BRIGADIER GENERAL STEVEN J. DEPALMER Brig. Gen. Steven J. DePalmer is the Deputy Director, Joint Interagency Task Force South, United States Southern Command, Key West, Fla. The Joint Interagency Task Force South conducts interagency and international Detection & Monitoring operations, and facilitates the interdiction of illicit trafficking and other narco-terrorist threats in support of national and partner nation security. General DePalmer is a 1985 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. A command pilot with more than 3,100 flight hours, he has served as an F-15C instructor pilot and weapons officer, and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. He has commanded the 494th Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England; 32nd Air Operations Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and 53rd Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He also served as Vice Commander, 14th Air Force Air Forces Strategic, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the NATO Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. General DePalmer hails from in Manchester, Maryland. EDUCATION 1985 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1991 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1993 Distinguished graduate, Air Force F-15C Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. 1996 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1997 Master of Airpower Arts and Science degree, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2003 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy 2005 Joint Forces Staff College, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 2007 Leadership for a Democratic Society, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va. 2008 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 2009 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C. 2010 NATO Senior Leadership Development Program, The Hague, Netherlands 2012 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander’s Course, USSOUTHCOM, Fla. ASSIGNMENTS 1. August 1985 - August 1986, Student, undergraduate pilot training, 47th Student Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas 2. August 1986 - November 1986, Student, AT-38B lead-in fighter training, 435th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M. 3. December 1986 - May 1987, Student, F-15C Replacement Training Unit, 1st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 4. May 1987 - December 1989, F-15C Instructor Pilot, 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. 5. January 1990 - July 1991, F-15C Standards and Evaluation Pilot, 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland 6. July 1991 - June 1995, F-15C Standards and Evaluation Pilot, 71st Fighter Squadron; F-15C Weapons Officer, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. 7. June 1995 - June 1996, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 8. June 1996 - June 1997, Student, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 9. July 1997 - July 1998, Executive Officer to the Commander, 16th Air Force, Naples, Italy 10. July 1998 - May 2000, Assistant Operations Officer and Chief of Safety, 48th Fighter Wing; Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England 11. May 2000 - February 2002, Commander, 494th Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England 12. February 2002 - July 2002, Deputy Commander for Logistics, 48th Logistics Group, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England 13. July 2002 - February 2003, Student, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy 14. May 2003 - May 2005, Commander, 32nd Air Operations Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany 15. May 2005 - January 2006, Vice Commander, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England 16. February 2006 - April 2008, Vice Director, NORAD Operations, Peterson AFB, Colo. 17. April 2008 - May 2009, Commander, 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. 18. May 2009 - August 2010, Vice Commander, 14th Air Force, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. 19. August 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, NATO Joint Warfare Centre, Supreme Allied Command for Transformation, Stavanger, Norway 20. August 2012 - present, Deputy Director, Joint Interagency Task Force South, U.S. Southern Command, Key West, Fla. SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. February 2006 - April 2008, Vice Director, NORAD Operations, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a colonel 2. August 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, Joint Warfare Centre, Supreme Allied Command for Transformation, NATO, Stavanger, Norway, as a brigadier general 3. August 2012 - present, Deputy Director, Joint Interagency Task Force South, U.S. Southern Command, Key West, Fla., as a brigadier general FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 3,100, including over 300 combat hours Aircraft flown: F-15A/B/C/D/E, AT-38B, T-38 and T-37. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1986 Distinguished Graduate, Undergraduate Pilot Training 1986 Distinguished Graduate, Fighter Lead-In Training 1991 Commandant’s Trophy, Squadron Officer School 1993 Distinguished Graduate, Weapons Instructor Course 1995 1st Operations Group Warrior of the Year EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant May 29, 1985 First Lieutenant May 29, 1987 Captain May 29, 1989 Major Dec. 1, 1995 Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998 Colonel July 1, 2003 Brigadier General July 3, 2009 (Current as of April 2014)