Brig. Gen. Dana N. Nelson is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the air component to U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, USAFE-AFAFRICA is responsible for providing full-spectrum warfighting capabilities to both combatant commanders throughout their area of responsibility, which encompasses 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, and possesses more than a quarter of the world’s population and world’s gross domestic product.
Brig. Gen. Nelson received her commission in 1990 following graduation from the United States Air Force Academy. She began her flying career at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. While on active duty, Brig. Gen. Nelson flew various models of KC-135s for more than 10 years. In 2002, she joined the Air Force Reserve and served as a Foreign Area Air Attaché in both Slovenia and Fiji, as an Analyst at the Joint Intelligence Center, U.S. Transportation Command and as the Chief of the Survey Analysis Center in Doha, Qatar. She has also served in a variety of flying, staff and command assignments.
Brig. Gen. Nelson is a veteran of operations Southern Watch, Allied Force, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn and numerous other operations and contingencies in support of the nation’s security strategy. Prior to her current assignment, Brig. Gen. Nelson served as the Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Requirements and Resources (J8), U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. In her civilian capacity, the general is a pilot with a major airline.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science, History, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in-residence and by correspondence
1998 Master of Arts, Human Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman
2002 Reserve Attaché Course, Joint Military Attaché School, Bolling AFB, Md.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2021 Director of Mobility Forces, Air Mobility Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2021 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1990–September 1991, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. January 1992–April 1992, KC-135R Combat Crew Training School, Castle AFB, Calif.
3. April 1992–August 1996, Copilot/Aircraft Commander, KC-135R/T/Q, 19th Air Refueling Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
4. August 1996–December 1999, Chief of Mission Development/Coronet Planner, KC-135R/T Instructor/Evaluator pilot, 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
5. January 2000–January 2001, Flight Commander/Combat Crew Training Schoolhouse Instructor, KC-135R, Altus AFB, Okla.
6. January 2001–October 2002, Individual Ready Reserve, Lowry AFB, Colo.
7. October 2002–March 2005, Foreign Area Attaché, Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
8. March 2005–September 2013, Instructor Pilot/Chief of Training/Flight Commander/Chief, Exercise and Evaluation Team, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
9. September 2013–July 2015, Commander, 756th Air Refueling Squadron, JB Andrews, Md.
10. July 2015–September 2016, IMA to the Chief, Air Advisor Branch, Headquarters Air Force, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Md.
11. September 2016–April 2019, Vice Commander, 507th Air Refueling Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
12. April 2019–July 2021, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Requirements and Resources, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
13. July 2021–present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2019–July 2021, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Requirements and Resources, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a colonel and brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Military Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 5,000 hours in various military and civilian aircraft
Military Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, C-12F, KC-135R/T/RT/Q
Civilian Aircraft Flown: Boeing 737/757/767
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with five oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal with bronze star
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with four 'M' devices
NATO Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Women in Aviation, International
Women Military Aviators
Air Line Pilots Association
Women in Military Service for America
Sisters of the Skies
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1990
First Lieutenant May 30, 1992
Captain May 30, 1994
Major Oct. 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 11, 2009
Colonel July 1, 2015
Brigadier General Nov. 21, 2019
(Current as of June 2022)