Tracey “Trae” Watkins

Trae Watkins is an accomplished, innovative and visionary senior executive with over 28 years of government experience. Trae brings the proven ability to view strategic opportunities to optimize processes while improving the organization’s mission and bottom-line results. He is a motivational leader and change agent at the executive and program level who is known for his commitment to the organization’s success and its people.

Trae was selected as the Chief Readiness Support Officer (CRSO) in the Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer (OCRSO) in June 2024. In this role, he oversees a portfolio that spans $34 billion in personal property which includes $1B in vehicle assets and 106 million square feet of real estate. He is the DHS Senior Real Property Officer, Senior Aviation Management Officer, chair of the DHS Aviation Governance Board, Chief Logistician, Senior Environmental Officer, and member of the DHS Acquisition Review Board.

Previously, Trae was the Deputy Chief Readiness Support Officer/Chief of Operations of OCRSO in April of 2018. As the Deputy CRSO, Trae was responsible for leading the integration of mission support functions across the DHS Components to help the Department achieve affordable readiness in the areas of asset management and real property, environmental and historic preservation, logistics integration, personal property, aircraft, transportation, motor vehicles, ships and boats, and security including the Chief Administration Officer duties for the Departmental Component Headquarters.

Prior to joining OCRSO, Trae was the Director of Financial Operations in the DHS Headquarters Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). During his tenure with OCFO he was responsible for the formulation, execution, control, and monitoring of the Departmental Management and Operations’ $2 billion budget, including the DHS Working Capital Fund for 15 Secretarial and lines of business offices to ensure the efficient and effective use of funds including the development and justification of the budget request, and budget execution, and reporting. 

An employee of the Federal Government since 1992, Trae was an Air Force officer until he retired in 2015 after 23 years of service. He was selected to the Senior Executive Service in 2016 and was recipient of the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award in 2022.  

Trae holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from The Citadel, a Master of Science in Organizational Behavior from George Washington University and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategies from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He is a native of South Carolina and now resides in Virginia with his wife, Kelly. They have five children.