Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gerald H. Dedge assumed responsibilities as the Florida Army National Guard Command Chief Warrant Officer on April 1, 2015. As a member of the Command Group, Mr. Dedge advises the Adjutant General on all aspects of managing the Warrant Officer program and assists the Command Group in the strategic direction of the Florida National Guard and its members. Before assuming assignment as CCWO, Mr. Dedge served as the State Safety Manager and State Aviation Safety Officer. Prior to that Mr. Dedge served as the Commander of air and ground reconnaissance elements of the Florida National Guard Counterdrug Program.

CW5 Dedge entered active military service in 1979 as a Cavalry Scout with the 2nd Squadron 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Bad Kissengen, Germany. After serving 2 years on active duty, he joined the Florida Army National Guard as an Aero Scout Observer with Company D, 26th Aviation Battalion at Craig Field in Jacksonville. In 1984 he completed Initial Entry Rotary Wing training at Fort Rucker, Alabama as the honor graduate and was appointed a WO1.

CW5 Dedge has served in a variety of key positions including, Detachment Commander, State Safety Manager, State Aviation Safety Officer, Army Aviation Support Facility Safety Officer, Battalion Safety Officer, Instructor Pilot and Standardization Officer. CW5 Dedge is a Master Army Aviator with more than 10,000 flight hours in the UH-1, AH-1, OH-58, UH-60, UH-72 and numerous other civilian helicopters and airplanes. He is also an FAA certified flight instructor (CFII) in rotary and fixed wing aircraft. Mr. Dedge is one of 21 recognized certified aviation accident investigators for National Guard Bureau with recent aviation accident experience. He also has 15 years as an Emergency Medical Service pilot and is a certified law enforcement officer in the State of Florida.

His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal(with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), the National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Star), the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, the Florida Distinguished Service Medal, the Florida Commendation Medal, the Florida Active State Duty Ribbon (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), the Florida Governor Meritorious Unit Citation (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M Device, Gold Hourglass), the Mississippi Humanitarian Service Medal.