy by recommending steps to integrate ongoing transformation activities. Other responsibilities of the office include monitoring Service and Joint experimentation programs and making policy recommendations to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense.

He is a 1969 graduate of the University of Washington. In addition to his Bachelor of Science degree he holds a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and a Master of Arts degree in Management from Webster University.

He entered the Navy through the Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida in 1969 and was designated a naval aviator in May 1971, served in numerous fighter squadrons, graduated from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California and served as an exchange pilot with the German Navy. He commanded at both the squadron and wing level. He served as Air Officer on board USS MIDWAY (CV-41) deployed to the Persian Gulf and conducted operations in support of Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Terry Pudas retired from the Navy in September, 2001 with over 32 years of service after serving as the Deputy and Executive Assistant to the President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.