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Daniel J. Dell'Orto is the Department’s Principal Deputy General Counsel. He has served in this capacity since June 2000. He also served as the Acting General Counsel of the Department of Defense from January 19-May 23, 2001. He provides oversight, guidance, and direction regarding legal advice on all matters arising within the Department of Defense, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Prior to joining the Department of Defense General Counsel's Office, Mr. Dell'Orto served as the Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force, a position to which he was appointed in December 1998. Before that appointment, Mr. Dell'Orto served as an Army officer for more than 27 years. After his commissioning and initial assignments as a field artillery officer, he attended and completed law school under the provisions of the Army's Funded Legal Education Program. Thereafter, at assignments in the United States, Germany, and Korea, he served in a series of positions as a judge advocate, including prosecutor, defense counsel, appellate attorney, trial judge, appellate judge, and chief of the worldwide Army Trial Defense Service, culminating with his assignment as the Military Assistant to the Department of Defense General Counsel. He retired in the grade of colonel. His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Business Administration Degree from Pepperdine University, a law degree from St. John's University School of Law, and a Master of Laws Degree from Georgetown University Law Center. His military education includes the Army Field Artillery and Judge Advocate Basic Courses, Airborne School, the Judge Advocate Officer Graduate Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College and the Army War College. While on active duty, Mr. Dell'Orto was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (two awards), the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. In 1985, the American Bar Association honored him as the Outstanding Young Military Lawyer of the Army. In his civilian service, Mr. Dell'Orto has received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service and the Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. Mr. Dell'Orto is a member of the Bar of the State of New York and has been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals. | 