Dale R. Marks is the Executive Director, 96th Test Wing, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He leads more than 10,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, in accomplishing the 96th Test Wing’s missions of developmental testing and evaluation of conventional munitions, command and control systems, aircraft avionics and guidance systems, and radar cross section measurement. The 96th Test Wing has eight groups and 32 squadrons, operates 38 uniquely modified test aircraft, and manages 120,000 square miles of over-water test ranges plus facilities in six states. He also directs all base operating support, infrastructure, and services support for the Air Force’s largest installation at 724 square miles. The 96th Test Wing hosts nine tenant wings and wing equivalent units—to include the 33d Fighter Wing (F-35 Joint Strike Fighter), 53rd Wing (Operational Test), 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Center—and 37 other associate units including the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Training Battalion and the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron. As vice director, he interacts with local officials across a three- county, 11-city region with an annual military economic impact of $9.2 billion.
Prior to this assignment, he was the Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans, Programming, and Analysis for National Guard Bureau (NGB) Space Operations where he managed and directed the requirements and policy processes that directly impacted the Department of Defense, United States Space Force, and National Guard space organizations. His previous civilian assignments include Deputy Chief of Staff at Continental North American Aerospace Defense Command Region – 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and as deployed Chief of Staff for Operational Sustainment in Kabul with the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan (CSTC-A), U.S. Forces – Afghanistan, and NATO RESOLUTE SUPPORT (RS) missions. Additionally he served as a Senior Environmental Consultant to the office of Secretary of the Air Force Energy, Installations, and Environment and was a Duty Director at the National Operations Center, Department of Homeland Security.
His military career spanned over 24 years of both Active Duty and National Guard service in the U.S. Air Force. He is a combat fighter pilot with over 3,000 hours in A-10, F-15E, AT-38 and F-16 aircraft.
EDUCATION:
1985 Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Communications, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH; magna cum laude
1993 Squadron Officers’ School, In-residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2001 Contingency Wartime Planning, In-residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College Joint, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Security Policy and Strategy, Studies, National War College, Washington D.C.; Distinguished Graduate
2011 Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency certification
2021 Space Executives Course, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
2022 MIT Seminar XXI, MIT Center for International Studies, Cambridge, Mass.
2022 USC Executive Global Space and Defense Program, Los Angeles, Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS/EMPLOYMENT:
1. Military Service: various assignments as officer in ACC, AETC, & USAFE; multiple Pentagon tours
2. January 2011-August 2011, Duty Director, National Operations Center, Department of Homeland Security, Washington D.C.
3. August 2011-August 2014, President, Strategic Global Alternatives Group, Pagosa Springs, Co
4. August 2014-January 2016, Senior Environmental Consultant, Marstel-Day, Colorado Springs, Co
5. January 2016-September 2017, Associate Director of Operations, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall AFB, Fla.
6. September 2017-September 2018, Chief of Staff, Combined Security Transition Command, U.S. Forces—Afghanistan, Kabul, AFG
7. September 2018-December 2020, Deputy Chief of Staff, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall AFB, Fla.
8. December 2020-June 2022, Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy, Plans, Programming, Resourcing and Analysis, National Guard Bureau-Space Operations, Washington D.C.
9. May 2022-Present, Executive Director, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (2)
Air Medal (2)
Air Force Commendation Medal (2)
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal (2)
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (2)
Distinguished Graduate, National War College
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
Authored: “OSD Strategy and Budget Prioritization,” Defense White Paper
Authored: “Report on the Joint Use of Federal Forest Firefighting Assets / C-130J Firefighting Capability,” in response to National Defense Authorization Act
Authored: “Focusing a Transition,” Report by the Defense Business Board
Authored: “Analysis and Recommendations on the DoD Siting Process for Wind Turbines in Shepherds Flat, Oregon,” in support of Secretary of the Air Force Energy, Installations, and Environment
Current as of August 2022