Hattiesburg native promoted to U.S. Air Force Col. in Virginia

Information provided by 2nd Lt. Enjoli Saunders with the Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDAM) - From Air Force Academy to the Whitehouse, U.S. Air Force Col. Dear Beloved’s journey started with a local connection.

Beloved was born in the Midwest, but his family later moved to Hattiesburg, which is where his journey to his military career began. He said his high school counselor, Carolyn Hill, encouraged him to apply for college scholarships and provided a catalog of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

“This was game-changing!” said Beloved. “I immediately decided to pursue Academy admission, and while my father did not outright agree, he also did not oppose it. That small sliver of opportunity was all I needed to press ahead.”

Now, Beloved serves as a senior advisor assigned to the Office of Performance and Budget in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, in Washington, D.C. His roles include advising the director and staff on budget, performing assessments related to the National Drug Control Strategy and coordinating closely with interagency, national security and whole-of-government stakeholders.

On June 2, Beloved was promoted to the rank of colonel at the Military Women’s Memorial in Arlington, Va.

Before his current assignment, Beloved commanded the 637th International Support Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. As a Lt. Col., he led 260 total force staff and deployed instructors, 3,000 international military students and five global detachments in support of $55 billion in annual foreign military sales.

Beloved has served overseas in Germany and Korea with deployments to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. He also holds a Presidential Service Badge, Master Intelligence Badge and Senior Foreign Area Officer Badge.

“Being in the U.S. military means being part of an elite profession of arms,” said Beloved. “We all share a common bond, and we all take an Oath to protect and defend our country. The military will under-promise and overdeliver when we let it.

Keep in mind that a career is broadly a marathon, rather than a sprint. There’s a time and place to sprint, most often on the battlefield, but never lose sight of the need to maintain harmony and balance over the long term. I’ve definitely surpassed my initial goals as a young officer but am reminded of past advice from General CQ Brown, Jr. to redefine success at each level.”

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