Brigadier General Dawne L. Deskins is the Deputy Director of Partnering and Missile Defense, United States European Command. She is charged with the formulation, management and support of the development of EUCOM Missile Defense and Space Strategy, Policy, Plans, Capabilities, and Requirements. General Deskins is responsible for developing, implementing, and assessing policies in order to support national strategic military objectives and desired end states in the European area of responsibility. She oversees EUCOM Missile Defense activities and international military organizations while managing multiple Office of Defense Cooperation field networks located in 18 countries.
General Deskins was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Cornell University. A senior air battle manager, she has served as both an Instructor and evaluator in four different command and control systems. General Deskins has extensive operational and command experience at multiple levels. She has held qualifications as a Senior Director, Mission Crew Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command Director of Operations and NORAD Battle Commander. She supported Operations Deny Flight and Noble Eagle, and served as a joint air component coordination element director during several domestic disaster responses. Prior to her current assignment, General Deskins served as the Director, Air, Space and Cyber Operations for the Air National Guard.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Science, Communications, Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y.
1990 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1992 Master of Science, Management, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
1998 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2003 Air War College, by correspondence
2011 National Security Studies Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2014 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass
2015 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1984 - January 1985, Student, Air Weapons Controller Fundamentals, 325th Tactical Training Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2. January 1985 - April 1985, Student, Undergraduate and Automated Systems Qualification Training Basic Course, 325th Tactical Training Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
3. April 1985 - May 1986, Weapons Director, 25th Air Defense Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash.
4. May 1986 - May 1987, Weapons Assignment Officer, Northwest Air Defense Sector, 25th Air Defense Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
5. May 1987 - April 1988, Sector Operations Control Center Executive Officer, Northwest Air Defense Sector, McChord AFB, Wash.
6. April 1988 - April 1991, Instructor, Air Weapons Controller, 3625th Technical Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
7. April 1991 - January 1993, Chief, Training Consolidation, 331st Technical Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
8. January 1993 – January 1995, Test Director, 21st Test and Evaluation Squadron OL-B, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. January 1995 - January 1996, Senior Director, Northeast Air Defense Sector, Rome, N.Y.
10. February 1996 - September 1996, Mission Crew Commander, Northeast Air Defense Sector, Rome, N.Y.
11. September 1996 - April 1998, Deputy Director, Exercise and Analysis, Northeast Air Defense Sector, New York Air National Guard, Rome, N.Y.
12. April 1998 - April 2000, Flight Commander, Northeast Air Defense Sector, New York Air National Guard, Rome, N.Y.
13. April 2000 - April 2002, Assistant Chief, Operations Control, Northeast Air Defense Sector, New York Air National Guard, Rome, N.Y.
14. April 2002 - April 2008, Deputy Commander Support, Northeast Air Defense Sector, Rome, N.Y.
15. April 2008 - April 2009, Vice Commander, Northeast Air Defense Sector, Rome, N.Y.
16. April 2009 - February 2012, Vice Commander and Title 32 Commander, Eastern Air Defense Sector, New York Air National Guard, Rome, N.Y.
17. February 2012 - March 2014, Commander, Eastern Air Defense Sector, New York Air National Guard, Rome, N.Y.
18. March 2014 - December 2014, Special Assistant, Sexual Assault and Prevention, to the Director, Air National Guard, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
19. December 2014 - April 2016, Director, Air, Space and Cyber Operations, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
20. April 2016 – present, Deputy Director Partnering and Missile Defense, Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart – Vaihingen, Germany.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with six oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Air Force Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1984
First Lieutenant July 27, 1986
Captain July 23, 1988
Major July 31, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2001
Colonel March 17, 2005
Brigadier General March 8, 2014
(Current as of May 2016)