Susan Y. Desjardins

Susan Y. Desjardins
U.S. Air Force Photo
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1980-Present
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Gulf War Global War on Terror
Awards	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (4) Aerial Achievement Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal (2) Air Force Achievement Medal Combat Readiness Medal (2) National Defense Service Medal (2) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3) Southwest Asia Service Medal (2) Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Major General Susan Y. Desjardins is the Director, Plans and Policy (J5), Headquarters U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Desjardins graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1980. She holds a master's degree in industrial psychology from Louisiana Tech University, and a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval Command and Staff College. She graduated from the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in 1997 and from the General Manager Program at the Harvard Business School, Harvard University in 2004.

Desjardins has held a variety of staff positions at the major command, Joint Staff and Headquarters U.S. Air Force levels, including deputy military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. Her previous command positions have included the 23rd Commandant of the Air Force Academy and 1st female commandant, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; the 60th Operations Group, Travis Air Force Base, California, and the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. Desjardins is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flying hours in the KC-10, C-17, C-5 Galaxy, KC-135R, KC-135A and T-37.