Brig. Gen. Derek Lipson --- Deputy Commanding General - Support

In this episode, Sgt. 1st Class Jake Braman sits down with Brig. Gen. Derek Lipson to learn more about our DCG-S and to get his thoughts on where the command is heading.


Brigadier General Derek Neal Lipson was commissioned an infantry officer in 1990, following his graduation from Midland Lutheran College, in Fremont, Nebraska, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1994.

Brigadier General Lipson commanded at all levels within 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), culminating as the Group Commander from 2015-2018. Non-combat deployments included Colombia, Bolivia and Grenada, and he responded to numerous natural disasters in the South East United States, to include Hurricane Katrina.

Brigadier General Lipson has deployed multiple times, serving in Afghanistan in 2002, as the    Advanced Operations Base Tikrit Commander in Iraq from 2006-2007, the senior advisor to Iraqi Special Operations in 2008, Special Operations Task Force – North Commander in Iraq in 2010, senior advisor to the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command, 2nd Brigade in 2014 and as the Special Operations Command Forward – Central Africa Commander in 2016. Following Group Command, he served as the Team KSA Commander in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2018-2020.

Before being named as the Deputy Commanding General Support, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), he served as the Deputy Commanding General U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.  He has also served as a Special Assistant to the Director of the Army National Guard in Washington, D.C.

Brigadier General Lipson is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff Officer Course, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds master’s degrees in Adult and Continuing Education from Kansas State University and in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He has been awarded the Combat Infantryman, Military Free Fall Parachutist, and the Senior Parachutist badges.

Brigadier General Lipson is married to the former Jennie Engelhaupt. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.