Major General Susan Yvonne Desjardins
is a retired
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
in the United States Air Force. She last served as director of plans and policy (J5), Headquarters
U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
Military career
Raised in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on the Piscataqua River bordering the state of Maine, Portsmou ...
,
[ Desjardins graduated from the ]United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...
in 1980. She holds a master's degree in industrial psychology from Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...
, and a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval Command and Staff College
The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
. She graduated from the Air War College
The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...
at Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, in 1997 and from the General Manager Program at the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA p ...
, Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
in 2004.
Desjardins has held a variety of staff positions at the major command, Joint Staff and Headquarters U.S. Air Force levels, including deputy military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
. Her previous command positions have included the 23rd Commandant of the Air Force Academy and 1st female commandant, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base
Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in northeastern North Dakota, located north of Emerado and west of Grand Forks.
The host unit is the 319th Reconnaissance Wing (319 RW) assigned to the Air Combat C ...
, North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...
; the 60th Operations Group, Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, in Solano County, Californi ...
, California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, and the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base
Charleston Air Force Base is a United States military facility located in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force's 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW), a subordinate element ...
, South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
. Desjardins is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flying hours in the KC-10
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American aerial refueling tanker aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Advanced Tanker Cargo A ...
, C-17, C-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy intercontinental-ran ...
, KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
R, KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
A and T-37.
Education
:1980 Bachelor of Science degree in international affairs/political science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
:1983 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
:1991 Master of Arts degree in industrial psychology and human relations, Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...
:1993 Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies, Naval Command and Staff College, Naval War College
The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
, Newport, R.I.
:1997 Air War College
The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...
, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
:2004 General Manager Program, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
:2009 National Security Studies Program, George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
, Washington, D.C.
:2009 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...
at Chapel Hill
Assignments
#July 1980 - August 1981, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
#August 1981 - December 1981, KC-135A pilot training, Castle AFB, Calif.
#December 1981 - October 1985, KC-135A copilot, standardization and evaluation copilot, and aircraft commander, 911th Air Refueling Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
#October 1985 - September 1988, KC-10 copilot and aircraft commander, 344th Air Refueling Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
#September 1988 - July 1991, KC-10 instructor and evaluator pilot, 2nd Air Refueling Squadron; later, executive officer, 2nd Bombardment Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
#July 1991 - August 1992, KC-10 program element monitor, Directorate for Requirements and Test, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
#August 1992 - July 1993, student, Naval Command and Staff College, Newport R.I.
#July 1993 - March 1994, tanker requirements staff officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
#March 1994 - March 1995, member, Air Force Issues Team, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
#March 1995 - July 1996, deputy military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
#July 1996 - July 1997, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
#July 1997 - August 1999, Commander, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
#August 1999 - March 2002, strategic planner, later, Chief, Nuclear Treaties Branch, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
#March 2002 - August 2003, Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
#August 2003 - October 2004, executive officer to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, and the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
#October 2004 - November 2005, Commander, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C.
#December 2005 - October 2008, Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
#October 2008 - January 2011, Deputy Director then Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
#January 2011 – October 2012, director of plans and policy (J5), U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
Flight information
:Rating: Command pilot
:Flight hours: More than 3,800
:Aircraft flown: KC-10, C-17, C-5, KC-135R, KC-135A and T-37
Awards and decorations
Effective dates of promotion
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desjardins, Susan
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
People from Portsmouth, New Hampshire
United States Air Force Academy alumni
Louisiana Tech University alumni
College of Naval Command and Staff alumni
Harvard Business School alumni
Female generals of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force personnel of the Gulf War
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
20th-century American women
21st-century American women