Daniel P. Leaf

Dan “Fig” Leaf became the Director, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in January 2012. Prior to that, he worked in the defense industry as vice president of full spectrum initiatives at Northrop Grumman Information Systems. Formerly the Deputy Commander of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), Lt. Gen. Leaf retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2008 after more than 33 years of service. Other assignments during his Air Force career included Vice Commander of Air Force Space Command, Air Force Director of Operational Requirements, and multiple commands at squadron, group and wing levels. He was a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board from 2009 through 2011. Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leaf was a command pilot with more than 3,600 flight hours, including F-15 and F-16 combat missions. His decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal.

A native of Shawano, Wisconsin, Lt. Gen. Leaf earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his commission as a distinguished graduate of the university’s Air Force ROTC program in 1974. He also graduated with distinction from the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He earned a master’s degree in military art and science from the Command and General Staff College where he also served as a member of the faculty instructing Research Methodology and core Air Force courses, and serving as a thesis chairman for several masters candidates.

Lieutenant General, USAF, Retired, Daniel P. Leaf was Deputy Commander and Acting Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. Formerly Vice President for Full Spectrum Initiatives at Northrop Grumman Information Systems Defense Systems Division. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board until he rejoined government service as Director, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.

Biography
A native of Shawano, Wisconsin, General Leaf earned his commission as a distinguished graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Air Force ROTC program in 1974. He commanded a flight, two squadrons, an operations group and two fighter wings, and has directed joint operations.

In 1995, General Leaf served as the J-3 for Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia and flew the F-15C over Southern Iraq, enforcing U.N. sanctions on the Saddam Hussein regime. He deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, with one of his 20th Fighter Wing squadrons in 1998 and flew the F-16CJ on Operation Northern Watch suppression of enemy air defense missions over Northern Iraq. During Operation Allied Force, General Leaf commanded the 31st Air Expeditionary Wing, which included F-16CG, F-16CJ, F-15E, F-117A, A-10A and EC-130 aircraft squadrons. He flew and led F-16CG day and night combat missions against fixed and mobile targets in Serbia and Kosovo. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he served as the Director, Air Component Coordination Element with the Coalition Land Forces Component Commander in Kuwait and Iraq. In that role, he served as the Air Component Commander's direct representative to the Land Commander during planning and initial major combat operations.

Prior to this assignment, General Leaf was the Vice Commander of Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado. Other staff assignments include duty as the Air Force's Director of Operational Requirements and the Deputy J-3, U.S. Forces-Korea.

General Leaf is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours, including Allied Force, Joint Forge, Northern Watch and Southern Watch combat missions and a command space operator. His awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Air Medal and numerous other awards and decorations.

Education

 * 1974 Bachelor of Science degree in political science, University of Wisconsin–Madison
 * 1976 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
 * 1983 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
 * 1986 Honor graduate, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
 * 1986 Master of Arts degree in military art and science, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
 * 1987 Outstanding graduate, Air War College, by correspondence
 * 1988 U.S. Army Battalion Pre-Command Course, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
 * 1993 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
 * 1998 Senior Information Warfare Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
 * 2000 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
 * 2000 Joint Flag Officers Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
 * 2001 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
 * 2004 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Assignments

 * 1) December 1974 - November 1975, student, pilot training, Columbus AFB, Mississippi
 * 2) March 1976 - November 1976, student, F-4D initial training, George AFB, California
 * 3) November 1976 - April 1978, F-4D aircraft commander, flight lead and standardization and evaluation officer, 7th and 9th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
 * 4) May 1978 - August 1978, student, OV-10 training, Patrick AFB, Florida
 * 5) August 1978 - April 1980, OV-10 forward air controller, 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron; instructor pilot and flight examiner, 51st Composite Group; later, Chief, and standardization and evaluation officer, 5th Tactical Group, Osan Air Base, South Korea
 * 6) April 1980 - July 1981, weapons system project officer and standardization and evaluation flight examiner, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
 * 7) July 1981 - June 1985, F-15C pilot, instructor pilot, Chief of Training and Scheduling, and flight commander, 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later, standardization and evaluation branch chief, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
 * 8) June 1985 - May 1988, student, later, faculty member, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
 * 9) May 1988 - May 1992, F-15 instructor pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and operations officer, 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, later, Commander, 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, later, Commander, 58th Operations Support Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
 * 10) June 1992 - June 1993, Air Combat Command-sponsored research fellow and student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
 * 11) July 1993 - July 1995, Deputy Commander, later, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Virginia
 * 12) March 1995 - June 1995, J-3, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
 * 13) July 1995 - June 1997, Deputy J-3, U.S. Forces Korea, and Assistant Deputy C-3, Republic of Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command, Yongsan, South Korea
 * 14) July 1997 - November 1998, Commander, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
 * 15) November 1998 - January 2000, Commander, 31st Fighter Wing and 31st Air Expeditionary Wing, Aviano AB, Italy
 * 16) January 2000 - November 2002, Director of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
 * 17) December 2002 - July 2003, Director of Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. (February 2003 - April 2003, Director, U.S. Central Command Air Forces Air Component Coordination Element, Coalition Land Forces Component Headquarters, Camp Doha, Kuwait)
 * 18) August 2003 - September 2005, Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
 * 19) October 2005 - April 2008, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii

Flight information

 * Rating: Command pilot
 * Flight hours: More than 3,600
 * Aircraft flown: F-4C/D, OV-10, O-2, F-15A/B/C/D, F-16 Block 25/40/42/50, UH-1N and HH-60G

Other achievements

 * 1975 Distinguished graduate, Flying Training Award and Air Training Command's Commander's *Trophy, undergraduate pilot training
 * 1983 Outstanding Company Grade Officer of the Year, Pacific Air Forces
 * 1993 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award, Air War College
 * 1999 Air Force Public Affairs Special Achievement for Commander Support Award