Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor is the Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He leads a staff of military and civilians in the development, integration, evaluation and analysis of the Air Force program across the Future Years Defense Plan and maintains the integrity and discipline of the Air Force corporate structure process.
Maj. Gen. Tabor was born in Atlanta and graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1992 after earning his commission through ROTC at Samford University. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, and is a command pilot with more than 2,300 hours in a variety of Special Operations Forces aircraft.
Maj. Gen. Tabor has spent the majority of his career in special operations, including multiple combat deployments in support of operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, Kosovo and Pakistan and has commanded Air Force and joint units at all levels. Prior to his current position, Maj. Gen. Tabor was the Commander, Special Operations Command, Europe, Patch Barracks, Germany.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, History, Birmingham-Southern College, Ala.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Master of Science, Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of Science, Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1993–August 1994, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. June 1994–May 1995, Chief of Training, 72nd Helicopter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
3. June 1995–September 1996, Student, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. October 1996–October 1999, Chief of Standards and Evaluation, 21st Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
5. November 1999–June 2003, Flight Commander, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. July 2003–July 2004, Aide-de-Camp, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
7. August 2004–June 2005, Student, Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
8. July 2005–June 2007, Chief Operational Planner, Headquarters United States Special Operations Command, Tampa, Fla.
9. July 2007–July 2009, Commander, 6th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
10. August 2009–June 2010, Division Chief, Irregular Warfare Combat Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2010–August 2011, Student, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
12. September 2011–April 2012, Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, Kabul, Afghanistan
13. May 2012–January 2014, Commander, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
14. February 2014–July 2016, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. August 2016–August 2017, Special Assistant to Commander USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla.
16. August 2017–May 2018, Vice Director, USSOCOM J5 Strategy, Plans and Policy, MacDill AFB, Fla.
17. June 2018–July 2020, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
18. July 2020–June 2022, Commander, Special Operations Command-Europe, Patch Barracks, Germany
19. June 2022–present, Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2003–July 2004, Aide-de-Camp, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a major
2. July 2005–June 2007, Chief Operational Planner, Headquarters United States Special Operations Command, Tampa, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel
3. May 2012–January 2014, Commander, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a lieutenant colonel
4. August 2016–August 2017, Special Assistant to Commander, USSOCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a colonel
5. August 2017–May 2018, Vice Director, USSOCOM, J5 Strategy, Plans, and Policy, MacDill AFB, Fla., as brigadier general
6. June 2018–July 2020, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a brigadier general
7. August 2020–June 2022, Commanding General, Special Operations Command-Europe, Patch Barracks, Germany, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,300
Aircraft include: T-37, T-38, UH-1N, MH-60, MH-53J, MH-53M, Mi-17, C-130 and C-145
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with “V” device
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
(Current as of August 2023)