Deputy Joint Base Commander

Deputy Joint Base Commander Lt. Col. John M. Dexter

Lieutenant Colonel John M. Dexter was born in Bremerton, Washington and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia as the son of a career Naval Officer. He enrolled in the Platoon Leader’s Course during his sophomore year of college and attended Officer Candidate’s School during the summers of 2004 and 2005. Following graduation from George Mason University in January 2007, he was commissioned and assigned to Officer Selection Team Fairfax as an Assistant Officer Selection Officer prior to reporting to The Basic School.

Graduating from TBS as part of Basic Officer Course 3-07, Lt. Col. Dexter completed Introductory Flight Screening in Manassas, Virginia, and was subsequently assigned to Marine Aviation Training Support Group-21 in Pensacola, Florida for assignment as a Student Naval Aviator. After finishing Aviation Preflight Indoctrination, Lt. Col. Dexter completed primary flight training with VT-2 aboard Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida. Following selection for the rotary wing pipeline, he was assigned to HT-18 in March 2009. Lt. Col. Dexter completed flight school and was designated Naval Aviator #30321 on Jan. 15, 2010. Assigned to attend training as a CH-53E “Super Stallion” helicopter pilot, he reported to Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squardon-302 aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina where he was assigned the billet of operations schedule writer.

After completing initial CH-53E training, Lt. Col. Dexter reported to HMH-462 where he worked as the S-5 special project officer, Naval Air Training Operations and Standardization officer, schedule writer, Current Operations Officer, Aviation Safety Officer, and acting Director of Safety and Standardization. During his 4 years with the Heavy Haulers, Lt. Col. deployed twice; once with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and again with the squadron in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lt. Col. Dexter executed Permeant Change of Station orders to Milton, Florida in August 2014 for an assignment as an Instructor Pilot with the “Hellions” of HT-28. During this tour, he served as the Assistant S-1 Administration Officer, Night Vision Goggles Stage Manager, Contact Stage Manager, and Assistant Standardization Officer. Following a highly rewarding tour as a flight instructor, he executed orders to Training and Education Command in August 2017.

While assigned to TECOM, Lt. Col. Dexter was assigned as a Future Operations Action Officer in the G-3 Operations and represented the organization through major evolutions including Future Force 2025 and Force Design. 

Lt. Col. Dexter reported to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in June 2020 and assumed the duties as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer with HMH-466. During this time with the Wolfpack, the squadron conducted multiple training exercises and detachments to test and refine Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations doctrine with respect to assault support to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Lt. Col. Dexter assumed the duties of Executive Officer shortly before deployment in support of unit deployment program 22.1. Following return to the U.S., he received orders to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in the summer of 2022 and assumed his current duties as the Deputy Joint Base Commander.

Lt. Col. Dexter is married to the former Casey Michelle Clausen of Springfield, Virginia. They have one son, Jacob; one daughter, Abigail; a Labrador retriever named Foster; and a British shorthair cat named Joey.

Lt. Col. Dexter holds a B.A. in History from George Mason University and a M.A. in Leadership Studies from Marshall University. He is a graduate of both Expeditionary Warfare School and Command and Staff College (Distinguished Graduate). During his career, Lt. Col. Dexter has flown over 2,900 mishap-free flight hours. Personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Strike/Flight Air Medal with “III”, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.