Dagvin R. M. Anderson (born 1970) is an American general who has served as the commander of the United States Africa Command since 2025. He previously served as director for joint force development of the Joint Staff from 2022 to 2025. Prior to that, he served as the vice director for operations of the Joint Staff from 2021 to 2022. He has also commanded the Special Operations Command Africa from 2019 to 2021. He has achieved the rating of command pilot, with over 3,400 flight hours.
Early life and education Anderson is a native of Ypsilanti, Michigan. He graduated from the Washington University in St. Louis in 1992, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, and his commission from the university's Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
Air Force career He received pilot training at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, from May 1993 to June 1994. Anderson was then a KC-135 pilot in the 91st Air Refueling Squadron from October 1994 to May 1999, and also served as an instructor, evaluator, and chief pilot at different times. In 1997 he completed the Squadron Officer School. He studied the Czech language at the Defense Language Institute in Monterrey, California, from June 1999 to May 2000, and after that was a student and Olmsted Scholar at the Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, until July 2002. Between August 2002 and May 2003, Anderson was a student at the Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, where he obtained a Master's of International Public Policy.
From September 2003 to September 2005 he was chief of current operations at the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Duke Field, Florida. Anderson was then concurrently aide-de-camp to the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, at the MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and was deputy director of the Commander's Action Group, until August 2007. He was the operations officer of 319th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida, from October 2007 to April 2009, and then commanded the 19th Special Operations Squadron at the same location until June 2010. Anderson was a fellow at Harvard University's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs from July 2010 to July 2011. He achieved the rating of command pilot, with over 3,400 flight hours on 16 types of aircraft, notably the KC-135, the MC-130E, and U-28A. That includes 738 combat hours.
Anderson was the commander of the 58th Operations Group at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, from July 2011 to July 2013. He was then the Senior Aviation Advisor for Counter-Terrorism Operations, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at The Pentagon, from July 2013 to June 2014. He then commanded the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base from July 2014 to June 2016, before serving as Special Assistant to the Commander and Director of the Commander's Strategic Initiative Group, United States Forces Korea, from July 2016 to June 2017. Anderson was then deputy director of operations of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, until June 2019.
Anderson was Commander, Special Operations Command Africa, in Stuttgart, Germany, from June 2019 to July 2021. During his tenure, American personnel were killed in Kenya in the Camp Simba attack, an American hostage was rescued in northern Nigeria from local gunmen, and 700 personnel were evacuated from Somalia during Operation Octave Quartz. In May 2021, he was nominated for assignment as vice director for operations of the Joint Staff. In July 2022, Anderson was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and appointment as director for joint force development of the Joint Staff. He served in that role until August 2025.
AFRICOM commander In June 2025, secretary of defense Pete Hegseth announced that Anderson was president Donald Trump's nominee for commander of the United States Africa Command. He assumed command of AFRICOM from General Michael E. Langley on 15 August 2025, becoming the first Air Force officer to lead the command.
Awards and decorations
USAF Command Pilot wingsU.S Army Basic Parachutist BadgeDefense Superior Service Medal w/ 4 bronze oak leaf clustersLegion of Merit w/ 1 bronze oak leaf clusterBronze Star Medal w/ 1 gold oak leaf clusterDefense Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 bronze oak leaf clusterMeritorious Service Medal w/ 1 gold oak leaf clusterAir Medal w/ 1 silver oak leaf cluster and 2 bronze oak leaf clustersAerial Achievement Medal w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clustersAir and Space Commendation MedalJoint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 4 oak leaf clustersAir Force Meritorious UnitAir and Space Outstanding Unit Award w/ 1 silver oak leaf clusterCombat Readiness Medal w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clustersNational Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service starArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalSouthwest Asia Service Medal w/ 1 service starKosovo Campaign Medal w/ 1 service starAfghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 2 service starsIraq Campaign Medal w/ 1 service starGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalKorea Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Service MedalHumanitarian Service Medal w/ 1 service starNuclear Deterrence Operations Service MedalAir and Space Overseas Long Tour Service RibbonAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon w/ 1 oak leaf cluster and gold frameAir and Space Longevity Service Award w/ 1 silver oak leaf cluster and 1 bronze oak leaf clusterSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with service starAir Force Training RibbonNATO Medal for the Balkans (non-article 5) w/ 1 service starJoint Chiefs of Staff insignia
Dates of promotion
+ Rank Branch Date Second lieutenant Air Force 19 November 1992 First lieutenant 19 November 1994 Captain 19 November 1996 Major 1 May 2003 Lieutenant colonel 1 December 2006 Colonel 1 October 2010 Brigadier general 2 August 2017 Major general 22 May 2020 Lieutenant general 8 August 2022 General 15 August 2025
References
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