The
Special Assistant to the Chief, National Guard Bureau
Major General Garry C. Dean is The Special Assistant to the Chief, National Guard Bureau. As The Special Assistant, he is acting in the capacity of the Director, National Guard Joint Staff. He is the principal staff officer and advisor to the Chief, National Guard Bureau, responsible for the performance of the 1,100 member National Guard Staff and its transformation in support of the Chief, National Guard Bureau in his role as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Prior to his current assignment, General Dean served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Allied Joint Forces Command where he was responsible for all Intelligence, Operations, and Campaign Assessment for ongoing and contingency North Atlantic Treaty Organization operations and engagement in the Balkans, Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa regions.
General Dean was commissioned in 1978 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He served in various operational and staff assignments, primarily as a T-38 Instructor Pilot and F-15 Fighter pilot. His experience in the F-15 includes tours of duty in Pacific Air Forces, Air Combat Command, and the Oregon Air National Guard. He has commanded a Fighter Squadron, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Fighter Wing, and a Numbered Air Force. General Dean is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, primarily in the F-15.
1978 United States Air Force Academy, Bachelor of Science, Computer Science,
Colorado Springs, Colorado
1984 United States Air Force Safety School, Norton Air Force Base, California
1992 Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer School, Chanute Air Force Base,
Illinois
1992 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
1998 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2000 Air National Guard Financial Management Orientation Course, Atlanta,
Georgia
2006 Joint Task Force Commander's Course, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
2007 CAPSTONE, National Defense
University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, District of Columbia
2008 Joint Department of Defense - Department of Energy Nuclear Surety Executive
Course, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
2009 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell Air Force Base,
Alabama
2012 Senior Executive Seminar, George C. Marshall European Center for Security
Studies, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
2014 Senior Executive Seminar, Harvard Homeland Security Institute, Boston,
Massachusetts
1. December 1978 - December 1979, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 64th
Flying Training Wing, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 1980 - April 1980, Student, T-38 Instructor Pilot Training, 54th
Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
3. April 1980 - April 1983, T-38 Instructor Pilot, 54th Fighter Training
Squadron, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
4. April 1983 - June 1983, Student, F-15 Fighter Lead-In Training, 479th
Tactical Training Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
5. August 1983 - December 1983, Student, F-15 Replacement Training, 426th
Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
6. January 1984 - March 1984, Student, United States Air Force Flight Safety
Officer School, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
7. March 1984 - September 1985, F-15 Pilot, 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron,
Kadena Air Base, Japan
8. September 1985 - August 1987, F-15 Instructor Pilot, 94th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
9. November 1987 - March 1990, F-15 Instructor Pilot, 128th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, Georgia Air National Guard, Dobbins Air Force Base, Georgia
10. March 1990 - March 1992, F-15 Instructor Pilot, 123rd Fighter Interceptor
Squadron, Oregon Air National Guard, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon
11. March 1992 - September 1994, Quality Assurance Officer and Chief Functional
Check Pilot, 142nd Aircraft Generation Squadron, Portland, Oregon
12. September 1994 - October 1995, Flight Commander, 123rd Fighter Squadron,
Portland, Oregon
13. October 1995 - October 1997, Chief of Safety, Headquarters 142nd Fighter
Wing, Portland, Oregon
14. October 1997 - October 1998, Commander, 142nd Aircraft Generation Squadron,
Portland, Oregon
15. October 1998 - January 2000, Commander, 123rd Fighter Squadron, Portland,
Oregon
16. January 2000 - January 2001, Vice Commander, 142nd Fighter Wing, Portland,
Oregon
17. January 2001 - January 2003, Commander, 142nd Fighter Wing, Portland, Oregon
18. January 2003 - July 2006, State Director of Operations, Joint Force
Headquarters - Air, Salem, Oregon
19. July 2006 - January 2008, Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Salem, Oregon; dual-hatted, June 2006 - January 2008, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 1st Air Force, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida
20. February 2008 - November 2009, Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force,
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, District of Columbia
21. November 2009 - August 2011, Commander, 1st Air Force, Continental United
States North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall Air Force Base,
Florida
22. October 2011 - October 2013, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Allied
Joint Forces Command, Naples, Italy
23. November 2013 - Present, The Special Assistant to the Chief, National Guard
Bureau, the Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
1. October 2011 - October 2013, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Allied
Joint Forces Command, Naples, Italy
2. October 2013 - Present, The Special Assistant to the Chief of the National
Guard Bureau and Acting Director of the National Guard Bureau Joint Staff,
Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, and F-15
Pilot wings from: Reese Air Force Base, Texas
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze
Oak Leaf Clusters)
Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation (with O Device)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf
Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2
Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and M Device)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Second Lieutenant 31 May 1978
First Lieutenant 31 May 1980
Captain 31 May 1982
Major 31 May 1992
Lieutenant Colonel 30 July 1996
Colonel 6 October 2000
Brigadier General 31 May 2006
Major General 5 December 2008
(Current as of July 2015)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.