Major General David Abba

Director of Special Programs and the Department of Defense Special Access Program Central Office

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Maj. Gen. David W. Abba is the Director of Special Programs and the Director of the Department of Defense Special Access Program Central Office (DoD SAPCO), the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He serves under the authority, direction, and control of the Deputy Secretary of Defense for all programs protected under special access controls in order to acquire and deploy operational and intelligence capabilities to warfighters worldwide. Additionally, Brig Gen Abba chairs the Low Observable/Counter Low Observable Tri-Service Committee.

Maj. Gen. Abba earned his commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Engineering. He has held a variety of flying assignments at the squadron, group and wing level, including serving as the weapons officer for the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; director of operations for the 27th Fighter Squadron and commander of the 94th Fighter Squadron, both at Langley AFB, Virginia; commander of the 3rd Operations Group at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and commander of the 53rd Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The general’s staff assignments include Airpower Strategist in Project CHECKMATE, Assistant Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, and Senior Air Force Strategy Advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Abba was the Director of the F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.

Education

  • 1995: Bachelor of Science, Human Factors Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • 2002: Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
  • 2003: U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  • 2007: Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies with Distinction, College of Naval Command & Staff, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
  • 2007: Naval Operational Planner Course (now Maritime Advanced Warfighting School), Naval Station Newport, R.I.
  • 2008 Air War College, by correspondence
  • 2013 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
  • 2015 Fellow, Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Washington, D.C.
  • 2020 CAPSTONE Executive Development Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  • 2021 Combined/Joint Special Operations Component Commander Course

Assignments

  1. July 1995 – May 1996, Intercollegiate Program Manager, Athletic Department, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
  2. May 1996 – September 1997, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, NAS Whiting Field, Fla., and Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
  3. September 1997 – December 1997, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
  4. January 1998 – June 1998, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, 2nd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
  5. July 1998 – February 2001, F-15C Instructor Pilot, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
  6. March 2001 – June 2003, F-15C Instructor Pilot and Academic Instructor, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
  7. 2013 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
  8. July 2003 – December 2003, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  9. January 2004 – June 2006, Squadron Weapons Officer, 58th Fighter Squadron and Wing Weapons Officer, Eglin AFB, Fla.
  10. July 2006 – September 2007, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff and Naval Operational Planner Course, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
  11. September 2007 – March 2009, Airpower Strategist, CHECKMATE and Assistant Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C
  12. July 2009 – June 2012, Operations Officer, 27th Fighter Squadron; Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron; Deputy Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va.
  13. July 2012 – June 2013, Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (formerly ICAF), Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
  14. June 2013 – May 2015, Senior Air Force Strategy Advisor, Office of Strategy and Force Development, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  15. May 2015 – June 2017, Commander, 3rd Operations Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
  16. June 2017 – June 2019, Commander, 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
  17. July 2019 – August 2021, Director, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
  18. August 2021 – Present, Director, Special Programs and DoD Special Access Program Central Office, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Summary of Joint Assignments

  1. June 2013 – May 2015, Senior Air Force Strategy Advisor, Office of Strategy and Force Development, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), Pentagon, Washington, D.C. as a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel
  2. August 2021 – Present, Director, Special Programs and DoD Special Access Program Central Office, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.as a Brigadier General and Major General

Flight Information
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 2,100
Aircraft Flown: T-38A, AT-38B, F-22A, F-15C/D/E, F-16D, E-3B/C, C-12F, C-17A, B-1B, B-2A, B-52H, HC-130J, HH-60G, TU-2S, E-9A

Major Awards and Decorations
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award

Other Achievements
2002 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Flying Award, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Distinguished Graduate, College of Naval Command & Staff, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
2013 Distinguished Graduate, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1995
First Lieutenant May 31, 1997
Captain May 31, 1999
Major Aug. 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel Mar. 1, 2009
Colonel Oct. 1, 2014
Brigadier General Nov. 2, 2019
Major General Oct. 2, 2022
(Current as of October 2022)

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