Col. Aaron M. Dunn is the deputy wing commander at 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard. The Wing’s mission is to provide and sustain combat-ready forces, supporting both federal and state missions. As vice commander, he assists the Wing commander in organizing, training, and equipping a four-group, 10-squadron Wing that flies Lockheed Martin F-16C+ aircraft. The 177th Fighter is a reserve component of the Air Force’s Air Combat Command.
Dunn is a graduate of Norwich University, The Military College of Vermont. He graduated and was commissioned in May 1996 and was assigned to the 18th Mission Support Squadron as the chief of customer support at Kadena Air Base, in Okinawa, Japan. In 1999 he was transferred to the Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott Air Force Base, Ill where he assumed duties as an Airlift Planner for PACOM exercises and later as an executive officer for the director of global readiness. He subsequently held assignments at Wing and Headquarters levels in Turkey, Guam, Headquarters Air Force and PACOM (SOCPAC) until his transition to the New Jersey Air National Guard in April of 2012 where he was assigned as the 108th Logistics Readiness Squadron operations officer and subsequently the squadron commander. He also served as the 108th Wing’s inspector general. He assumed duties of the 177th FW vice commander on June 1, 2022. Col Dunn’s deployments include Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom as well as Thailand, Cambodia, The Republic of Georgia, Singapore and Korea supporting, planning and executing training exercises. Prior to his current position, the Col. was the 177th Mission Support Group.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Arts, History, Norwich University, Vermont
2002 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Masters in Military Operational Art and Science Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1996 - March 1999, Chief, Customer Support ,18th Mission Support Squadron and Squadron Section Commander, 909th Air Refueling Squadron Kadena Air Base, Japan
2. April 1999 - June 2002, Contingency and Exercise Director, Pacific Division and Executive Officer to the Director of Global Readiness, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
3. July 2002 - July 2004, Deputy Flight Commander Readiness and Flight Commander Management and Systems, 39 Logistics Readiness Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
4. August 2004 – August 2006, Deputy Division Chief, Logistics Operations, 13th Air Force and Operations Officer 36 Logistics Readiness Squadron, Anderson Air Force Base, Guam
5. September 2006 - July 2010, Chief, Deployment Planning and Execution and special duty as an Action Officer for the Nuclear Logistics Surety Team, Directorate of Logistics & Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C
6. August 2010 – November 2011 Logistics Planner, Directorate of Logistics Special Operations Command Pacific, Headquarters Pacific Command, Camp Smith, HI
7. April 2012 – October 2018, Operations Officer and Commander, 108th Logistics Readiness Squadron, NJANG, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
8. October 2018 – February 2019, Wing Inspector General, 108th Wing, NJANG Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
9. February 2019 – May 2022, Commander, 177th Mission Support Group, NJANG, Atlantic City, NJ
10. June 2022 – present, 177th Fighter Wing, Vice Commander, Atlantic City, NJ
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2009 – April 2010, Force Flow Planner, Directorate of Operations, United States Force Afghanistan (USFOR-A) J3, New Kabul Compound, Kabul Afghanistan
2. August 2010 – November 2011 Logistics Planner, Directorate of Logistics Special Operations Command Pacific, Headquarters Pacific Command, Camp Smith, HI
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 11, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major June 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1, 2013
Colonel Sept. 30, 2022
(Current as of December 2022)