Col. Dawne Deskins Takes Command of Eastern Air Defense Sector

New leader succeeds Col. John P. Bartholf who is retiring.

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Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III passes the Eastern Air Defense Sector guidon to Col Dawn Denskin during change of command ceremonies on Feb. 17. (Major Joakim Hansson, Eastern Air Defense Sector)

ROME, NY (02/17/2012)(readMedia)-- Col. Dawne L. Deskins formally became the first female commander of the Eastern Air Defense Sector today during a ceremony at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Deskins received command before a crowd of more than 200 family, friends and fellow members of the Air and Army National Guard. The ceremony was presided over by Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III, Commander of Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Region (CONR) and 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern).

Deskins took command from Col. John P. Bartholf, who is retiring.

Col. Wade F. Dewey formally became EADS Vice Commander during the same ceremony. Colonel Deskins had served as Vice Commander for the last four years.

"I'm proud to become the leader of such an outstanding group of Airmen and civilians and it is a personal honor for me to follow Col. Bartholf, who has been a great commander and better friend," Deskins said. "The future holds many challenges, but I am confident the men and women of EADS will continue to successfully conduct our vital around-the-clock mission of defending the eastern U.S. airspace."

Deskins is a graduate of Ithaca College and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force through the Cornell University ROTC Program in 1984. She attended Air Weapons Controller training at Tyndall Air Force Base and was assigned to the Northwest Air Defense Sector at McCord Air Force Base, Washington from 1988 to 1993.

She has served as a Controller Training instructor and worked as program test director evaluating the Air Weapons Controller Training System.

Since joining the New York Air National Guard in 1995 she has served in a variety of positions including Mission Crew Commander, Flight Commander, Assistant Director, Sector Operations Control Center and Chief, Exercise and Analysis and Deputy Commander, Support. She also has served as a NORAD Battle Commander.

A graduate of the Air War College and Air Command and Staff College, Colonel Deskins holds a masters degree in management from Florida State University.

Her awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award and the Combat Readiness Medal, as well as the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Medal.

Deskins resides in Cazenovia with her husband, Antonio. The couple has two children, Brittany and Derek.

Dewey is a native of Anchorage, Alaska. A 1982 graduate of Robert Service High School, he attended the University of Alaska for one year. He then transferred and graduated in December 1984 from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Okla., with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation/Aerospace.

An F-16 fighter pilot, Colonel Dewey flew 79 combat hours during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has served in the New York Air National Guard and at EADS since 2004, where his assignments have included Chief of Current Operations, Director of Operations Support, Assistant Deputy Commander of Operations and Deputy Commander of Operations.

Dewey is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Combat Readiness Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

Dewey and his wife Selena reside in Marcy and have two children, Corinne and Mitchell.

The Eastern Air Defense Sector is headquartered at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. Staffed by active-duty New York Air National Guardsmen and a Canadian Forces detachment, the unit supports the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) integrated warning and attack assessment missions and the U.S. Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) homeland defense mission. EADS is responsible for air sovereignty and counter-air operations over the eastern United States and directs a variety of assets to defend one million square miles of land and sea.