Dean Jackson — Project Manager | Aviation Leader

A career built on execution, leadership, and operational precision.

I retired from the U.S. Air Force after 30 years of service, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. My career was built around aviation — first as an Aerospace Ground Equipment craftsman and technical instructor, then as a qualified Navigator and Combat Systems Officer flying the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) in operational, test, and advisory roles across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

That foundation shaped everything that followed. Aviation demands preparation, precision, and trust in the people around you. Those same qualities have defined how I approach project management, operations leadership, and cross-functional execution in every role since.

Since transitioning from military service, I have led software development programs for defense applications, supported Air Force Materiel Command acquisition activities, and currently work as a Project Manager at PALFINGER North America in specialty vehicle manufacturing — managing complex production and delivery programs using enterprise tools including SAP S/4HANA and Power BI.

My graduate work includes a Master of Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma and military professional education through Air War College and Air Command and Staff College. I hold PMP and PMO-CP certifications from the Project Management Institute, and I hold an active Top Secret security clearance.

I am most effective in roles where accountability, structured execution, and clear communication across functions determine outcomes — whether that means delivering a software program on schedule, coordinating multinational aviation training, or bringing operational discipline to a complex technical environment.

Where I've done the work.

Three decades of professional experience organized around the work that matters most.

Project & Program Leadership

I have led and supported complex work that required tight coordination across teams, schedules, stakeholders, and competing operational priorities. That includes directing a defense software R&D program, supporting Air Force acquisition from concept through pre-award, and managing specialty vehicle production programs using enterprise systems.

IT Project Manager Monterey Technologies Inc. 2022 – 2024 · Oklahoma (Remote)

Led an R&D software team developing next-generation open-source mission planning software for the F-22. Established capability priorities, maintained documentation of all program activities, and built out nascent inflight replanning functionality from the ground up.

Senior Acquisition Manager COLSA Corporation 2021 · Oklahoma

Supported Air Force Materiel Command in capability planning and development. Served as primary point of contact for defense contractors, government agencies, and internal teams. Distilled a backlog of 500+ modification requests into fewer than 20 actionable items.

Project Manager PALFINGER North America 2025 – Present · Oklahoma

Manages specialty vehicle manufacturing programs in a complex production environment. Uses SAP S/4HANA and Power BI to support planning, reporting, and delivery coordination across cross-functional teams.

Military Leadership & Operations

Thirty years of U.S. Air Force service built a foundation in leadership, planning, training, and mission execution that translates directly to any high-accountability environment. I led organizations ranging from small advisory teams to commands overseeing 1,800 personnel and $13.5 billion in resources.

Deputy Commander for Flying / Senior Training Manager USAF 2019 – 2021 · Oklahoma

Directed employment of over 1,800 military and civilian personnel and 7 aircraft representing $13.5 billion in resources. Synchronized Continuous Improvement Process efforts across 3 Groups, increasing on-time takeoff rate by 30%.

Chief, Operational Plans, Exercises & Airshows USAF 2015 – 2019 · Arizona

Operational planner for Central and South America. Led integrated product teams, aligned unit priorities with US SOUTHCOM mission requirements, and orchestrated the USAF Thunderbirds demonstration team in Colombia's largest national airshow.

Air Advisor, Chief of Training & Executive Officer USAF 2010 – 2011 · Iraq

Managed 240 advisors at 4 locations in Iraq. Oversaw a Foreign Military Sales portfolio and advised the Iraqi Air Force on aviation training, qualification, and counterterrorism missions. Chaired Training Review Panel; directly supported execution of over 7,000 training sorties.

Technical & Acquisition Systems

My technical background spans aerospace ground systems, flight test operations, DoD acquisition management, and enterprise business tools. I have worked as a Government Flight Representative, a lead flight test navigator, and a systems acquisition professional — as well as a ground equipment craftsman and instructor earlier in my career.

Director of Operations, AWACS Joint Test Force USAF 2007 – 2011 · Washington

Led defense programs through military and civilian test teams from planning to delivery. Managed scope, timelines, budgets, and resources for U.S., NATO, and Royal Saudi Air Force aircraft. Served as lead test navigator on the $750M E-3 fleet, directing 23-member crews across 3 simultaneous flight test programs.

Aerospace Ground Equipment Craftsman / Technical Instructor USAF 1990 – 2002 · Various Locations

Progressed from apprentice to 7-level craftsman and instructor at Sheppard AFB Technical Training School. Maintained equipment in-commission rates of 94–97%, reduced maintenance backlog by 75% in three months, and deployed to Turkey, Germany, Africa, and the Middle East in support of mission-critical operations.

