Delaware's own Col. David Deputy will be promoted to brigadier general Saturday during a ceremony at the Delaware Air National Guard Headquarters in New Castle.
Col. David Deputy, Delaware Air National Guard. // Photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Bright
Deputy, a Hockessin resident and retired Delaware state trooper, currently serves as chief of staff and principal advisor to Brig. Gen. Carol Timmons, commander of the state Air National Guard. He's a veteran of the Afghanistan war and operations in southwest Asia, having volunteered to serve a six-month stint earlier this year as the director of staff for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. In that role, he was responsible for an unidentified air base with 11,000 assigned personnel. Missions - there were more than 50 combat sorties daily - included B-1 close air support to ground forces in Afghanistan, intelligence, search and reconnaissance, aeromedical evacuation, aerial fueling, airlift, air drop and other missions throughout the region.
Deputy completed Air War College in 2006. He earned a bachelor of science in criminal justice from Wilmington University in 1980, and a master of science in criminal justice from Wilmington in 2009. He is also a 1991 graduate of the FBI National Academy.
Deputy was commissioned in 1984 through the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science. Prior to becoming an officer, Deputy served as an enlisted airman with the state Guard's 166th Security Forces Squadron. He now has accumulated 36 continuous years of service in the Guard. He retired as a captain in the Delaware State Police in 2003, completing 24 years of service.
Deputy is part of a long line of family members who've served in the state Guard. His son (Staff Sgt.) Craig Deputy serves as a C-130 loadmaster in the 142nd Airlift Squadron. His father Raymond was a first lieutenant, and his grandfather Walter Deputy was a first sergeant in the state Guard. Col. Deputy's first cousin, retired Brig. Gen. Kennard R. Wiggins Jr., served 38 years in the state Guard. And his father, Kennard Wiggins, Sr. was a charter member of the state Guard.
Deputy lives with his wife Florence and son Brent in Hockessin.
