Tony is an Army veteran of the Cold War, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Joint Guardian (Kosovo), and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served in numerous armor and cavalry leadership positions for over 28 years, including commanding the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment—Task Force Conqueror. His Battalion fought in the Battle of Ramadi during the summer and fall of 2006, and was instrumental in not only defeating Al Qaeda in Iraq, but in forming the Anbar Awakening, where tribal leader vowed to support the Coalition and the Iraqi Government. His unit's actions are the subject of the Discovery Channel's award winning documentary Against the Odds, as well as numerous books including A Chance in Hell, by Jim Michaels.

In addition to his combat experience, Colonel Deane served at three of the Army's Training Centers in a variety of roles, including COG, Team Bravo, Mission Command Training Program, Fort Leavenworth, KS, Brigade Senior Trainer at the Joint Multinational Training Center, Hohenfels, Germany,  and Deputy G3, Secretary General Staff, and Operations Officer of the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (OPFOR), Fort Irwin, California.  He has taught leadership, planning and ethics as the Chairman of the Military Science Department at Seton Hall University, and at the graduate level as part of a collaborative effort between Northwest Missouri State University and the Army University at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In addition, he facilitated 42 week-long post-graduate level leadership seminars, focusing on strategic planning, executive decision-making, strategic partnership building, cultural understanding, change management, ethics, and organizational design.

Tony holds a Master's Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University, a Bachelor's Degree in Business/Economics from the University of Nebraska, is a Project Management Professional, and a recipient of the Draper Leadership Award.