MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH S. WARD JR. Maj. Gen. Joseph S. Ward, Jr. is the Deputy Director, Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange), Dallas, Texas. He plans, trains, equips and leads this organization to meet the needs of field commanders and their troops, whether deployed to forward locations, garrison or training centers. The Exchange operates as a Soldier and Airman owned co-op, with 95 percent of its budget generated from sales. The Exchange is the 43rd largest retailer in the United States, with revenue of $10.3 billion per year. It employs approximately 41,000 civilian and military associates and provides retail stores, convenience stores, gas stations, restaurants, theaters, vending and other services on military installations in all 50 states, five U.S. territories and more than 30 countries. General Ward is a native of Groton, Connecticut. and a graduate of the University of Connecticut. He was commissioned through the ROTC program in 1983. He has previously served as the Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Virginia., the premier Department of Defense Joint Professional Military Education institution for operational planning. He also was Director, Budget Operations and Personnel, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller; he served as the Chief Financial Officer for U.S. Pacific Command and as the principal financial adviser to the combatant commander and staff. His career has also included service in numerous other capacities within the financial management career field, including military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller) and Comptroller, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command. He has commanded a comptroller squadron and mission support group. The general is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and a certified defense financial manager. EDUCATION 1983 Bachelor of Arts in Economics, University of Connecticut, Storrs 1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1990 Comptroller Staff Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas 1990 Master Degree Business Administration, Western New England College, Springfield, Mass. 1996 Department of Defense Professional Military Comptroller School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1996 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2002 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science Degree National Resource Strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C 2006 U.S. Navy Practical Comptroller Course, Naval Postgraduate School, Calif. 2008 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C. 2009 Systems Acquisition Management for General/Flag Officers Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va. 2010 Senior International Defense Management Course, Defense Resource Management Institute, Naval Postgraduate School, Calif. ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 1984 - December 1988, Budget Analyst, Headquarters Electronic Systems Division, Hanscom AFB, Mass. 2. December 1989 - August 1993, Comptroller, 28th Air Division, Tinker AFB, Okla. 3. August 1993 - August 1994, Budget Analyst, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas 4. August 1994 - June 1996, Assignment Officer, Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas 5. June 1996 - June 1998, Commander, 437th Comptroller Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. 6. June 1998 - June 2000, Budget Analyst and Action Officer, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller), the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 7. June 2000 - June 2001, Military Assistant, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller), the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 8. June 2001 - June 2002, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 9. June 2002 - June 2004, Deputy Commander, 48th Mission Support Group, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England 10. June 2004 - May 2006, Commander, 98th Mission Support Group, Nellis AFB, Nev. 11. May 2006 - June 2008, Comptroller, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii 12. June 2008 - October 2010, Comptroller, Headquarters AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 13. Oct 2010 - August 2011, Director, Budget Operations and Personnel, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Washington, D.C. 14. August 2011 - August 2013 Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk Va. 15. September 2013 – present, Deputy Director, Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Dallas, Texas SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS May 2006 - June 2008, Comptroller, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, as a colonel August 2011 - August 2013, Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk Va. as a brigadier general and major general MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal with bronze star Global War on Terrorism Service Medal OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS Outstanding Contribution to Financial Management & Comptroller, AETC, 1994 Comptroller of the Year, Air Mobility Command, 1997 Comptroller Squadron of the Year, Air Mobility Command & Air Force, 1997 PUBLICATIONS "The Parade Goes On ...," Inside Air Force, December 2010 "On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!," Air Force Comptroller Magazine, April 2011 "The Chief: Your Charge is to Serve Others", Inside Air Force, April 2011 "Tribute to an American Hero: Maj. Gen. Al Flowers", www.af.mil, January 2012 EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant May 23, 1983 First Lieutenant Sept. 15, 1985 Captain Sept. 15, 1987 Major Oct. 1, 1995 Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998 Colonel June 1, 2004 Brigadier General May 4, 2009 Major General April 6, 2012 (Current as of October 2014)