Alden “Dale” Ackels

Dale Ackels, 83, of Sheridan, WY, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2025, at Big Horn Rehabilitation and Care Center following a debilitating fall.

He was born to Alden Arthur Ackels and Blon Oliver Ackels on August 1, 1941, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was joined five years later by his sister, Nancy. His formative years were spent in Burlingame, California, where he graduated from Burlingame High School. After graduation, he attended California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo for one year before transferring to the University of Minnesota, where he received a BA in History and Political Science. While there, he joined the Army ROTC. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army in 1965.

Dale began his Army career in the Ordnance Corps. After a tour in Vietnam, he attended Georgetown University, where he earned a master’s degree in Comparative Politics, specializing in Africa. After graduation, Dale was assigned to the Army’s Foreign Area Officer program (FAO), where he specialized in sub-Saharan Africa. During his career, he was in 42 of the 49 sub-Saharan countries, with extended assignments in Ethiopia and Kenya.

While working at the Pentagon, Dale was recruited by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) at Fort Bragg, NC. Being assigned to JSOC at its inception in 1980, he was considered a “plank holder” or founding member. While there, he met and married a colleague, Bet Miller Colenda. They were happily married for 40 years and shared a life full of interesting places, people and challenges, including three years in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dale retired as a colonel from the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he was Director of African Studies and served as an instructor. Dale was a brave and dedicated soldier who proudly served his country. During his career, he earned many medals and ribbons, including Meritorious Service Medals (3rd Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Bronze Star,

After retirement, he founded a consultancy, Africa Research Associates, which assisted clients conducting business in Africa. He also worked as a consultant, writing scripts for military exercises.

Dale was a devoted husband and father, raising his two sons to love their country. He taught them to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors, especially the mountains. He truly enjoyed hunting large game, upland game, and water fowl. In addition to hunting in many states in the US, he also hunted in Japan, Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and South America and took several tourist trips to Europe and visited New Zealand multiple times. He always studied the history and cultures of all the countries he visited.

Dale was a speed reader, and he amassed a personal library of many hundreds of books on wide-ranging topics. In addition, he became a writer in his later years. His articles on hunting were published in several magazines. One of his short stories was published as part of a collection, and he had just completed a set of short stories based on his time in Vietnam. He was an engaging storyteller who could “spin yarns” which would captivate and entertain his family and friends for hours.

Dale was a brilliant, creative, witty and complex man by any measure. His character and generosity were hallmarks of his personality.  He will be deeply missed by family, friends and colleagues worldwide.

Dale is survived by his wife, Bet, sons Travis (Monica) Ackels of Sheridan and Derek (Hannah Schechter) Ackels of Albuquerque, NM. He is also survived by five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, his beloved sister, Nancy Ackels Wagner (John) of Sacramento, CA, and six nephews and a niece.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11 AM. on July 4, 2025, at Sheridan Municipal Cemetery, Sheridan, WY. The service will be followed by lunch at Champion Kane Funeral Home.

Military Honors to honor Dale’s time in the military will be held Monday, May 25, 2026, at Champion Kane Funeral Home Memorial Day Celebration.

In lieu of flower donations, please send to Special Operations Warrior Foundation. https://specialops.org

Online condolences may be written at https://www.kanefuneral.com/ Champion Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements