Maj Christopher P. Dean  '02

2015 NIninger Award Recipient

Major Christopher P. Dean is a 2002 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and initially commissioned an armor officer. He has served over 40 months deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and has served as a Company Commander for over 47 months in four companies. Major Dean’s initial assignment was in Germany with the 2d Battalion, 37th Armor, where he served as a M1A1 Main Battle Tank Platoon Leader, Heavy Mortar Platoon Leader, Headquarters Company Executive Officer, Task Force Battle Captain, and Battalion Assistant Supply Officer. During this time, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I (OIF I), from May 2003 until July 2004 as a Tank Platoon Leader, where he fought and patrolled in Baghdad, Al Kut, Diwaniyah, Najaf, and Kufa. He served under more than five Task Force commands, and provided much needed heavy firepower in support of American and Coalition Forces. He experienced fierce fighting against Muqtada Al Sadr’s ‘Mahdi Army’ during their uprising in April, 2004, and in Operation Resolute Sword in the following months. From January 2006 until February 2007 he served in support of OIF 06-07, and served as a Task Force Battle Captain in the cities of Tal Afar and Ramadi, Iraq, witnessing the successful conduct of GEN H.R. McMaster’s ‘Oil Spot’ vision for Tal Afar, and later the ‘Anbar Awakening’ in Ramadi. READ ARTICLE

At the conclusion of his combat tour, he returned to Ray Barracks in Friedberg, Germany, and transitioned the post to the Hessen, Germany government in July 2007.

He was then assigned to Task Force 3-66 Armor, 172d Infantry Brigade in Grafenwoehr, Germany. In November 2008, he deployed for his third combat tour, serving as the Task Force Assistant Operations Officer for Task Force 3-66 Armor in South Balad Ruz, in Diyala province, Iraq. In March, 2009, he took command of C/3-66 Armor in Diwaniyah to train and professionalize two Iraqi Army Battalions in preparation for transition to the Government of Iraq. After completion of this tour in November 2009, he redeployed his Company to Grafenwoehr, Germany, and took command of HHC/2 28 Infantry in April 2010. In HHC/2-28 Infantry, Captain Dean deployed his company in support of ‘Task Force East’: a multinational training exercise that involved training with military units from Bulgaria and Romania in their home countries. He then prepared his Soldiers for a transition to a light infantry role, and deployed his Company in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF 11-12). During OEF 11-12, Major Dean served as the D/2-28 Infantry Rear-Detachment Task Force Commander, until August 2012.

Major Dean received a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 2015. He is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic Course, Unit Movement Officer's Course, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (CBRN-D) Course, Maneuver Captain's Career Course, and Command and General Staff College Common Core. He is currently en route to taking command at the National Ground Intelligence Center in Charlottesville, VA as a Nuclear Operations, Research, and Counterproliferation Officer. His decorations to date include the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal (2 OLC), Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Overseas Service Ribbon (5th Award), Combat Action Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.