Ambassador Dell L. Dailey is one of Army Aviation’s greatest leaders, having served his country 42 years with great distinction as a Cadet, Infantryman, Combat Commander, Master Army Aviator, Ranger, Special Operator, General Officer and Statesman.

A 1971 West Point 2LT of Infantry, Airborne-Ranger, he’s commanded two companies in Infantry and five companies in Aviation units.

Special Operations Forces (SOF) assignments include the 75th Rangers and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) where he commanded two companies, two battalions and the Regiment.

As an SOF pioneer, he took aviation operationally to unprecedented levels of capability that were demonstrated repeatedly with great success in remote areas of Afghanistan and Iraq.

As the Commander of Joint Special Operations Command, he masterminded and executed key elements in the first Afghanistan campaign plan after 9/11.  In close succession his command led forces into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He was considered the unsung hero for that era of operations as they successfully executed the most difficult missions over the toughest terrain in Army Aviation history. 

In 2004 Dailey was handpicked to be the first Lieutenant General Director of U.S. Special Operations Command Center for Special Operations, the military hub for counterterrorism, assuming worldwide planning, intelligence and operations responsibility for SOF.

In 2007, Ambassador Dailey was recommended by Secretary Rice, confirmed by the U.S. Senate and appointed by President Bush as the coordinator of The Department of State’s Counterterrorism Office where his warrior skills, coupled with deft statesmanship, took this mission to even greater heights of effectiveness.

Ambassador Dailey’s remarkable public service epitomizes Duty, Honor and Country and his contributions to Army Aviation’s body of knowledge are immeasurable.