Air Force Distinguished Service MedalLegion of MeritDistinguished Flying CrossDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service MedalAir Force Commendation MedalAchievement Medal
David A. Robinson (born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island) is a retired major general in the United States Air Force who served as mobilization assistant to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
General Robinson who was born in Woonsocket, was raised in Fairfield, Connecticut. He is a 1976 honor graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. A career fighter and instructor pilot, he also flew combat support missions in the KC-135R during Operation Deny Flight. General Robinson has served as a squadron operations officer, squadron commander and wing vice commander. He has held key staff assignments at the Joint Staff and Secretary of the Air Force levels. The general has also served a tour as the Director of the Combined Air Operations Center, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.
In his civilian occupation, he is employed as a captain with a major airline.
Family and personal
Robinson is married to Lori Robinson, a four-star general in the USAF, and the first female commander of a Unified Combatant Command when she was named as commander of the United States Northern Command and NORAD in May 2016.
Robinson's daughter, United States Air Force Reserve (USAFR) Second Lieutenant Taryn Ashley Robinson (b.February 1, 1983) was critically injured and her civilian flight instructor was killed when their plane impacted terrain on September 21, 2005. Taryn later succumbed to her injuries and died on January 10, 2006. Lt. Robinson was enrolled in a government undergraduate pilot training (UPT) introductory flight program, and this was her second flight. Taryn's flight instructor, James L. Weaver, age 64, was flying the Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-C1, single-engine airplane, N63PA, when it clipped two high-tension power cables while simulating engine failure near Pleasanton, Texas. Lt. Robinson was an Air Force Academy Graduate (Class 2005).
Education
1976 Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences, honor graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1989 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
1993 Air War College, (by seminar)
1995 Reserve Officer Strategy and Policy Adjunct Course, Naval War College, Rhode Island
1996 Reserve Components National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2001 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2002 Capstone, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
Assignments
August 1976 - July 1977, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
September 1977 - December 1977, T-38 instructor pilot training, Randolph AFB, Texas
January 1978 - January 1981, T-38 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 25th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
February 1981 - April 1981, student, fighter lead-in training, 436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
April 1981 - September 1981, student, F-15 upgrade training, 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
September 1981 - November 1983, F-15 pilot and wing executive officer, 59th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
November 1983 - September 1986, F-15 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
September 1986 - November 1986, student, F-16 upgrade training, 310th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
November 1986 - January 1989, F-16 demonstration pilot and squadron operations officer, U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, Nellis AFB, Nev.
January 1989 - June 1989, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
June 1989 - August 1989, special assistant to the Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nevada
August 1989 - June 1992, Chief, Air Operations Branch, Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
June 1992 - January 1993, electronic warfare officer, Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
January 1993 - October 1995, KC-135R aircraft commander, Operations Support Flight commander and Vice Commander, 507th Air Refueling Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
October 1995 - April 1998, senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
April 1998 - July 1999, Commander, 701st Combat Operations Squadron, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
July 1999 - January 2001, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air Force Doctrine Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
January 2001 - June 2005, mobilization assistant to the Director, Aerospace Operations, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
June 2005 - January 2006, mobilization assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
January 2006 - August 2008, mobilization assistant to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Flight Information
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 8,800
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-15-A/B/D, F-16-A/B/D, KC-135R and B-737
