Donald E. Plater, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Executive Director for Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. Mr. Plater serves as the senior civilian focal point for ensuring force development, combat capabilities, resourcing and manpower allocations are effectively synchronized and integrated to meet joint warfighter requirements. He plans, develops and implements mechanisms to support and sustain the development of AFSOC’s human capital to maximize their potential, and equip AFSOC with concepts and technology to compete and win now and into the future.
Mr. Plater began his career in the U.S. Army upon graduation from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as a Distinguished Military Graduate, and retired as a colonel. He commanded at the battery, battalion, squadron and brigade levels. As a civilian, he has held progressively more responsible positions in the areas of personnel development, logistics readiness, financial strategies, strategic investment guidance, programming and integration. Prior to his current position, Mr. Plater served as the Executive Director for Resources, Support and Integration for the Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
EDUCATION
1973 Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1997 Master of Science, Military Applied Sciences, National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
1997 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.
2009 Senior Leader Program, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2012 Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 1973–June 2003, Army officer serving at multiple locations around the globe leading soldiers and civilians in increasing levels of responsibility and scope
2. July 2003–March 2004, Research Fellow, Logistics Management Institute, McClean, Va.
3. April 2004–April 2006, Deputy Director, Strategy and Integration Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
4. April 2006–December 2014, Assistant Chief of Staff, Army, Joint Activities, United States Army Element Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
5. December 2014–January 2019, Executive Director for Resources, Support, and Integration, Army, Joint Activities, United States Army Element Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
6. January 2019–present, Executive Director, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2003 Inducted as a Distinguished Member of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Regiment
2003 Army Distinguished Service Medal
2006 Army Superior Civilian Service Award
2006 Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism
2008 Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award
2011 Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2011 Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2011 Fort Bragg Executive of the Year
2019 Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award
(Current as of June 2020)