MAJOR GENERAL DONALD B. STOKES

Maj. Gen. Donald B. Stokes is the mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. The command organizes, trains, equips and maintains combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense. ACC comprises more than 1,000 aircraft and approximately 103,000 active-duty military members and civilian personnel at 30 major installations in the United States, Panama, Iceland and Portugal. When mobilized, more than 65,500 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members, along with 662 aircraft, are assigned to ACC. The command provides nuclear forces for U.S. Strategic Command, theater air forces for five geographic unified commands (U.S. Atlantic Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Pacific Command), as well as defense forces for the North American Aerospace Defense Command. 

General Stokes enlisted in the Nebraska Air National Guard in May 1963 and received a direct commission in September 1963. He is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours in tactical fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. After a 14-year career in the Air National Guard, the general transferred to the Air Force Reserve. He served as a fighter squadron commander and vice commander of a fighter wing prior to his selection to a mobilization assistant position. 

In his civilian capacity, he is a commercial airline captain and check pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767.

EDUCATION
1963 Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, University of Nebraska
1980 Air Command and Staff College
1987 Air War College 

ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1963 - January 1965, squadron executive officer, 173rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Neb.
2. January 1965 - February 1966, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. February 1966 - January 1972, RF-84F pilot, 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Lincoln ANGB, Neb.
4. January 1972 - April 1978, RF-4C flying safety officer, 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Lincoln ANGB, Neb.
5. April 1978 - August 1982, air operations officer, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
6. August 1982 - September 1982, student, Air Force Reserve Operational Training Course (A-10), Barksdale AFB, La.
7. September 1982 - April 1986, A-10 flying safety officer, 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo.
8. April 1986 - March 1987, Commander, 303rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo.
9. March 1987 - December 1988, Vice Commander, 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo.
10. December 1988 - October 1989, Deputy Commander for Resources, 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo.
11. October 1989 - May 1990, Deputy Commander for Maintenance, 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo.
12. May 1990 - September 1992, mobilization assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
13. September 1992 - April 1997, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
14. April 1997 - present, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. 

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,700
Aircraft flown: T-33, T-37, T-38, AT-38, RF-84F, RF-4C and A-10 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sept. 6, 1963
First Lieutenant Sept. 6, 1966
Captain Sept. 6, 1970
Major Sept. 6, 1977
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 6, 1984
Colonel June 1, 1988
Brigadier General March 31, 1993
Major General Feb. 29, 1996

(Current as of March 1999)