Major General Ferdinand “Fred” B. Stoss III is Commander, Twentieth Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. General Stoss is responsible for over 12,000 people for the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile force, organized into three operational wings. In addition, General Stoss oversees the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, which provides critical support to the nuclear operation and mission partners.

General Stoss entered active duty in 1988 after commissioning through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Kansas State University. General Stoss largely served in the nuclear enterprise. Positions held include ICBM launch officer, command operations evaluator, U.S. Strategic Command war planner, squadron commander, deputy group commander, vice wing commander, wing commander and several nuclear-related staff positions. Other staff assignments include AFROTC instructor duty and Military Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Prior to his current assignment, General Stoss served as the Director of Operations and Communications, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science, political science, Kansas State University, Manhattan
1993 Master of Science,aerospace operations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
1993 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence and residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 College of Naval Command and Staff, with highest distinction, Newport, R.I.
2000 Naval Operational Planner Course, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2003 Air War College, by correspondence
2006 Master of Science, history, University of Nebraska at Omaha
2007 Senior Developmental Education Fellow, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
2009 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2010 Enterprise Leadership Course, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2010 Senior Executives Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2011 National Security Forum, The Maxwell School, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1988 - July 1988, Student, 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. July 1988 - May 1992, ICBM Combat Crew Commander, Standardization/Evaluation Combat Crew Commander and Senior Standardization/Evaluation Missile Crew Commander, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
3. May 1992 - October 1993, Command Operations Evaluator, 3901st Strategic Missile Evaluation Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. October 1993 - May 1995, Command Operations Evaluator, 20th Air Force, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
5. May 1995 - July 1997, Instructor, AFROTC Detachment 470, Omaha, Neb.
6. July 1997 - July 1999, Chief, Missile Production and Scheduling Section, Strategic Plans Division, Plans and Policy Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb.

7. July 1999 - August 2000, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff and Naval Operational Planner Course, Newport, R.I.
8. August 2000 - May 2003, Military Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff, New York, N.Y.
9. May 2003 - February 2004, Operations Officer, 12th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
10. February 2004 - June 2005, Commander, 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
11. June 2005 - June 2006, Deputy Commander, 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
12. June 2006 - June 2007, Student, Air Force SDE Fellowship, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
13. June 2007 - June 2008, Chief, Nuclear Operations Division, Directorate of Nuclear Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. June 2008 - October 2009, Vice Commander, 90th Missile Wing, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
15. October 2009 - June 2011, Commander, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
16. June 2011 - June 2012, Chief of Operations, Global Operations Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
17. June 2012 - January 2014, Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, Global Operations Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
18. January 2014 - March 2016, Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Assessments, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
19. March 2016 – January 2018, Director of Operations and Communications, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.

20. January 2018 – present, Commander, 20th Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1997 - July 1999, Chief, Missile Production and Scheduling Section, Strategic Plans Division, Plans and Policy Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb., as a captain and major
2. August 2000 - May 2003, Military Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff, New York, N.Y., as a major and lieutenant colonel
3. June 2011 - January 2014, Chief of Operations and Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, Global Operations Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a colonel and brigadier general

OPERATIONAL INFORMATION

Minuteman II and Minuteman III Weapon Systems
U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post, “Looking Glass”

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” device and three oak leaf clusters
General Thomas S. Power Award for Best ICBM Combat Crew in Strategic Air Command, 1992
Best ICBM Combat Crew and Best ICBM Operations, Olympic Arena, Strategic Air Command, 1991
General Samuel C. Phillips Award for Best Missileer in Eighth Air Force, 1991

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 13, 1987 
First Lieutenant October 19, 1989 
Captain October 19, 1991 
Major May 1, 1999 
Lieutenant Colonel  March 1, 2003
Colonel September 1,  2007
Brigadier General June 21, 2013
Major General April 2, 2017