Maj. Gen. Mark C. Dillon is the Vice Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. PACAF is responsible for the Air Force activities spread over half the globe in the command that supports 46,000 Airmen serving principally in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam.
General Dillon was commissioned in 1984 through Officer Training School. He began his career as a space shuttle systems engineer. A distinguished graduate from undergraduate pilot training, General Dillon has commanded at the squadron, group, and twice at the wing level. His staff assignments include: Headquarters U.S. Air Force, U.S. Transportation Command liaison to U.S. Southern Command, United Nations Command/U.S. Forces Korea, and his current position. General Dillon is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in the KC-10, C-5, T-38, C-17, C-130J and KC-135.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Master's degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
1998 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Master's degree in national strategic studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2007 Air Force Enterprise Management Seminar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2009 Senior Leader Executive Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2011 U.S.-Russia Security Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1984 - March 1988, space shuttle and Titan engineer, 6595th Aerospace Test Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. March 1988 - March 1989, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. March 1989 - April 1994, KC-10 Evaluator Pilot, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. November 1994 - August 1997, C-5 Evaluator Pilot, Dover AFB, Del.
5. August 1997 - June 1998, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. June 1998 - May 2000, Action Officer, Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. May 2000 - June 2003, operations officer and Commander, 22nd Airlift Squadron; Commander 782nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron; and Deputy Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. July 2003 - July 2004, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 2004 - February 2006, Commander, 97th Operations Group, and Vice Commander, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
10. August 2006 - June 2008, USTRANSCOM liaison officer to USSOUTHCOM, Miami, Fla.
11. June 2008 - July 2009, Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
12. July 2009 - September 2011, Commander, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
13. September 2011 - July 2013, Director, Regional Affairs, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2013 - August 2015, Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea
15. August 2015 - present, Vice Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2006 - June 2008, USTRANSCOM liaison officer to USSOUTHCOM, Miami, Fla., as a colonel
2. July 2013 – August 2015, Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces, Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,500
Aircraft flown: KC-10, C-5, T-38, C-17, C-130J and KC-135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
OTHER AWARDS AND HONORS
2011 General and Mrs. Jerome O'Malley Award, Best Wing Commander and Spouse Team in the U.S. Air Force
PUBLICATIONS
"
Intellectual Modernization of the C-5: Making the Galaxy Expeditionary," Air and Space Power Journal, Summer 2007
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 28, 1984
First Lieutenant March 28, 1986
Captain March 28, 1988
Major March 1, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2000
Colonel Aug. 1, 2004
Brigadier General Sept. 2, 2009
Major General May 20, 2013
(Current as of August 2015)