Brig. Gen. Robert A. (Rob) Masaitis is the Deputy Director, Global Integration, Joint Staff, J-5, Directorate for Strategy, Plans and Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this position, he directly supports the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by overseeing a team of U.S. and foreign exchange officers responsible for the integration of U.S. strategy across combatant commands and U.S. allied and partner nations. The Deputy Directorate is the Joint Staff’s center of expertise on Global Campaign Plans and their assessments, coalition strategy, and hosts foreign liaison officers across the 14 framework nations, aligning multinational strategy to address current global threats.
Brig. Gen. Masaitis was commissioned through the United States Air Force Academy in 1995. During his 28 years of commissioned service, he has been an instructor and evaluator navigator, squadron weapons and tactics officer, major command weapons and tactics officer, operations officer, squadron, group and wing commander. In addition to flying combat and contingency operations in the AC-130 Gunship and U-28, Brig. Gen. Masaitis served as Deputy Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy, Headquarters Special Operations Command, Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Masaitis was the Deputy Director of Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va. In this position, he assisted the director in establishing capability development policy and providing guidance and direction to 220 military, civilian and contractor personnel who represent the warfighter to the Air Force Corporate Process.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, General Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 USAF Weapons School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2006 Master of Business Administration, University of West Florida, Pensacola
2008 Master of Science, Defense Analysis, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Master of Airpower Art and Science, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Science, Defense Strategy and Resourcing, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1995–August 1997, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., and Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. September 1997–July 1999, AC-130U Navigator, Training Officer, and Tactics Officer, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
3. August 1999–July 2000, AC-130U Instructor Navigator, 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
4. August 2001–January 2004, AC-130U Instructor/Evaluator Navigator, Weapons and Tactics Officer, 4th SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. January 2004–June 2007, Chief, AC-130 Weapons and Tactics, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. July 2007–June 2009, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
7. July 2009–May 2010, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2010–June 2012, Operations Officer, 73rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
9. June 2012–June 2014, Commander, 34th SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
10. June 2014–July 2015, Student, Eisenhower School for National Defense and Resource Strategy, Washington, D.C.
11. July 2015–July 2017, Chief, Strategy, Plans, and Analysis Branch, and later, Deputy Director for Plans, Strategy, and Policy, Headquarters Special Operations Command, Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
12. August 2017–July 2019, Commander, 492nd Special Operations Training Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. July 2019–July 2021, Commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
14. July 2021–May 2022, Deputy Director, Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. May 2022–present, Deputy Director, Global Integration, Joint Staff J-5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: master navigator
Flight Hours: more than 3,500 total and over 1,000 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-34, T-43, T-1A, AC-130U, MC-130W, AC-130W, U-28A, & AC-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
(Current as of October 2023)