BRIGADIER GENERAL DANIEL J. NELAN

Operational Support Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard

Brigadier General Daniel J. Nelan is Operational Support Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard. The Operational Assistant represents the Director at a number of forums including Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau and State Level public meetings, presentations and conferences. General Nelan focuses on staffing actions on high priority programs integral in the sourcing, notification and mobilization of Army National Guard units in support of overseas contingency operations.

In 1976, General Nelan received an appointment in the California Army National Guard as an evacuation pilot in the 126th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), Sacramento, California. In 1981, after completing Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He held several positions in Company A, 40th Aviation Battalion, culminating as the commander in 1986. He then held various staff assignments at the battalion and brigade level, including, intelligence (S2), operations (S3), and logistics (S4) officer at the 40th Aviation Brigade, and executive officer and operations officer (S3) of the 1-140th Attack Helicopter Battalion. In 1996, he assumed command of the 3-140th Aviation Battalion (Medium Lift). Upon leaving battalion command in 1998, he was selected to attend the United States Army War College at Carlisle Barracks , Pennsylvania. Upon his return from the War College in August, 1999, he assumed the duties of Executive Officer, 40th Aviation Brigade until taking command of the brigade in December, 1999. Upon completion of brigade command in 2003, he served as the Director, Army Aviation and Safety, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations (G3), and most recently, as Chief of the Joint Staff at the Joint Force Headquarters, Sacramento, California. General Nelan's most recent assignment was the Assistant Adjutant General California Army National Guard.

EDUCATION:

1976 Sacramento City College, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts, Sacramento, California
1985 National University, Bachelor of Business Administration, San Diego, California
1998 Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Master of Science, Aeronautical Science, Daytona Beach, Florida
1999 United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. December 1981 - May 1983, Flight Safety Technician, Company A, 40th Aviation Battalion, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Los Alamitos, California
2. May 1983 - August 1983, Section Leader, Company A, 40th Aviation Battalion, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Los Alamitos, California
3. September 1983 - August 1986, Standardization Officer, 40th Aviation Battalion, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
4. August 1986 - December 1988, Commander, Company A, 140th Aviation, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Los Alamitos, California
5. December 1988 - September 1989, Assistant S-3 Air, 40th Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
6. September 1989 - September 1990, S-2, 40th Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
7. September 1990 - September 1991, S-4, 40th Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
8. September 1991 - June 1993, S-3, 1-140th Aviation Battalion (Attack Helicopter), 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
9. June 1993 - July 1994, Executive Officer, 1-140th Aviation Battalion, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
10. July 1994 - July 1995, Chief, Aviation Division, Camp Roberts Installation Support Unit, Camp Roberts, California
11. July 1995 - June 1996, S-3, 40th Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fresno, California
12. June 1996 - July 1998, Commander, 3-140th Aviation Battalion (Medium Lift Helicopter), 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Stockton, California
13. July 1998 - July 1999, Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
14. August 1999 - November 1999, Executive Officer, 40th Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fresno, California
15. December 1999 - February 2003, Commander, 40th Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fresno, California
16. February 2003 - January 2004, State Army Aviation Officer, Headquarters State Area Command, Sacramento, California
17. January 2004 - April 2005, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations (G3) Joint Force Headquarters, Sacramento, California
18. May 2005 - Mar 2009, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Sacramento, California
19. April 2009 - June 2011, Assistant Adjutant General-Army, California National Guard, California Force Headquarters, Sacramento, California
20. July 2011 - Present, Operational Support Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard, Arlington Hall, Arlington, Virginia

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot, Standardization Instructor Pilot, Instrument Flight Examiner
Flight Hours: More than 6500
Aircraft Flown: C-12, U-21, T-42, CH-47, UH-1, OH-58
Pilot Wings from: Fort Rucker, Alabama

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal (with numeral 15)
Army Commendation Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Vietnam Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Bronze Hourglass)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Master Army Aviator Badge

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of California
Army Aviation Association of America
Association of the United States Army
Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 03 December 1981
First Lieutenant 05 December 1984
Captain 10 December 1985
Major 02 February 1990
Lieutenant Colonel 25 August 1994
Colonel 18 April 2000
Brigadier General 01 April 2009

(Current as of July 2011)