Colonel Dawn D. DeVine, USA
Occupation: Army Officer, 25 years strong
Coach, Teacher, Mentor & Military Family Advocate
Favorite Subjects:
Fostering Military Community Networks at the grass-roots level in order to build strategic partnerships for our Veterans.
Promoting military awareness in support of our service members (past and present), their families and families of the fallen, during transition and reintegration.
Favorite Journals:
“Sea of Goodwill” and “Boots on the Ground,” White Papers published by the Office of Warrior and Family Support, Joint Staff, The Pentagon
Personal Motto:
I believe our tomorrow completely depends on our today!
Colonel Dawn D. DeVine is a Cleveland, Ohio native and most recently awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, holds functional area credentials from the Defense Information School, Fort Meade, Maryland, as a Public Affairs Officer, holds two Masters Degrees and is an Army War College graduate, Class of 2011.
In 2012 Dawn attended George Washington University, Washington, DC earning a professional Event Planning Certificate and founded the United States Army Reserve Community Network of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In early 2013, Col DeVine became the first Army Reserve senior officer to earn the Army Operational Knowledge Management skill identifier representing 1/198 total Army trained.
Mid-career, Dawn assumed executive duties as Aide-de-Camp for the Chief Army Reserve/Commander, Army Reserve for a total of three years. Immediately following, she served the Under Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs as the Military Assistant to the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee. This committee is a direct report to the Secretary of the Army and empowers Reserve Component policy issues to be elevated to the Secretariat levels.
Dawn’s combat experience entails two back to back tours as the Military Assistant for the Chief, Office of Defense Representative – Pakistan; assigned as a direct report to Commander, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Ambassador, United States Embassy – Islamabad, Pakistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Upon return, Dawn was hand selected to serve as the Deputy Executive Assistant to the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the first ever Active Guard Reserve appointee to personal staff. Accompanying the Chairman around the globe for the next 24 months, exposed her to high level strategic initiatives that represented equities in the Joint Force as well as the Army Reserve Component ~ a true professional development privilege.
Immediately following the announcement of the 17th Chairman’s second term, she was hand selected to assume the Director of Protocol, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ensure that the highest honors were rendered to our allied nation counterparts, home and abroad. During her directorship she was responsible for every detail in support of over 20 host nation visits and personally facilitated a key Kennedy Center performing arts request by the Chinese delegation. Her staff supported numerous five-star level Department of State delegation meetings and was personally summoned to The White House for consultation in support of Mrs. Obama’s desire to incorporate the military into the White House holiday decoration plans to round out her first year as FLOTUS. Dawn and her team were hand selected to plan and execute the retirement ceremony in honor of General and Mrs. David Petraeus and shortly thereafter, culminated a year-long planning effort in the flawless execution of the 17th Chairman’s retirement and Armed Forces Farewell Tribute and 18th Chairman’s Hail; co-hosted by the Secretary of Defense and The President of the United States on September 30, 2011.
Remaining on staff until her arrival at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas in July 2012, Colonel DeVine assumed another directorate level position on personal staff to enhance a high-profile Department of Defense initiative supported by both the 17th and 18th Chairman within the Office of Warrior and Family Support, Joint Staff, The Pentagon. Main lines of effort included connecting communities to our service members needs (past and present), their families and families of the fallen as they transition and reintegrate. Her passion has fostered an initiative within her military component and led to establishing a United States Army Reserve Community Network that is striving to cultivate fellowship and build strategic partnerships at the grass-roots level.
Dawn is thrilled to support the “Behind the Camo” campaign sponsored by Support Military Foundation and is confident that a validated resource directory will encourage our service members (past and present), their families and families of the fallen to obtain quality resources. Independent military advocates across the nation are increasing daily and matching the donor to the need remains a priority.