| Dell L. Dailey | |
| Office: | 15th Coordinator for Counterterrorism |
| Term Start: | June 22, 2007 |
| Term End: | April 3, 2009 |
| Predecessor: | Henry A. Crumpton |
| Successor: | Daniel Benjamin |
| President: | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Birth Place: | Flandreau, South Dakota |
| Alma Mater: | Shippensburg University (MPA) United States Military Academy (BSc) |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1971–2007 |
| Rank: | Lieutenant General |
| Commands: | Center for Special Operations Joint Special Operations Command 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) |
| Battles: | Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
| Mawards: | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal (6) Air Medal |
Dell Lee Dailey[1] (born 1949)[2] is a retired United States Army lieutenant general and former head of the State Department's counterterrorism office, serving from July 2007 to April 2009.
Dailey was born into an Army family in Flandreau, South Dakota. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1971 and earned a master's degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University in 1994.
Dailey served over 36 years on active duty in the United States Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant general. He participated in major military operations such as Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Uphold Democracy, Joint Guardian, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Dailey directed the new Center for Special Operations, the military hub for all counterterrorism – United States Special Operations Command, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida as well as running special operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.[3] From 2001 to 2003, he headed the Joint Special Operations Command, a United States Special Operations Command sub-unit.
Dailey was appointed the Department of State's Coordinator for Counterterrorism on June 22, 2007. In this role he had the title of Ambassador at Large and was charged with coordinating and supporting the development and implementation of U.S. Government policies and programs aimed at countering terrorism overseas. As the principal advisor to the Secretary of State on international counterterrorism matters, he was responsible for taking a leading role in developing coordinated strategies to defeat terrorists abroad and in securing the cooperation of international partners to that end.[4]
Dailey was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 2014.[5]