Lieutenant General DANA T. ATKINS

Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins is Commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Pacific Command; Commander, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. He is the senior military officer in Alaska responsible for the integration of all military activities in the Alaskan theater of operations. As Commander of Alaskan Command, a sub-unified command under U.S. Pacific Command, General Atkins integrates the activities of more than 21,000 active-duty, Guard and Reserve members from all services in Alaska. General Atkins also commands 11th Air Force and oversees the training and readiness of three wings and Air Force installations located throughout the state. As Commander of the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, General Atkins directs air operations within Alaska to ensure defense against all hostile airborne threats. Reporting to U.S. Northern Command, General Atkins is also the Commander of Joint Task Force Alaska and is responsible for the planning and execution of all Homeland Defense operations within the theater, including security and civil support actions.

After serving a year as an enlisted member, General Atkins received a four-year ROTC scholarship to the University of Portland in Oregon where he earned his Air Force commission. During his career, General Atkins has flown as a demonstration pilot for the European A-10 demonstration team and the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds. The general has commanded a fighter squadron, an operations group and two fighter wings, and served as Vice Commander, 7th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Korea.  He has also served on both major command and joint staffs. 

The general was special assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe during the air war over Serbia. He was involved in all aspects of the Kosovo campaign planning and execution, to include pre-war diplomatic negotiations in Belgrade. General Atkins is a command pilot with more than 4,000 hours in fighter aircraft.

EDUCATION
1977 Bachelor's degree in biology, University of Portland, Ore.
1984 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1990 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1992 Master's degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
1995 Master's degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2006 Joint Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
2006 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1978 - June 1982, student, undergraduate pilot training, later, instructor pilot, 54th Flying Training Wing, Reese AFB, Texas
2. January 1983 - December 1985, instructor pilot, European A-10 demonstration pilot and assistant chief of standardization and evaluation, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Bentwaters, England
3. January 1986 - June 1987, operations inspector, Inspector General Team, Headquarters U. S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
4. June 1987 - December 1989, left wingman, U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, Nellis AFB, Nev.
5. January 1990 - June 1990, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
6. June 1990 - February 1993, program manager for Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Directorate of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Tactical Air Command; later, command briefer and speech writer for the Commander, Tactical Air Command and Air Combat Command, and Assistant Chief of Staff for ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
7. February 1993 - June 1994, Commander, 74th Fighter Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
8. June 1994 - June 1995, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
9. June 1995 - May 1997, Branch Chief for North and South America, Western Hemisphere Division, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. June 1997 - June 1998, Commander, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan AB, South Korea
11. July 1998 - January 2000, special assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Headquarters Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium
12. January 2000 - June 2001, Commander, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
13. June 2001 - July 2002, Deputy Director for Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2002 - April 2004, Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
15. April 2004 - December 2005, Vice Commander, 7th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Korea, and Chief of Staff, Air Component Command, Osan AB, South Korea
16. January 2006 - January 2008, Director for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
17. January 2008 - April 2008, special assistant to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
18. May 2008 - present, Commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Pacific Command; Commander, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 - May 1997, Branch Chief for North and South America, Western Hemisphere Division, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. January 2006 - January 2008, Director for Operations (J3), Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a major general
3. May 2008 - present, Commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Pacific Command; Commander, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, as a lieutenant general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, A-10 and F-16

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Force Good Conduct Medal
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Korea Defense Service Medal
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Rifle)
NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia)

(Current as of January 2012)