Daniel P. Leaf

Daniel P. Leaf is a former United States Air Force officer; he served as deputy commander and acting commander of United States Pacific Command at Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii.

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

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

Personal life Leaf retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2008 after more than 33 years of service. He worked for Northrop Grumman Information Systems as the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, from September 2008 to January 2012. He returned to government service as the Director of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in January 2012. In 2015, the center was renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS). After five years at DKI APCSS, he left to start Phase Minus 1, LLC. He also serves as the Executive Director for Indo-Asia Pacific Operations for CyberSpace Operations Consulting, Inc.

Education

Military Assignments December 1974 - November 1975, student, pilot training, Columbus AFB, Mississippi March 1976 - November 1976, student, F-4D initial training, George AFB, California 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 May 1978 - August 1978, student, OV-10 training, Patrick AFB, Florida 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 April 1980 - July 1981, weapons system project officer and standardization and evaluation flight examiner, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii 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 June 1985 - May 1988, student, later, faculty member, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 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. June 1992 - June 1993, Air Combat Command-sponsored research fellow and student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama July 1993 - July 1995, Deputy Commander, later, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Virginia March 1995 - June 1995, J-3, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 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 July 1997 - November 1998, Commander, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, South Carolina November 1998 - January 2000, Commander, 31st Fighter Wing and 31st Air Expeditionary Wing, Aviano AB, Italy 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. 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) August 2003 - September 2005, Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado October 2005 - April 2008, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii

Flight information

Awards and decorations

Personal decorationsDefense Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with bronze oak leaf clusterBronze Star MedalMeritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterJoint Service Commendation MedalAir Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersArmy Commendation MedalAir Force Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterArmy Achievement MedalUnit awardsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Organizational Excellence Award with bronze oak leaf clusterService awardsCombat Readiness Medal with three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Recognition RibbonCampaign and service medalsNational Defense Service Medal with bronze service starSouthwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service starKosovo Campaign Medal with bronze service starGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalKorea Defense Service MedalService, training, and marksmanship awardsAir Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frameAir Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clustersSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship RibbonAir Force Training RibbonForeign awardsRepublic of Korea Presidential Unit CitationNATO Medal for Kosovo Service with bronze service star

Other achievements

Effective dates of promotion

Publications