GENERAL WALTER KROSS
General Walter Kross is commander in chief, United States Transportation Command and commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. As a unified command commander in chief, he is responsible to the secretary of defense for the nation's defense transportation requirements. He exercises command over service transportation components from the Army, Navy and Air Force. As commander of AMC, he provides operationally trained, equipped and mission-ready air mobility forces to support U.S. requirements.
The general was commissioned through Officer Training School in December 1964. His early career combined both fighter and airlift experience as he flew 157 F-4 combat missions, 100 over North Vietnam. He later transitioned to airlift, then senior executive and congressional pilot support. He was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force for six years, part of that time in the Chief's Staff Group. He has served as commander of a C-5 wing, as director of operations and logistics for all defense transportation requirements in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and as director of operations for Air Force headquarters. Additionally, General Kross was commander of the provisional force in charge of standing up Air Mobility Command, as well as its first vice commander. He was commander of 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., then director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., before assuming his current assignment.
EDUCATION
1964 Bachelor of science degree in chemistry, Niagara University, N.Y.
1971 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1974 Master's degree in government, Southern Illinois University
1975 Master's degree in public administration, Auburn University, Ala.
1975 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1977 Air War College
1982 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1985 Executive Development Program, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
1990 Senior Executive Seminar, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1964 - July 1966, student, pilot training, Laredo Air Force Base, Texas
2. July 1966 - February 1967, F-4 pilot, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. 3 February 1967 - September 1967, F-4 pilot, 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron, George Air Force Base, Calif.
4. September 1967 - September 1968, F-4C aircraft commander, 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam
5. September 1968 - March 1972, C-141 pilot, 76th Military Airlift Squadron, later, flight examiner, 437th Military Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
6. March 1972 - August 1974, VC-135 and VC-137 special missions pilot, 98th Military Airlift Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
7. August 1974 - August 1975, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
8. August 1975 - April 1979, air operations officer, tactical forces division, and later, assistant deputy director for Joint and Congressional Matters, directorate of plans, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. April 1979 - July 1981, member, chief of staff of the Air Force Staff Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. July 1981 - June 1982, student, National War College, and senior research fellow, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1982 - March 1984, deputy commander for operations and later, vice commander, 89th Military Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
12. March 1984 - July 1987, vice commander, and later, commander, 436th Military Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Del.
13. July 1987 - October 1988, vice commander, Air Force Military Personnel Center, and deputy assistant deputy chief of staff, personnel for military personnel, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
14. October 1988 - May 1990, deputy chief of staff, plans and requirements, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
15. May 1990 - July 1991, director of operations and logistics (J-3/J-4), Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
16. July 1991 - January 1992, director of operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. January 1992 - July 1992, commander, Air Mobility Command (Provisional), Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
18. July 1992 - June 1993, vice commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
19. June 1993 - July 1994, commander, 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
20. July 1994 - July 1996, director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
21. July 1996 - present, commander in chief, U.S. Transportation Command, and commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,700
Aircraft flown: F-4, C-141, VC-135, VC-137, C-5, T-37, T-38, T-33, KC-135, C-140, C-21, C-9 and KC-10
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
General Kross has published professional articles in the Air University Review and Armed Forces Journal International. He has authored two books, one on military reform and a novel about Vietnam air combat. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec 21, 1964
First Lieutenant Jun 21, 1966
Captain May 11, 1968
Major Feb 1, 1975
Lieutenant Colonel Apr 1, 1979
Colonel Oct 1, 1982
Brigadier General Jul 1, 1988
Major General Feb 1, 1991
Lieutenant General Jul 2, 1992
General Aug 1, 1996
(Current as of August 1996)
The general was commissioned through Officer Training School in December 1964. His early career combined both fighter and airlift experience as he flew 157 F-4 combat missions, 100 over North Vietnam. He later transitioned to airlift, then senior executive and congressional pilot support. He was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force for six years, part of that time in the Chief's Staff Group. He has served as commander of a C-5 wing, as director of operations and logistics for all defense transportation requirements in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and as director of operations for Air Force headquarters. Additionally, General Kross was commander of the provisional force in charge of standing up Air Mobility Command, as well as its first vice commander. He was commander of 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., then director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., before assuming his current assignment.
EDUCATION
1964 Bachelor of science degree in chemistry, Niagara University, N.Y.
1971 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1974 Master's degree in government, Southern Illinois University
1975 Master's degree in public administration, Auburn University, Ala.
1975 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1977 Air War College
1982 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1985 Executive Development Program, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
1990 Senior Executive Seminar, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1964 - July 1966, student, pilot training, Laredo Air Force Base, Texas
2. July 1966 - February 1967, F-4 pilot, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. 3 February 1967 - September 1967, F-4 pilot, 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron, George Air Force Base, Calif.
4. September 1967 - September 1968, F-4C aircraft commander, 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam
5. September 1968 - March 1972, C-141 pilot, 76th Military Airlift Squadron, later, flight examiner, 437th Military Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
6. March 1972 - August 1974, VC-135 and VC-137 special missions pilot, 98th Military Airlift Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
7. August 1974 - August 1975, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
8. August 1975 - April 1979, air operations officer, tactical forces division, and later, assistant deputy director for Joint and Congressional Matters, directorate of plans, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. April 1979 - July 1981, member, chief of staff of the Air Force Staff Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. July 1981 - June 1982, student, National War College, and senior research fellow, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1982 - March 1984, deputy commander for operations and later, vice commander, 89th Military Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
12. March 1984 - July 1987, vice commander, and later, commander, 436th Military Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Del.
13. July 1987 - October 1988, vice commander, Air Force Military Personnel Center, and deputy assistant deputy chief of staff, personnel for military personnel, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
14. October 1988 - May 1990, deputy chief of staff, plans and requirements, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
15. May 1990 - July 1991, director of operations and logistics (J-3/J-4), Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
16. July 1991 - January 1992, director of operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. January 1992 - July 1992, commander, Air Mobility Command (Provisional), Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
18. July 1992 - June 1993, vice commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
19. June 1993 - July 1994, commander, 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
20. July 1994 - July 1996, director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
21. July 1996 - present, commander in chief, U.S. Transportation Command, and commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,700
Aircraft flown: F-4, C-141, VC-135, VC-137, C-5, T-37, T-38, T-33, KC-135, C-140, C-21, C-9 and KC-10
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
General Kross has published professional articles in the Air University Review and Armed Forces Journal International. He has authored two books, one on military reform and a novel about Vietnam air combat. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec 21, 1964
First Lieutenant Jun 21, 1966
Captain May 11, 1968
Major Feb 1, 1975
Lieutenant Colonel Apr 1, 1979
Colonel Oct 1, 1982
Brigadier General Jul 1, 1988
Major General Feb 1, 1991
Lieutenant General Jul 2, 1992
General Aug 1, 1996
(Current as of August 1996)