Dawn Dunlop

Last updated

Dawn M. Dunlop
Maj. Gen. Dawn M. Dunlop.jpg
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Air Force
Years of service1988–2021
Rank Major General
Commands heldNATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force
412th Test Wing
586th Flight Test Squadron
Awards Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (3)
Air Medal [1]

Dawn M. Dunlop is a retired United States Air Force Major General. Prior to her retirement she served as the Director, Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration, and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

Contents

In 1993, Dunlop was selected as one of the first U.S. women to fly combat aircraft. [2] Later, she was also the first woman to fly the F-22 and to command a Test Wing. [3]

Prior to her retirement, Dunlop was the highest ranking female fighter pilot in the Air Force. [3] As a command pilot, she accumulated more than 3,500 flying hours, primarily in the F-22, F-15C, F-15E, T-38, F-16 and NE-3A. [1]

Early life and education

Dunlop graduated from Huntington High School in New York, [4] where she was a recruited as an athlete to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. [5] She was a volleyball standout there, [6] earning Academic All-American MVP honors in 1987 and the Academy's Athletic Leadership Award in 1988. [7]

In 1988 Dunlop received her Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences from the U.S. Air Force Academy and in 1989 received a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering from Columbia University in New York. [1]

Career

Dunlop was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force on June 1, 1988. Her first assignment was as a Guggenheim Fellow at Columbia University in New York. [1] After receiving her graduate degree she went to undergraduate pilot training at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona where she graduated #2 of 33 in her class. [8] At the time women were not allowed to select fighter aircraft, so Dunlop took an assignment as a T-38 instructor pilot. [5] She transferred to Beale Air Force Base in California in 1993, [1] but soon after was selected as one of the first seven women assigned to U.S. Air Force combat aircraft. [2]

After training at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, [1] she was assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath in England, becoming the first U.S. female fighter pilot in Europe. [5] In 1996, Dunlop flew F-15E combat missions during Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq. In 1997 Dunlop was selected to the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California, where she graduated as the Top Graduate. She was then assigned to the 445th Flight Test Squadron where she became the chief F-15 pilot. Dunlop later returned to Edwards AFB as the F-22 Operations Officer from 2003–2005. [1]

Command

Colonel Dunlop stands behind President Barack Obama as he signs the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) Congressional Gold Medal bill into law on July 1, 2009. P070109PS-0602 (3679248793).jpg
Colonel Dunlop stands behind President Barack Obama as he signs the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) Congressional Gold Medal bill into law on July 1, 2009.

From 2005–2007 Dunlop commanded the 586th Flight Test Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, [1] after which she was selected for the White House Fellows program. [9] She then served as Chief, Air Force Senate Liaison before returning to Edwards AFB as the Vice Commander and then Commander of the 412th Test Wing, [1] becoming the first Air Force woman to command a Test Wing. [5] In 2015 Dunlop assumed her role as Commander, NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force. [1]

In 2018 Dunlop was assigned as Director, DOD Special Access Program Central Office (SAPCO). [1] She was removed from the position in May 2019 due to inspector general investigations regarding toxic work environment complaints. [10] The Air Force subsequently assigned Dunlop as Director, Operational Capability Requirements in the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic, Integration, and Requirements. She retired in November 2021 in the grade of Major General. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy D. Bridges Jr.</span> United States Air Force general

Roy Dubard Bridges Jr. is an American pilot, engineer, retired United States Air Force officer, test pilot, former NASA astronaut and the former director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center and Langley Research Center. As a command pilot, he has over 4,460 flying hours, and is a decorated veteran of 262 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He retired as a U.S. Air Force major general, last serving as the Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, from June 1993 until his retirement. He is married with two adult children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin P. Chilton</span> United States Air Force general

Kevin Patrick "Chilli" Chilton is an American mechanical engineer and retired United States Air Force four-star general, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. His last assignment was as commander of U.S. Strategic Command from October 3, 2007, to January 28, 2011. Prior to his appointment to general officer ranks, Chilton spent 11 years of his military career as a NASA astronaut. He retired from the Air Force on February 1, 2011, after having achieved the highest rank of any military astronaut. On January 30, 2012, General Chilton was named to the board of directors of Orbital Sciences Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Education and Training Command</span> Major command of the United States Air Force responsible for military training and education

Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Air Force Base</span> US Air Force base in Arizona

Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is located 7 miles west of the central business district of Glendale, and 15 miles west of Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John M. Loh</span> US Air Force general

John Michael Loh is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force (USAF) who last served as Commander, Air Combat Command from June 1992 to July 1995. His other four-star assignment include being the 24th Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from June 1990 to March 1991, and Commander, Tactical Air Command from March 1991 to June 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicole Malachowski</span> US Air Force officer

Nicole Margaret Ellingwood Malachowski is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) officer and the first female pilot selected to fly as part of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Thunderbirds. She later became a speaker and advocate on behalf of patients with tick-borne illnesses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Boe</span> American astronaut

Eric Allen Boe is a retired United States Air Force fighter pilot, Colonel, test pilot, and a current, active NASA astronaut. He flew as the pilot of Space Shuttle missions STS-126 and STS-133.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert E. Kelley</span> U.S. Air Force lieutenant general (1933–2021)

Robert E. Kelley was a United States Air Force lieutenant general, the ninth Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He retired as a lieutenant general on September 1, 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald W. Yates</span> United States Air Force general

