Donald L. Nelson
Era: Persian Gulf
Military Branch: Navy
Mr. Nelson served during the Cold War, and he served in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. He was the Navy’s only representative in theater on the Department of Defense War Crimes Documentation Commission.
He served in the Naval Reserves from 1968 until 2002.
In 2008, he was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (manpower and personnel) within the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, he serves as the principal staff assistant and adviser to the assistant secretary of defense for Reserve Affairs for all National Guard and Reserve manpower, personnel and compensation policies.
Mr. Nelson is a native of Duluth, Minnesota.
Source: “Service Notes,” Duluth News Tribune, July 3, 2008 (see below)
Donald L. Nelson, a native of Duluth, Minnesota was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (manpower and personnel) within the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., on March 10. He serves as the principal staff assistant and adviser to the assistant secretary of defense for Reserve Affairs for all National Guard and Reserve manpower, personnel and compensation policies.
Nelson graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Minnesota and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin. He earned admission to both the State Bar of California and District of Columbia in 1978.
From 2000 until his current appointment, Nelson served as Deputy Attorney General for the state of California. Before that he was a business attorney in private practice for eight years following a varied and successful career as a corporate attorney and managing partner for the San Francisco branch office of a statewide law firm.
He is a retired Navy Reserve officer, having served from 1968 through 2002, and served in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm as the Navy’s only representative in theatre on the Department of Defense War Crimes Documentation Commission.
