L. Eric Patterson was appointed Director of the Federal Protective Service, a subcomponent of the National Protection and Programs Directorate in September 2010. He previously served as the Deputy Director of the Defense Counterintelligence (CI) and HUMINT center (DCHC) at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), where he directed and conducted CI and HUMINT activities worldwide to meet Department of Defense requirements.

Prior to joining DIA, Mr. Patterson served as a Principal with Booz Allen Hamilton where he supported two of the Defense Technical Information Center analysis centers, one focused on information assurance and the other on the survivability and vulnerability of Defense systems.

Mr. Patterson is a retired United States Air Force Brigadier General with 30 years of service. He started his Air Force career as a missile launch officer at Little Rock, Arkansas and transitioned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) after 4 years. He has served in a variety of assignments from overseeing all CI investigations and operations in Turkey and Honduras to serving as the Director, Security Programs and Policy, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. His final assignment on active duty was as the Commander of the AFOSI, where he directed all criminal, fraud and counterintelligence investigations for the U.S. Air Force. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medals, Air Force Commendation Medals and other campaign and service medals.

Mr. Patterson was born in Washington, D.C., and possesses a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Howard University; Master of Arts degree in Business and public Administration from Webster University in St. Louis, Mo., and is an alumnus of the Air War College in Montgomery, Ala.

Mr. Patterson resides in Maryland with his wife and daughter, and has two sons who serve in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.