Deborah Elizabeth Branson of Norman, Oklahoma was born on 7 October 1951. Her father and her grandfather both held doctorate degrees in geology and worked as university professors. Branson earned her bachelors' degree in liberal arts special sciences. In 1976, while working on a higher degree in civil engineering, Branson decided to join the United States Navy. However, despite her education, she was rejected from joining the Navy's Civil Engineering Corps because she was a woman. Even after being informed that women were also not allowed to fly aircraft at that time, she still chose to accept a commision into the navy where she found out that women were not allowed to go to sea either. Her first duties included clerical assignments and swearing in new enlistments, including her own younger brother.

Two years later in 1978, Branson began flight training in both Pensacola, Florida and Milton, Florida despite the stigma surrounding women who trained as pilots and the discrimination they were known to face from the military.

In 1982, she was stationed at Naval Air Station North Island at San Diego, California, as a member of Helicopter Support Squadron 1 and the Antisubmarine Warfare Wing. She also was recognized by the San Diego County Women's Council of the Navy League for a Military Women of Achievement award.

Branson was promoted to lieutenant in 1986 and attended War College in Newport, Rhode Island. She was next deployed to the Philippines from 1987 until 1990. There she was assigned to VC-5 Fleet Composite Squadron 5 where she worked as both an administrative officer and maintenance officer as well as a pilot for an H-3 anti-submarine warfare helicopter.

In 1990, she transferred to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. where she held her highest rank of Commander and worked as a congressional liaison. She knew nothing of what happened at the 1991 Tailhook Association Symposium, where male Navy and Marine aviation officers sexually assaulted a number of female and some male officers and personnel, until after the scandal was announced publicly. Branson she became a part of the committees revolving around the changes to Navy regulations as a result of Tailhook. She worked mainly as a part of the Enhancing Professional Opportunities group. Together with the Standing Committee on Military and Civilian Women in the Department of the Navy, they pushed for opening more combat support positions for women as well as mandatory sexual harassment prevention training.

From 1994 until 1998, she worked as an assistant naval secretary on the special assistant for aviation on international coordinate policy. Branson also worked as an instructor at the War College in Newport, Rhode Island from 1998 until 1999. She is now living in North Carolina and working as an earth science professor at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.