Dean E. Stoops

Background

About Dean E. Stoops

I am the former Deputy Commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to retiring in January 2018 with 40 years of military service, I served as the State Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Kentucky Army National Guard. I enlisted in the KYARNG in August 1977 and was a Fire Direction Specialist with C Battery, 2-138th Field Artillery until August 1980 where I completed Flight School as a class Honor Graduate and appointed a U.S. Army Aviation Warrant Officer. My first Aviation assignment was with Company C, 42nd Aviation Battalion, 42nd Infantry Division, Frankfort, KY as a UH-1 Assault Helicopter Pilot. In October 1984, I completed the UH-1 Instructor Pilot (IP) qualification course and was assigned to a platoon IP position. In May 1988, I applied for Active Duty with the KYARNG and became a full-time IP at the Army Aviation Support Facility, Frankfort, KY where I served until August 2009 in various Safety, Standards, Tactical Operations, and Airspace Management positions including the Aviation Standardization Officer for the KYARNG and the 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade. In April 2005, I mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and from July 2005 to July 2006, served as the Theater Aviation Standardization Officer, Tactical Operations Officer, and Air Traffic and Airspace Officer for the Headquarters USARCENT, Coalition Forces Land Component Command, and Udairi Army Airfield. From August 2009 to January 2014, I was assigned to the National Guard Bureau (NGB) Aviation and Safety Division as the ARNG Aviation Standardization Officer and an Army accident investigator. Ratings include Air Assault Helicopter Pilot, Standardization Instructor Pilot (SIP), Instrument Flight Examiner (IFE), Air Traffic and Airspace Officer, Facility and State Aviation Safety Officer, Electronic Warfare Officer, and Tactical Operations Officer. I have over 5,700 hours in a variety of military and civil aircraft, with over hours of NIght Vision Goggle flight time. I was qualified as a OH-58 PIC, UH-1 SIP, UH-60 SIP, Helicopter IFE, Survival Instructor, and Master Army Aviator. Civilian qualifications include U.S. Parachute Association Advanced Skydiver and Jump-master; FAA Commercial Helicopter Pilot, Instrument Pilot, & Private Airplane Pilot; Open Water Scuba Diver and National Rifle Association Range Safety Officer.