Multinational & Cross-Functional Execution

A significant portion of my career has involved working across organizational, national, and cultural boundaries — whether leading a multinational aviation division at a NATO airbase in Germany, advising the Iraqi Air Force under a Foreign Military Sales program, or coordinating U.S. partnerships across Central and South America.

Division Chief, International Training, Standardization & Evaluation USAF — NATO Airbase Geilenkirchen, Germany 2011 – 2015

Led a multinational aviation division responsible for aircrew standardization within a 738-member Operations Wing. Reported directly to a 2-star general. Synchronized a $2.3M training plan, validated digital flight publications saving $3M, and ensured 16 crews and 17 aircraft maintained worldwide qualification across ICAO, FAA, and EASA standards.

Programs, challenges, and outcomes.

A selection of real work from across my career — condensed for context, not for effect.

Defense Software R&D Program Management

F-22 Mission Planning Software Development

Context

A defense technology firm needed to build next-generation, open-source mission planning software capable of interfacing with the F-22 and supporting inflight replanning — a nascent capability with no existing baseline.

My Role

IT Project Manager leading the full software development team from requirements through delivery.

Approach

Established and refined capability priorities with government stakeholders, maintained complete program documentation, coordinated developer effort across the team, and defined requirements for the inflight replanning module from scratch.

Outcome

Delivered a functional mission planning system with F-22 interface capability and a working inflight replanning baseline — on schedule, with full program documentation supporting future contract continuity.

Acquisition Management Process Improvement

AFMC Modification Backlog Reduction

Context

Air Force Materiel Command was managing an unstructured backlog of over 500 aircraft modification requests, with no prioritization framework to guide resourcing or pre-acquisition planning.

My Role

Senior Acquisition Manager at COLSA Corporation, serving as the primary point of contact between defense contractors, government agencies, and internal acquisition teams.

Approach

Conducted market research and evaluated each modification proposal against mission relevance, feasibility, and acquisition readiness. Led pre-acquisition activities to identify which requests warranted immediate action versus long-range planning.

Outcome

Reduced 500+ modification requests to fewer than 20 actionable items — providing AFMC with a focused, executable workplan and a clear pathway for pre-acquisition activities on the highest-priority capabilities.

Multinational Operations Standardization & Compliance

NATO Aircrew Standardization, Geilenkirchen

Context

A multinational NATO Operations Wing with 738 personnel, 17 aircraft, and 16 crews required a unified standardization and evaluation program meeting ICAO, FAA, and EASA compliance standards across multiple participating nations.

My Role

Division Chief, International Training, Standardization and Evaluation — reporting directly to the wing's 2-star commanding general.

Approach

Redesigned training and evaluation frameworks to meet multi-regulatory compliance, synchronized a $2.3M training plan, and led the validation of digital flight publications. Represented the USAF in executive engagements with government and contractor organizations across the NATO alliance.

Outcome

Maintained worldwide qualification for all 16 crews and 17 aircraft. Validated digital flight publications, eliminating reliance on an outdated system and saving $3M while keeping a $500M program on track.

Foreign Military Sales Advisory Operations

Iraqi Air Force Advisory & Rebuild Program

Context

Following the drawdown of U.S. forces, the Iraqi Air Force required structured advisory support to rebuild aviation training infrastructure across multiple aircraft types and geographic locations.

My Role

Air Advisor, Chief of Training and Executive Officer — managing 240 advisors at 4 locations across Iraq, overseeing 7 squadrons and 1 detachment.

Approach

Established training plans for 5 geographically separated U.S. advisory units. Monitored a Foreign Military Sales portfolio covering armed Cessna 208 and King Air 350 aircraft. Chaired the Training Review Panel and developed U.S.-Iraqi pilot manning plans. Linked U.S. Army surveillance requirements with Iraqi Air Force UAV and EO/IR sensor capabilities for real-time counterinsurgent operations.

Outcome

Supported execution of over 7,000 training sorties. Produced the first Iraqi Air Force T-6A Instructor Pilots, primed for advanced flight training — a foundational milestone in rebuilding Iraq's indigenous aviation training capacity.

Flight Test Operations Multi-Program Execution

E-3 AWACS Joint Test Force — Multi-Platform Test Execution

Context

A selectively manned, geographically separated joint test organization was responsible for executing simultaneous test programs across four E-3 variants for U.S., NATO, and Royal Saudi Air Force customers — each with distinct requirements and timelines.

My Role

Director of Operations and lead test navigator — responsible for flight operations, standardization, training, safety, and crew resource management for 20 active duty personnel and 6 contractors.

