BRIGADIER GENERAL RUSS A. WALZ
Retired May 01, 2021
Brig. Gen. Russ A. Walz was the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, South Dakota Air National Guard. General Walz served as the principal advisor to the Adjutant General responsible for providing worldwide deployable mission ready Airmen to combatant commanders, and emergency response and support to civilian authorities. General Walz was also dual-hatted as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Director, Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. The directorate is responsible for ensuring PACAF provides ready air, space and cyber power to promote United States’ interests in the Indo-Pacific region. In this capacity, the directorate oversees operations for three numbered air forces and 10 wings in support of over 46,000 Airmen serving in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam.
General Walz enlisted into the South Dakota Air National Guard in 1980. He was commissioned in 1985 through the ANG Academy of Military Science, earning distinguished graduate honors. He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, graduating in 1987. General Walz assumed the position of Assistant Adjutant General - Air in May 2018 and the ANG Assistant to the Director, PACAF A3/6 in November 2018. Prior to his former assignment, General Walz served as the Director of Joint Staff, South Dakota National Guard. He has held previous command positions at the flight, squadron, group and wing levels. General Walz was a command pilot with over 3,700 total fighter hours, including 70 combat hours.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science in Business Management, University of South Dakota, Vermillion
1994 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1999 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2002 Air War College, by correspondence
2016 Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM), by in-residence
2016 Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM), by in-residence
2018 Regional Seminar - Eurozone Mid East Asia, Washington, D.C.
2018 Senior Leader Orientations Course (SLOC); by in-residence
2020 Enterprise Perspective Seminar (EPS), Washington DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1980 - November 1985, Fire Protection Specialist, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
2. November 1985 - November 1987, Pilot Trainee, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
3. November 1987 - November 1990, Pilot, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
4. November 1990 - February 1993, Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
5. February 1993 - March 1994, Chief Current Operations, 175th Fighter Squadron, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
6. March 1994 - August 1995, OIC Weapons and Tactics, 114th Operations Support Squadron, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
7. August 1995 - August 1997, OSF Commander, 114th Operations Support Squadron, Joe Foss Field, S.D. (January 1996 – February 1996, Flight Commander, 175 Expeditionary Operations Support, Turkey (OPCII)
8. August 1997 - July 2000, Operations Officer, 175th Fighter Squadron, Joe Foss Field, S.D. (February 1998 – March 1998, Operations Officer, 175th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Kuwait (OSW)
9. July 2000 - July 2001, FS Commander, 175th Fighter Squadron, Joe Foss Field, S.D. (November 2001 – December 2001, Commander, 175th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Saudi Arabia (OSW) (November 2002-January 2003, