BRIGADIER GENERAL DANA A. HESSHEIMER
Retired May 01, 2020
Brig. Gen. Dana A. Hessheimer served as Assistant Adjutant General Air – Operations and Intelligence, California National Guard. As Assistant Adjutant General-Air, he was the primary advisor to The Adjutant General on all programs, strategic planning, and operations affecting the California Air National Guard including five wings and over 4500 military and civilian personnel serving at ten locations.
General Hessheimer was also responsible for the leadership and management of the Air Staff A2/6, A3, and A5 Air directorates. In this capacity he was responsible for command and control of CA ANG field organizations during State emergencies and provided guidance to the Joint Operations Center for utilization of out-of-state ANG assets. He served as a senior member of the Command Section of the California National Guard Joint Operations Center and Dual Status Commander with authority to commit CA ANG assets to assist civil authorities during State emergencies. He also oversaw current capabilities of the CA ANG and worked directly with the National Guard Bureau and USAF commands. General Hessheimer was also responsible for the preparation and deployment of the CA ANG and Military Department's State Strategic Plan.
General Hessheimer also served in a dual-hat assignment as Air National Guard Assistant to U.S. Air Force Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. AF, Washington, D.C. He supported the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations in development and implementation of policy directly supporting global operations, force management, weather, training and readiness across air, space and cyber fields.
General Hessheimer earned his commission in 1988, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ROTC. His first deployment was flying combat missions in support of Operation DESERT STORM. He has commanded at the group, expeditionary group, and wing level. He was responsible for standing up the first ANG unit to fly Remotely Pilot Aircraft making him an expert in the field. General Hessheimer is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in various aircraft. Prior to his current position, he served as the Wing Commander, 163d Attack Wing, March Air Reserve Base, California.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
1998 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2003 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2007 Air War College, by correspondence
2015 Master of Arts in Management and Leadership, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.
2018 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2018 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC); Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1989 - December 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 1991 - December 1993, Pilot, RC-135, 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
3. January 1994 - December 1995, Co-Pilot, 173d Air Refueling Squadron, Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Neb.
4. January 1996 - August 2000, Assistant Scheduler, 155th Air Refueling Wing, Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Neb.
5. September 2000 - October 2002, Wing Safety Officer, 163d Air Refueling Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
6. November 2002 - September 2004, Instructor Pilot, 163d Operations Support Squadron, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
7. October 2004 - December 2006, Assistant Operations Officer, 196th Reconnaissance Squadron and 196th Aerial Refueling Squadron, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
8. January 2007 - October 2007, Operations Officer, 196th Reconnaissance Squadron, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
9. November 2007 - July 2009, Predator Pilot, 163d Operations Support Squadron, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
10. August 2009 - April 2013, Group Commander, 163d Operations Group, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.(May 2012 - August 2012, Commander, 39th Expeditionary Operations Group, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey)
11. May 2013 - July 2017, Wing Commander, 163d Attack Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
12. July 2017 - September 2017, Assistant Adjutant General, Sacramento, Calif.
13. September 2017 - May 2019, Director, Joint Staff - California Joint Force Headquarters , Sacramento, CA
14. May 2019 - April 2020, Assistant Adjutant General, Sacramento, CA; dual-hatted, November 2018 - April 2020, Air National Guard Assistant to Headquarters Air Force A-3, Washington, DC
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: KC-135 R, MQ-9, MQ-1B, RC-135 U/V/W/S/X, T-38, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
AF Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one silver hourglass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon Pistol
NATO Medal with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 10, 1989
First Lieutenant Jan. 10, 1991
Captain Jan. 10, 1993
Major Aug. 2, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 2, 2003
Colonel Aug. 17, 2010
Brigadier General July 5, 2017
(Current as of October 2020)
