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'Legend' speaks at grandson's graduation

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  A living legend in the air traffic control field came to Keesler Aug. 5 to speak at his grandson's graduation from the 334th Training Squadron's air traffic control course.

Retired Col. Derrel Dempsey, who's recognized in the Air Force's Communications and Information Hall of Fame, is the grandfather of Airman 1st Class Kiefer Luth.

Mr. Dempsey has 30 years of Air Force aviation experience as chief of air traffic control, flight inspection pilot, radar approach control and control tower officer and air traffic control staff officer at various assignments around the world.

He supervised the largest military air traffic control organization in the free world, pursued wartime aircraft surge launch and recovery procedures doubling the capability to launch and recover fighter forces during wartime and contingencies, initiated a program to develop chemical warfare capabilities for air traffic controllers and developed air traffic control enlisted and officer career development and training programs.

During the Vietnam Conflict, he logged 1,000 combat-coded flying hours in the C-140A Jetstar and eventually earned pilot qualifications in 10 different Air Force aircraft. As chief of air traffic control and landing systems at the Air Force Communication Service from 1977 to 1979, he defended Air Force budgets of more than $200 million to modernize tactical and fixed air traffic control and landing systems.

In his final assignment as deputy chief of staff for Air Force Communication Command's air traffic services, he deployed more than 642 combat-ready Air Force air traffic controllers to 75 Federal Aviation Administration facilities during the 1981 air traffic controller strike.

After he retired from the Air Force in 1984, Mr. Dempsey continued to work for the modernization of air traffic control systems as a civilian contractor for another 10 years.

The Air Force's award for the most outstanding air traffic control officer manager of the year is named in his honor.
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