Description

After decades in decline, President Trump is inheriting an Air Force older, smaller, and less ready than it has ever been in its history—and planned to get even smaller over the next five years if action is not immediately taken to reverse this course. Additionally, President Trump’s initiative in standing up the U.S. Space Force has been stifled by insufficient funding, inadequate numbers of personnel, and resistance to consolidating Department of Defense (DOD) space agencies. Retired Lt Gen Deptula's presentation describes the true state of the Air Force and Space Force and illustrates why President Trump’s administration must prioritize fixing the Department of the Air Force or the consequences will be disastrous for the Nation’s defense.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), serves as the Dean of the Mitchell Institute, PenFed Chair for Aerospace Studies, and Scholar at the U.S. Air Force Academy Center for Character and Leadership Development.

Background: Gen Deptula is the world’s foremost expert on military aerospace issues. He is a pioneer in conceptualizing, planning, and executing national security operations from humanitarian relief to major combat. Featured in the book Airpower Pioneers: From Billy Mitchell to Dave Deptula, he 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 Operation Desert Storm air campaign; commander of no-fly-zone operations over Iraq in the late 1990s; director of the air campaign over Afghanistan in 2001; twice a joint task force commander; and was the air commander for the 2005 South Asia tsunami relief operations. He served on two congressional commissions charged with outlining America’s future defense posture. He is a fighter pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours—400 in combat—including multiple command assignments in the F-15. His last assignment was as the Air Force’s first chief of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), where he transformed America’s military ISR and drone enterprises, orchestrating the largest increase in drone operations in Air Force history. He retired from the Air Force in 2010 after more than 34 years of distinguished service.

Areas of focus: Gen Deptula is a recognized expert and sought-after commentator around the world as a thought leader on aerospace operations, defense, strategy, and ISR. He has received numerous awards to include the Air Force Association’s highest honor in the field of national security, the H.H. Arnold Award, and Defense News named him one of the 100 most influential people in U.S. defense. His recent works include Decades of Air Force Underfunding Threaten America’s Ability to Win; Aerospace Vectors for the Biden Defense Team; Resolving America’s Defense Strategy-Resource Mismatch: The Case for Cost-Per-Effect Analysis; Restoring America’s Military Competitiveness: Mosaic Warfare; and The Force We Need: Key Factors for Shaping the Air Force for the Future, among many others.

Academic and Professional Titles: Gen Deptula has BA and ME degrees from the University of Virginia where he was a distinguished graduate from Air Force ROTC. He is a graduate of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School (81DIN), Air Command and Staff College, and the Armed Forces Staff College. He also holds a M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National War College. In addition to his duties as Dean of the Mitchell Institute, holder of the PenFed Chair for Aerospace Studies, and the Risner Senior Military Scholar at the U.S. Air Force Academy Center for Character and Leadership Development. He is also a board member at a variety of institutions; an independent consultant; and a world-wide commentator on military strategy and related issues.

ABOUT THE MITCHELL INSTITUTE

The Mitchell Institute is the only aerospace power-focused think tank in the nation’s capital. The Institute informs the national security debate, educates about the essential role of aerospace power, and cultivates aerospace-minded talent.