31 Facts About Dan Caine

John Daniel Caine was born on 1968 or 1969 and is an American Air Force general and venture capitalist who has served as the 22nd chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2025.

Dan Caine served as the associate director for military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2021 to 2024.

Dan Caine was commissioned shortly thereafter, serving in various roles within the Air Force, mainly as an F-16 pilot.

Dan Caine was the assistant commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command from 2016 to 2018, a deputy commanding general for the Operation Inherent Resolve special operations task force from 2018 to 2019, and the director of special-access programs in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment from 2019 to 2021.

Dan Caine is the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to have never served at the rank of four-star general or admiral before being nominated and the first to be nominated in retirement.

John Daniel Caine was born in Elmira, New York, in 1968 or 1969.

Dan Caine graduated from Hahn American High School in Hahn, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

In 1990, Dan Caine graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a Bachelor of Science in economics.

Dan Caine later graduated from American Military University with a Master of Arts degree in air warfare in 2005.

Dan Caine was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Virginia Military Institute's Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in October 1990, and was inducted into the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

Dan Caine completed the program as a distinguished graduate in December 1993, but because the Air Force was being downsized around that time he was concerned that he may end up with a non-flying job.

Dan Caine had that assignment from January 1994 to July 1998, and was the squadron's chief of training and chief of weapons at different times.

Dan Caine was an F-16 instructor pilot and the chief of weapons for the 121st Fighter Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, from July 1998 to January 1999.

Dan Caine underwent further F-16 training at the USAF Weapons School, at its main location of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and graduated from its Instructor Course in June 1999 as an outstanding graduate.

Dan Caine was the chief of weapons and tactics for the 410th Air Expeditionary Wing until May 2003, when he was assigned to the Test Center at the Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona, as its head of operations.

Dan Caine held that position until August 2005, and in 2004 he completed the Air Command and Staff College by correspondence.

Dan Caine was a part-time member of the Air National Guard from 2009 to 2016 and held several senior positions in the District of Columbia ANG.

Dan Caine completed the Joint and Combined Warfighting Course in 2017.

Dan Caine simultaneously served as a deputy commanding general of Special Operations Command Central and of the special operations joint task force in Operation Inherent Resolve, the campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, from 2018 to 2019.

Dan Caine achieved the rank of lieutenant general in 2021, and served as the CIA's associate director for military affairs from November 2021 until December 2024.

Dan Caine has a total of 2,800 flight hours, including over 100 combat hours on the F-16.

From 2005 to 2006, Dan Caine was a special assistant to the United States Secretary of Agriculture as part of the White House Fellows program, and did work related to the response to Hurricane Katrina.

Dan Caine served as a policy director for counterterrorism within the Homeland Security Council from 2006 to 2008.

Dan Caine is a partner at Ribbit Capital and an advisor for Thrive Capital.

Dan Caine is the co-founder of RISE Air, a regional airline.

Dan Caine was said by Trump to have worn a MAGA hat, a detail disputed by his aides; active-duty troops are not permitted to wear political merchandise.

The Times later reported that Dan Caine was considered for the position over Michael Kurilla, the commander of United States Central Command.

Dan Caine was promoted to a four-star general prior to the vote.

Dan Caine is the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to have never served at the rank of four-star general or four-star admiral before assuming the position and the first to have been retired at the time of their confirmation.

Dan Caine is the second retired general to serve as chairman after Maxwell Taylor in 1962, though Taylor was called to active duty the year prior after retiring in 1959.

Dan Caine is the first chairman to have never served within the Joint Chiefs of Staff since Hugh Shelton in 1997 and the first Air National Guardsman to become chairman.