Melin heads to California, Despinoy to command 434th ARW Published July 13, 2006 GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BEASE, Ind -- Brig. Gen. Dean J. Despinoy will take command of the 434th Air Refueling Wing during a formal change of command ceremony on Sunday, July 16 at 10:30 am. He replaces Brig. Gen. James L. Melin, who departs Grissom ARB for an assignment as the commander of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March ARB, Calif. General Melin has been commander of the 434th ARW since January 2003. General Despinoy is currently the commander of the 507th Air Refueling Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla. He began his military career in 1969, entering the Navy and serving on board both conventional and nuclear fast attack submarines as an electronics technician. He left the Navy and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University. He was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force in 1977 as a distinguished graduate of the Notre Dame University Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He served in many positions within the Strategic Air Command, transferring to the Air Force Reserve Command in 1987. General Despinoy served on the Jeddah Saudi Arabia Battle Staff during Operation Desert Storm, commanded several deployed units in Turkey, France and Spain during contingency operations and served as the Deputy Director of Mobility Forces during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. This will be the general's second assignment to Grissom as he previously served with the 434th ARW during the late 1980s and early 90s. His most recent assignments include commander of the 507th ARW, Tinker AFB, Okla.; commander of the 934th Airlift Wing, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minn.; and commander of the 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell AFB, Kan. He is a command pilot with more than 4,300 flying hours and has flown the T-37, T-38, KC-135 and C-130 aircraft. During General Melin's tenure, the 434th ARW and Grissom ARB accomplished a number of notable achievements including support to Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, successfully completing an Expeditionary Operational Readiness Inspection, and providing support to numerous Air Force missions.
