Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus is the Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, he synchronizes and integrates policy, plans, positions, procedures and cross-functional issues for the headquarters staff.
Lt. Gen. Pleus earned his commission in 1989 through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. During his career, which now includes seven overseas assignments, he has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels and was a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow at Sun Microsystems in California. His staff assignments include Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, he was Deputy Commander, United States Forces Korea, Osan Air Base, South Korea.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Arts, Communications, University of Minnesota-Duluth
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Master of Military Operational Arts and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 Master of Arts, International Relations, Auburn University-Montgomery, Ala.
2002 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park, Calif.
2010 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2015 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2015 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Pinnacle General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1990–March 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. April 1991–December 1992, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Fla.
3. January 1993–January 1996, F-16 Pilot, 18th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
4. January 1996–December 1996, F-16 Flight Examiner and Instructor, 35th FS, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
5. January 1997–June 1999, Flight Commander, F-16 Flight Examiner and Instructor, 34th FS, Hill AFB, Utah
6. June 1999–June 2000, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 2000–September 2000, Student, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk Naval Air Station, Va.
8. September 2000–November 2002, Joint and Combined Contingency Plans Officer, Alaskan Command, Plans and Programs, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
9. November 2002–April 2003, Student, F-16 requalification training, 61st FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
10. May 2003–June 2004, Operations Officer, 56th Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
11. June 2004–June 2006, Commander, 63rd FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
12. June 2006–June 2008, Director, Headquarters AETC Command Action Group, Randolph AFB, Texas
13. June 2008–July 2009, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park, Calif.
14. July 2009–May 2011, Commander, 611th Air and Space Operations Center, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
15. May 2011–May 2012, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea
16. June 2012–June 2014, Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2014–June 2016, Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
18. July 2016–May 2017, Director, F-35 Integration Office, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. June 2017–May 2019, Director, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
20. June 2019–June 2020, Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
21. June 2020–January 2024, Deputy Commander, United States Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, United Nations Command; Commander, Air Component Command, Combined Forces Command; and Commander, Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan AB, South Korea
22. January 2024–present, Director of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2000–November 2002, Joint and Combined Contingency Plans Officer, Alaskan Command, Plans and Programs, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, as a major
2. June 2020–January 2024, Deputy Commander, United States Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, United Nations Command; Commander, Air Component Command, Combined Forces Command, as a lieutenant general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500
Aircraft flown: F-35, F-16 C/D, AT-38, T-38 and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of March 2024)