TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Col. Dana Nelson, 507th Air Refueling Wing vice commander, will bid farewell to the Okie family here May 5, 2019, to serve as the mobilization assistant to the Director, Resources and Assessment (J-8), Headquarters U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Hawaii.
The J-8 Directorate is charged with providing support to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for evaluating and developing force structure requirements. J-8 conducts joint, bilateral, and multilateral war games and interagency politico-military seminars and simulations. It develops, maintains, and improves the models, techniques, and capabilities used by the Joint Staff and combatant commands to conduct studies and analyses for CJCS.
Nelson will be responsible for representing U.S. Pacific Command J-8 and all USPACOM organizations in a wide variety of Flag Officer, General Officer, and Senior Executive Service strategic engagements primarily in the National Capitol Region, to communicate USPACOM resource requirements.
In the event of contingency or mobilization, Nelson will perform full-time duties as assigned in USPACOM J8 battle rhythm events, discussion on critical resource requirements and campaign plan assessment. Additionally, she can serve as acting director.
Nelson is a veteran of operations Southern Watch, Allied Force, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn and numerous other operations and contingencies in support of the nation’s security strategy. As the 507th ARW vice commander, Nelson was responsible for the wartime readiness, training and equipping of more than 1,100 personnel in the largest Air Force Reserve flying unit in Oklahoma.
In her civilian capacity, the colonel is a pilot with a major airline.