MAJOR GENERAL DENISE M. DONNELL
Retired June 01, 2024
Maj. Gen. Denise M. Donnell served as the Assistant Adjutant General and as the Commander, New York Air National Guard, Latham, N.Y. She was the primary advisor on all Air Guard matters to The Adjutant General. In this role, Maj. Gen. Donnell was responsible for establishing policy and supervising operations of more than 5,800 people assigned to five flying units, the Eastern Air Defense Sector, and four geographically separated support units.
Maj. Gen. Donnell graduated from Georgetown University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service and earned her commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program. After nine years as a naval aviator, she joined the New York Air National Guard at Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, N.Y. in 2002. She has commanded at the Squadron, Group, and Wing levels. As Commander, 109th Maintenance Group, she oversaw utilization of the nation’s only ski-equipped aircraft in support of the National Science Foundation and was Commander of the 13th Air Expeditionary Group, McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Maj Gen. Donnell is a Command Pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours. Prior to her current position, the General was Commander, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, N.Y.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Joint and Combined Warfighting School-Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.,by hybrid delivery
2018 National Security Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2020 Master of Science, Government Information Leadership, National Defense University, Fort McNair Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2021 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Arlington, Va.
2022 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1993 - October 1995, Student, Naval Flight Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
2. October 1995 - August 1996, P-3 upgrade training, Patrol Squadron 30, NAS Jacksonville, Fla.
3. September 1996 - April 1997, Aviation Ordnance Branch Officer, Patrol Squadron 46, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.
4. April 1997 - January 2000, P-3 NATOPS Evaluator Pilot, Mission Commander, Quality Assurance Officer, Patrol Squadron 46, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.
5. February 2000 - October 2002, P-3 NATOPS Evaluator Pilot, Operational Test Director, Air Test and Evaluation, Squadron 1, NAS Patuxent River, Md.
6. October 2002 - November 2002, Individual Ready Reserve, Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tenn.
7. November 2002 - May 2004, C-5 Pilot, 137th Airlift Squadron, New York Air National Guard, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, N.Y.
8. May 2004 - September 2005, C-5 Aircraft Commander, 137th Airlift Squadron, NY ANG, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, N.Y.
9. October 2005 - September 2009, Commander, 105th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, NY ANG, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, N.Y.
10. September 2009 - February 2013, Commander, 105th Maintenance Squadron, NY ANG, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, N.Y.
11. February 2013 - June 2016, Commander, 109th Maintenance Group, NY ANG, Stratton ANGB, Scotia, N.Y. (December 2014 – January 2015, Commander, 13th Air Expeditionary Group, McMurdo Station, Antarctica)
12. June 2016 - June 2017, Vice Commander, 105th Airlift Wing, NY ANG, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, N.Y.
13. June 2017 - April 2022, Commander, 105 Airlift Wing, Newburgh, N.Y.
14. April 2022 - May 2024, Assistant Adjutant General, Latham, N.Y.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,500
Aircraft flown: C-5A, C-17A, C-130, LC-130, P-3C, T-34, and T-44
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Navy Commendation Medal
Navy Achievement Medal with gold star
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Captain June 1, 1997
Major July 10, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 15, 2008
Colonel May 23, 2013
Brigadier General Dec. 31, 2020
Major General Nov. 30, 2022
(Current as of September 2024)
