Commander Biography

Commander Biography

LIEUTENANT COLONEL ERIN M. DUNAGAN

 Lieutenant Colonel Erin Dunagan is the Commander and Professor of Aerospace Studies of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 017 at Troy University. She serves as head of Troy University's Aerospace Studies department, instructs senior courses on national security affairs, supervises five faculty and staff members, and has overall responsibility for training and mentoring more than 50 students preparing to become Air Force or Space Force officers.

Lt Col Erin Dunagan graduated from Troy University in 2000 with a Bachelor's in Political Science and Spanish. She entered the Air Force in December 2002 after receiving her commission through the Alabama State University ROTC program. Later she attended the University of Cincinnati, earning a Master's degree in Criminal Justice in 2007.

She began her Air Force career as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile crew member, instructor, and flight commander at the 91st Missile Wing, Minot, ND. Her next assignment was at the 614th Air and Space Operations Center at Vandenburg AFB, CA at the Chief of the Orbital Protection Cell followed by the Chief of Training for the Operations Support Division.  She served as Chief of Space Training at Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, DC where she provided policy/oversight for initial skills, joint/allied, and executive space training and exercises. She continued her space career at the Commander, 18th Space Control Squadron, Detachment One responsible for the employment of the Space Data Mission Processing weapon system as well directing the Distributive Space Command and Control-Dahlgren mission through 24/7 surveillance of more than 22 thousand space objects while providing continuous operations of $13 million detachment.

EDUCATION:

2000, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Troy University, Troy, AL                                                                                                                                                            2003, Air and Space Basic Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL                                                                                                                                                          2004, Officer Space Prerequisite Training, Vandenburg AFB, CA                                                                                                                                                                2004, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Initial Qualification Training, Vandenburg AFB, CA                                                                                                      2007, Master of Science, Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH                                                                                                                        2008, Space Warfighter Prep Course, Advanced Space Operations School, Colorado Springs, CO                                                                                        2009, Squadron Officer School (Residence), Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL                                                                                                                                    2010, Space 200, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO                                                                                                                                          2012, Air Command and Staff College, correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL                                                                                                                                          2015, Space 300, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO                                                                                                                                              2021, Air War College, correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL

ASSIGNMENTS:

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

(Current as of August 2020)