The Adjutant General of Texas, Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, will preside over a retirement ceremony for Maj. Gen. Dawn M. Ferrell, prior Adjutant General – Air for the Texas National Guard. The ceremony will be held in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, January 23, 2021. She served in the position since November of 2015.
Ferrell became the first female in the Texas Air National Guard to be promoted to brigadier general, in a ceremony held Jan. 15, 2016, in Texas Capitol’s Senate Chambers in Austin.
In her most recent position, she served as the principle advisor to the Adjutant General of Texas for all Air National Guard issues. She was responsible for formulating, developing, and coordinating all programs, policies, and plans for three Wings and more than 3,300 Air National Guard personnel throughout the state of Texas. Prior to that, she served as the Director of Institutional Research and Planning and the Accreditation Liaison at Vernon College in Wichita Falls, Texas as well as an adjunct instructor for Vernon College and Wayland Baptist University, teaching political science courses.
Ferrell began her military career in August 1983 as an air cargo specialist in the Texas Air National Guard. She later commissioned through the Air National Guard’s Academy of Military Science in February 1994 and has held various command and staff positions within the TXANG’s 136th Airlift Wing at Hensley and Carswell Fields, both in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
In her previous assignment, she commanded the 136th Mission Support Group at the 136th Airlift Wing, leading the Civil Engineer Squadron, Security Forces Squadron, Logistics Readiness Squadron, Force Support Squadron, Communications Flight and a contracting element.
She deployed as the aerial port commander for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief efforts at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chase in New Orleans and Ellington Field in Houston, where her team set up a fully functioning aerial port to handle the influx of aircraft delivering troops and supplies to the hurricane-devastated areas. Ferrell later deployed to the International Security Assistance Force Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, in a joint NATO assignment as the director of plans and logistics operations, where she was responsible for strategic-level oversight for logistics planning, sustainment, and redeployment of U.S. and NATO forces.
Maj. Gen. Ferrell also served at the national level in a dual-hat assignment as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air University from 2017 to 2019. Maj. Gen. Ferrell is Dual Status Commander certified and is a Level III Joint Qualified Officer.
Maj. Gen. Ferrell awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two devices, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one device, Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with two devices, National Defense Service Medal with one device, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one device, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, AF Longevity Service with seven devices, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two “M” devices and gold hourglass, Air Force Training Ribbon with one device, NATO Medal, Texas Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, Texas Outstanding Service Medal, Adjutant General’s Individual Award with two stars and Texas Faithful Service Medal with five devices.