Upon completion of the National Center for Aviation Training, he will teach NDT courses at the center, which is set to open in Wichita in several months.

Before he came to NIAR, Saunders worked for the U.S. Air Force ND Program Office on contract from Karta Technologies Inc.

He served as supervisor of non-missile support personnel and writer/editor of 33B series NDI technical orders; Allied Services Group as lead technician of nondestructive testing, lead analyst of the predictive maintenance department and process engineer; and for 21 years in active duty with the U.S. Air Force (7 years as NDI Laboratory supervisor and one year as manager of the aircraft fabrication department).

His training and certification includes ASNT Level III in penetrant and magnetic particle testing and Corporate NDT Level III in ultrasonic testing, eddy current testing and radiography.

Saunders has a B.S. in Liberals Art and Management Specialty from Excelsior College and an A.S. in Metal Working Technologies from the Community College of the Air Force.