Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Newsroom

    Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders

    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      Brig. Gen. David Epperson.EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
                
                Second Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                May 28, 1997First Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 May 28, 1999Captain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          May 28, 2001Major                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            November 01, 2006Lieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               March 01, 2012Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          May 01, 2017Brigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                July 02, 2023Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
                        View on Twitter
        
        Brig. Gen. David Epperson.Brigadier General DAVID C. EPPERSONBrig. Gen. David C. Epperson is the Director of Current Operations, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. The directorate is comprised of five divisions and two Field Operating Agencies, Air Force Flight Standards Agency and Air Force Operations Group, responsible for policy, guidance, and oversight of Air Force current operations. The directorate provides time-sensitive situational awareness and analysis to Air Force senior leaders and links worldwide operations with core Air Force processes to enable global vigilance, reach and power.
Brig. Gen. Epperson received his commission in 1997 through the United States Air Force Academy. Throughout his career, he employed combat airpower from Kunsan Air Force Base, Shaw AFB, Hill AFB, Nellis AFB, Bagram Airfield, and Spangdahlem Air Base. He commanded the 16th Weapons Squadron, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, 455th and 405th Air Expeditionary Groups, and 52nd Fighter Wing. Brig. Gen. Epperson previously served on the Joint Staff as the Special Projects and Innovation Division Chief.
Prior to assuming his current position, he was Director of Checkmate, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours and is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School and the Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting. He has flown combat missions in operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel and NATO’s Resolute Support mission.**EDUCATION**
1997 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 United States Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, F-16, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Master of Science, Management, American Military University
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Operational Studies, School of Advanced Warfighting, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2018 Foreign Politics, International Relations, and the National Interest Fellowship, Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
2021 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina
2023 Strategic Leadership Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. August 1997–January 1998, Special Assistant to the Commander, 715th Air Mobility Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
2. February 1998–May 1999, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. June 1999–February 2000, Student F-16 Fighting Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. March 2000–March 2001, F-16 Pilot, Assistant Air-to-Ground Weapons, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
5. March 2001–January 2004, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Functional Check Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 79th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
6. January 2004–August 2006, F-16 Standardization and Evaluation Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Functional Check Flight Pilot, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 34th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
7. August 2006–July 2009, F-16 Weapons Instructor Course Instructor Pilot, Chief of U.S. Air Force Weapons School Safety, Flight Commander, Chief of Weapons and Tactics (332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq), 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. July 2009–June 2010, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 2010–June 2011, Student, School of Advanced Warfighting, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
10. June 2011–September 2012, Checkmate Airpower Strategist, Headquarters Air Force/A5XK, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. September 2012–July 2015, Commander, Director of Operations, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. August 2015–June 2016, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2016–July 2018, Chief Special Projects and Innovation Division, Deputy Division Chief Counter Proliferation Unified Collection, J39, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. August 2018–March 2019, Commander, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
15. March 2019–June 2019, Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Group, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
16. June 2019–September 2019, Commander, 405th Air Expeditionary Group, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
17. September 2019–July 2021, Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
18. August, 2021–June 2023, Director, Checkmate, A3, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. June 2023–present, Director, Current Operations, A3, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. July 2016–July 2018, Chief Special Projects and Innovation Division, Deputy Division Chief Counter Proliferation Unified Collection, J39, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating:  command pilot
Flight hours:  more than 3,000; 731 combat hours
Aircraft flown:  AT-38B, C-130J, EC-130H, F-15, F-16C/CG/CJ/CM/D, T-37 and T-38A
Primary aircraft:  F-16**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters with three “C” devices
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major Nov. 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2012
Colonel May 1, 2017
Brigadier General July 2, 2023
(Current as of September 2023)
  Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil