Lt General David A. Deptula (Ret.) served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 34 years of distinguished service. He is a world-recognized leader in conceptualizing, planning, and executing national security operations from humanitarian relief to major combat. He has accomplished several “firsts” in the command of joint forces, planning and execution of aerospace power, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and improved international relationships.
He was the principal attack planner for the Desert Storm coalition air campaign, commander of no-fly zone operations over Iraq where he flew 82 combat missions as a general officer and was the first Director of the Combined Air Operations Center orchestrating air operations over Afghanistan in 2001 in response to the 911 attacks. In 2005, he was the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) for the South Asia tsunami relief effort, and in 2006 was the standing JFACC for Pacific Command. He has twice been a Combined/Joint Task Force Commander, served on two congressional commissions outlining America’s future defense, and was the first USAF chief of ISR where he transformed ISR and drone enterprises. He has piloted more than 3,000 flying hours (400 in combat) to include multiple operational fighter command assignments in the F-15.
Gen Deptula is currently the Dean, Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies, and a Senior Military Scholar at the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Academy. He is also a board member at a variety of institutions; an independent consultant; prolific writer and world-wide commentator on military issues, ISR, aerospace, and strategy.