Brig. Gen. Max J. Stitzer is the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Director of Staff, Headquarters, United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Stitzer serves as deputy to the Director of Staff to synchronize and integrate policy, plans, resources, procedures and cross-functional issues for the Air Staff. As the senior Air Force Reserve officer on the staff, Brig. Gen. Stitzer represents Air Force Reserve equities in the Air Force’s Total Force Continuum effort, and provides expertise in roles, missions and capabilities across all echelons of the Reserve of the Air Force and in the Air Force Reserve Command, a force of over 70,000 Reserve Airmen serving in operational missions worldwide. Brig. Gen. Stitzer was commissioned an Air Force officer in November 1994 as a graduate of Officer Training School. He has commanded two maintenance groups, a maintenance squadron, three aircraft maintenance squadrons; has been the Deputy Commander of an air control group, a maintenance group, a fighter group; served as a Deputy Director on the Joint Staff; and has commanded the U.S. Air Force’s largest squadron in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom supporting the NATO International Security Assistance Force. Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Stitzer was Special Assistant to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Logistics Management, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
1995 Distinguished Graduate, Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
1997 Master of Science, Aeronautics, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2000 U.S. Air Force Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School, Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2005 U.S. Air Force Jet Engine Mishap Investigation Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Combined/Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2014 Safety/Accident Investigation Board President Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2014 Senior Leader Mission Generation Course, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
2015 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
2017 Interagency Logistics Course, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Frederick, Md.
2019 Executive Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
2022 Leading Strategically in the U.S. Air Force Seminar, Center for Creative Leadership, Colo. Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1994–November 1994, Officer Training School, Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base, Knoxville, Tenn.
2. November 1994–August 1997, Sortie Generation Flight Commander and Assistant Squadron Maintenance Officer, 466th Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
3. August 1997–October 1998, Squadron Maintenance Officer, 302nd FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. October 1998–October 1999, Logistics Officer, 419th Combat Logistics Support Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
5. October 1999–October 2003, Commander, 301st Maintenance Squadron, Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas
6. January–July 2003, Student, Class 03-A, U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. October 2003–June 2004, Commander, 301st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, NAS Fort Worth, Texas
8. June 2004–May 2006, Deputy Commander for Maintenance, 513th Air Control Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
9. May 2006–August 2008, Deputy Commander, 419th Maintenance Group, Hill AFB, Utah
10. August 2008–October 2009, Deputy Commander, 44th Fighter Group (301st Fighter Wing, Det.1), Holloman AFB, N.M. (January–May 2009, Commander, 455th Expeditionary AMS, United States Central Command)
11. October 2009–June 2013, Commander, 301st MG, NAS Fort Worth, Texas
12. June 2013–September 2014, Commander, 452nd MG, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
13. September 2014–July 2017, Asst. Deputy Director for Strategic Logistics and Deputy Director for Current Operations (J-4), The Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. July 2017–July 2019, Mobilization Assistant and Deputy to the Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, Robins AFB, Ga.
15. July 2019–December 2020, Director of Staff and Associate Director to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters, United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. December 2020–March 2022, Special Assistant to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve and Military Deputy to the Directorate of Staff-Integration, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. March 2022–present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Staff, Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (with duties as Principal Deputy Director, Directorate for Logistics (J-4), The Joint Staff)
SUMMARY OF JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2014–July 2017, Deputy Director for Current Operations and Assistant Deputy Director for Strategic Logistics (J-4), The Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. March 2018–April 2018, Joint Air Component Coordination Element Lead, Naval Component Command, Headquarters ROKFLT, Busan, South Korea, as a colonel
3. August 2021–September 2021, Joint Air Component Coordination Element Lead, Combined Forces Command, Seoul, South Korea, as a brigadier general
4. March 2022–April 2022, Joint Air Component Coordination Element Lead, Combined Forces Command, Seoul, South Korea, as a brigadier general
5. March 2023–June 2023, Principal Deputy Director, Directorate for Logistics (J-4), The Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Gallant Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device and five oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terror Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star device
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star device
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star device
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass device
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 17, 1994
First Lieutenant Nov. 17, 1996
Captain Sept. 30, 1999
Major Sept. 30, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 30, 2007
Colonel Feb. 17, 2012
Brigadier General Nov. 21, 2019
(Current as of June 2023)