General Ronald Wilburn Yates served as Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. As AFMC Commander, Yates was responsible for research, development, test, acquisition and logistics support for the Air Force from 18 specialized centers and 116,000 military and civilian employees around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory S. Martin</span> United States Air Force general

General Gregory Stuart Martin is a retired U.S. Air Force general and Commander, Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Martin was a command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours in various aircraft, including the F-4, F-15, C-20 and C-21. Upon retirement in 2005, Martin took a position consulting for Northrop Grumman and also served on an Air Force panel studying stealth aircraft technology, among other Pentagon and private industry roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald J. Hoffman</span> United States Air Force general

Donald Joseph Hoffman is a former United States Air Force four-star general who served as the 7th Commander, Air Force Materiel Command. He previously served as Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition from August 2005 to November 20, 2008. As Air Force Materiel Command's commander, he leads the command's 74,000 Air Force and civilian personnel, manage $59 billion annually in research, development, test and evaluation. He also oversees the acquisition management services and logistics support which is required to develop, procure and sustain Air Force weapon systems. Hoffman assumed his command on November 21, 2008. He retired from the Air Force on July 1, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell</span> American fighter pilot

Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, and the first female African-American fighter pilot in the history of that service. She flew the F-16 Fighting Falcon during combat missions in Operation Northern Watch. She is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base where she is a member of the 78th Attack Squadron and serves as an MQ-9 Pilot and Mission Commander.

Hispanics in the United States Air Force can trace their tradition of service back to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the military aviation arm of the United States Army during and immediately after World War II. The USAAF was the predecessor of the United States Air Force, which was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947, under the National Security Act of 1947. In the U.S., the term Hispanic categorizes any citizen or resident of the United States, of any racial background, of any country, and of any religion, who has at least one ancestor from the people of Spain or is of non-Hispanic origin but has an ancestor from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central or South America, or some other Hispanic origin. The three largest Hispanic groups in the United States are the Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the estimated Hispanic population of the United States is over 50 million, or 16% of the U.S. population, and Hispanics are the nation's largest ethnic minority. The 2010 U.S. Census estimate of over 50 million Hispanics in the U.S. does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico, thereby making the people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority as of July 1, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. D. Moore</span> United States Air Force general

Lieutenant General Clyde Dewey Moore II is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The organization is the single center responsible for total life cycle management covering all aircraft, engines, munitions, and electronic systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilmary M. Hostage III</span> United States Air Force general

Gilmary Michael "Mike" Hostage III is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as commander, Air Combat Command from September 13, 2011, to October 2014. He previously served as commander, United States Air Forces Central, Southwest Asia. He retired from the Air Force after over 37 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert J. Carlisle</span> United States Air Force general

Herbert Jay "Hawk" Carlisle is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the commander of Air Combat Command, at Langley Field, Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. He also previously served as the commander of Pacific Air Forces while concurrently serving as air component commander for United States Pacific Command and executive director of Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii. He officially retired from the Air Force on May 1, 2017, with 39 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeannie Leavitt</span> US Air Force general and first female fighter pilot in USAF

Jeannie Marie Leavitt is a United States Air Force (USAF) general officer. She became the U.S. Air Force's first female fighter pilot in 1993, and was the first woman to command a USAF combat fighter wing. In April 2021, she was appointed to replace Major General John T. Rauch as Chief of Safety of the United States Air Force, and assumed office on August 13, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spence M. Armstrong</span> United States Air Force general

Spence M. "Sam" Armstrong is a retired three-star general, combat veteran, and test pilot in the United States Air Force (USAF). In his thirty-four years of military service, he served in command assignments at five different levels in the USAF and retired as vice commander of Air Force Systems Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold W. Bunch Jr.</span> US Air Force general

Arnold Webster Bunch Jr. is a retired United States Air Force four-star general. He last served as the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for installation and mission support, discovery and development, test and evaluation, life cycle management services and sustainment of virtually every major Air Force weapon system. The command employs approximately 80,000 people and manages $60 billion of budget authority annually. Before his current assignment, he was the military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition at The Pentagon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph T. Guastella</span> United States Air Force general

Joseph Thomas Guastella Jr. is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the United States Air Force. He was commissioned upon his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Major General Dawn W. Dunlop". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Women are moving up to combat role in military". The Kansas City Star. May 2, 1993.
  3. 1 2 "Fighter pilot embodies 'Captain Marvel' spirit". U.S. Air Force. March 22, 2019.
  4. "Huntington Alum Dawn Dunlop a NATO Commander". Huntington Union Free School District. February 14, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Female F-22 pioneer lauds progress". Politico. October 10, 2013.
  6. "Former Falcon Dawn Dunlop Receives Prestigious Honor". U.S. Air Force Academy. July 26, 2007.
  7. "2015 Volleyball Media Guide" (PDF). Air Force Academy Athletics. 2015.
  8. "Women in the Air Force: Completing the Evolution". Airman. October 1994.
  9. "President Bush Appoints 2007-2008 Class Of White House Fellows". The White House. June 19, 2007.
  10. "Two-star fired from running top secret program office; under multiple IG investigations". Air Force Times. June 10, 2019.

} } }

Military offices
Preceded by
Jochen Both
Commander of the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force
2015–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of Special Access Program Central Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
2018–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of Operational Capability Requirements of the United States Air Force
2020–2021
Succeeded by