Daniel R. Hokanson

Daniel R. Hokanson (born June 27, 1963) is a United States Army officer who currently holds the rank of Lieutenant General and serves as deputy commander of United States Northern Command. He concurrently serves as vice commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). His previous military assignments include adjutant general of the Oregon Military Department, and commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Just Cause.

Early life
Daniel Robert Hokanson was born in Happy Camp, California on June 27, 1963, the son of Bob and Diann (Kieffer) Hokanson. He graduated from Happy Camp High School in 1980, and attended the College of the Siskiyous before being accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Start of career
Hokanson graduated from West Point in 1986 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Aviation branch. During his time at West Point and the period immediately afterwards he completed: Level C Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Course; Aviation Officer Basic Course; Air Assault School; and Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight Training (Aeroscout). He is also a graduate of the United States Army Airborne School.

He then served for several years as an aviator with the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California, including deployment to Panama for Operation Just Cause in 1989-90. In 1991 he completed the Aviation Officer Advanced Course and AH-64 (Apache) Combat Aircraft Qualification Course. He subsequently served with 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment at Fort Hood, including command of the battalion's Company B, and then served as a project engineer for the Aircraft Armament Test Division at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

Early National Guard career
Hokanson left the regular Army in July 1995 and was a member of the Army Reserve Control Group until October.

He then began his career as a member of the Army National Guard, assigned initially as aide-de-damp in the office of Oregon's adjutant general. His later assignments included: operations officer, 641st Medical Battalion (Helicopter Evacuation); aviation operations officer, Oregon Army National Guard; plans analyst, Program Analysis and Evaluation Division, National Guard Bureau; executive officer, 641st Medical Battalion (Evacuation Helicopter), Oregon Army National Guard; deputy director, Army Aviation, Oregon Army National Guard; commander, 641st Medical Battalion (Helicopter Evacuation), Oregon Army National Guard; chief of staff, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, Afghanistan; deputy commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard; and commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, including deployment as part of Multi-National Corps – Iraq.

Career as general officer
In 2010 Hokanson was promoted to brigadier general. His assignments as a general officer included: deputy director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command; and director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), National Guard Bureau.

Oregon Adjutant General
Hokanson was promoted to major general in May 2013. From August 2013 to July 2015 he served as adjutant general of the Oregon Military Department.

NORTHCOM deputy commander
In August 2015 Hokanson was selected for appointment as deputy commander of United States Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado and promotion to lieutenant general. He concurrently serves as vice commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Awards
Hokanson's awards and decorations include:


 * Defense Superior Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
 * Legion of Merit
 * Soldier's Medal
 * Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
 * Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
 * Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Army Achievement Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
 * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
 * Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 2 Campaign Stars)
 * Iraq Campaign Medal (with 1 Campaign Star)
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
 * Humanitarian Service Medal
 * Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Bronze Hourglass, “M” Device and Numeral 2)
 * Army Service Ribbon
 * Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
 * North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal
 * Joint Meritorious Unit Award
 * Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
 * Combat Action Badge
 * Army Master Aviator Badge
 * Air Assault Badge
 * Parachutist Badge

Assignments

 * 1) July 1986 - July 1987, Student, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (Level C - Fort Bragg); Aviation Officer Basic Course; Air Assault School; Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight Training (Aeroscout); Fort Rucker, Alabama
 * 2) July 1987 - March 1988, Executive Officer, Troop B, 2nd Squadron (RECON), 9th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division (LIGHT), Fort Ord, California
 * 3) March 1988 - May 1989, Scout Platoon Leader, Troop B, 2nd Squadron (RECON), 9th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division (LIGHT), Fort Ord, California and the Republic of Panama
 * 4) May 1989 - August 1990, Flight Operations Officer and 3rd Infantry Brigade Aviation Liaison Officer, 2nd Squadron (RECON), 9th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division (LIGHT), Fort Ord, California and the Republic of Panama
 * 5) October 1990 - June 1991, Student, Aviation Officer Advanced Course and AH-64 Combat Aircraft Qualification Course, Fort Rucker, Alabama
 * 6) June 1991 - October 1992, Assistant S3, 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment (Attack), Apache Training Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas
 * 7) October 1992 - June 1994, Commander, Company B, 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment (Attack), XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
 * 8) June 1994 - April 1995 Project Engineer, Aircraft Armament Test Division, Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
 * 9) July 1995 - October 1995, Army Reserve Control Group (Ready Reserve)
 * 10) October 1995 - September 1996, Aide-de-Camp, Office of The Adjutant General, Oregon National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 11) October 1996 - September 1997, Operations Officer, 641st Medical Battalion (EVAC), Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 12) October 1997 - December 1998, Aviation Operations Officer, Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 13) December 1998 - June 1999, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
 * 14) July 1999 - July 2000, Plans Analyst, Program Analysis and Evaluation Division, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
 * 15) July 2000 - June 2001, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
 * 16) June 2001 - June 2002, Executive Officer, 641st Medical Battalion (EVAC), Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 17) June 2002 - June 2004, Deputy Director, Army Aviation, Headquarters State Area Command, Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 18) July 2004 - June 2005, Commander, 641st Medical Battalion (EVAC), Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 19) July 2005 - July 2006, Student, Senior Service College Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
 * 20) August 2006 - July 2007, Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, Afghanistan
 * 21) July 2007 - March 2008, Deputy Commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon
 * 22) March 2008 - July 2010, Commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Corps - Iraq, and Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon
 * 23) August 2010 - August 2012, Deputy Director, J5, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
 * 24) August 2012 - July 2013, Director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
 * 25) August 2013 - July 2015, The Adjutant General, Oregon, Joint Force Headquarters, Oregon National Guard, Salem, Oregon
 * 26) August 2015 – Present, Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Education
Hokanson is a 1986 graduate of the United States Military Academy, and received a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace).

In 2000 he completed a master of arts in International Security and Civil-Military Relations at the Naval Postgraduate School. In 2001 he graduated from the Naval War College with a master of arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Hokanson completed the Senior Service College National Security Fellowship Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2006. In 2011 he completed the CAPSTONE leadership course at the National Defense University.

Aviation qualifications
In addition to completion of the Aviation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses and Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight Training (Aeroscout), Hokanson's aviation qualifications include:


 * Rating: Command Pilot
 * Flight Hours: More than 2600
 * Aircraft Flown: AH-64, OH-58, TH-55, UH-1, UH-60

Effective dates of promotion

 * Second Lieutenant, May 28, 1986
 * First Lieutenant, November 28, 1987
 * Captain, November 1, 1990
 * Major, October 30, 1997
 * Lieutenant Colonel, July 24, 2002
 * Colonel, August 2, 2006
 * Brigadier General, December 22, 2010
 * Major General, May 23, 2013
 * Lieutenant General, August 15, 2015

Family
Hokanson is married to Kelly M. (Triplett) Hokanson. They resided in Keizer, Oregon before Hokanson's assignment as NORTHCOM deputy commander, and are the parents of three children, daughter Victoria, and sons Daniel, Jr. and McKinnon.

In 2015 Daniel Hokanson, Jr. graduated from West Point and received his commission as a second lieutenant of Infantry.