Approach

Authored operational plans for all 4 aircraft variants across 8 crew positions. Directed 23-member crews aboard the $750M E-3 test fleet. Managed budget, schedule, and performance accountability across 3 concurrent test programs while maintaining Excellent ratings on HQ aircrew performance evaluations.

Outcome

All three simultaneous programs completed on time and within budget. Sustained Excellent HQ ratings for superior team performance across safety, training, standardization/evaluation, and financial performance — across a combined program portfolio representing hundreds of millions in DoD investment.

Education, certifications, and professional development.

A career of structured learning — from technical apprenticeship through graduate education and professional certification.

Professional Certifications

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Project Management Institute · Aug 2025
PMO Certified Professional (PMO-CP)

Project Management Institute · Nov 2025
Government Flight Representative

DCMA 8210.1D Certified · Dec 2009
Crew Resource Management Facilitator

USAF Certified · Apr 2008
Active Top Secret Security Clearance

U.S. Department of Defense

Academic Degrees

Master of Human Relations

University of Oklahoma
Bachelor of Science in Education

Wayland Baptist University
Associate's Degree — Instructor of Technology & Military Science

May 2000
Associate's Degree — Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology

May 1997

Military Professional Education

Air War College

Strategic-level PME · Dec 2017
Air Command and Staff College

Intermediate-level PME · Nov 2010
Air Force Forces Intermediate Staff Course

Dec 2015
Joint Air Operations Planning Course

Sept 2016
Contingency/Wartime Planning Course

Apr 2016
Squadron Officer's School

Jul 2007

Technical & Acquisition Training

Intermediate Systems Acquisition

2008 – 2009
Fundamentals of Systems Planning, R&D & Engineering

2008 – 2009
Basic Information Systems Acquisition

2008 – 2009
Advanced Instrument School

USAF · 2008
Flight Safety Officer & Program Management

Air Combat Command · 2005
E-3 Navigator Qualification

USAF · 2002

Aviation as a professional foundation.

Aviation is not a chapter in my background — it is the thread that runs through all of it. My Air Force career began with aerospace ground equipment and ultimately led to qualification as a Navigator and Combat Systems Officer, serving aboard the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) in operational, test, and international advisory roles.

Over more than two decades in aviation environments, I held roles in flight safety, standardization and evaluation, crew resource management facilitation, operational planning, flight test operations, and international training management. Each of those disciplines demanded its own form of rigor, and together they developed a professional mindset that I carry into every project I lead today.

Aviation environments don't tolerate ambiguity about roles, responsibilities, or communication. They require that every person on a crew understands their position in the system, executes with precision, and speaks up when something isn't right. That discipline — more than any single technical credential — is what aviation gave me, and it shapes how I run projects, lead teams, and hold myself accountable.

Standardization & Evaluation

Led aircrew standardization programs at unit and wing level — including a multinational NATO division responsible for 17 aircraft across 16 worldwide-qualified crews.

Flight Safety

Qualified USAF Flight Safety Officer. Led 48+ mishap investigations in a unit of 3,700 personnel. Ranked #1 of 13 safety programs in a USAF Wing. Certified in ACC Flight Safety Program Management.

Operational Planning

Operational planner for Central and South America. Graduate of the Joint Air Operations Planning Course and Contingency/Wartime Planning Course. Led exercises, emergent operations, and humanitarian planning across multiple U.S. government agencies.

Test & Acquisition

Lead test navigator for the E-3 AWACS Joint Test Force, directing 23-member crews on test and acquisition of a $750M specialized aircraft fleet. Managed 3 simultaneous flight test programs across 4 aircraft variants.

Crew Resource Management

Certified USAF CRM Facilitator. Developed, delivered, and assessed CRM training within operational units — covering mission analysis, situational awareness, risk management, communication, and error management.

Advisory & Partner Capacity

Air Advisor in Iraq, building the Iraqi Air Force's training infrastructure from advisory detachments. Monitored Foreign Military Sales portfolios and linked partner-nation capabilities to coalition operational requirements.

Let's connect.

I'm open to conversations about project and program management, operations leadership, aviation-related roles, defense and federal support work, and technical program execution. If you're evaluating candidates for work that demands structure, accountability, and cross-functional execution — I'd like to hear from you.

deanjackson1@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/deanjackson

Edmond, Oklahoma

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Open to Discussing

Project and program management
Operations leadership
Aviation-related roles
Defense and federal program support
Technical coordination and execution
Acquisition and systems support

Active Top Secret Clearance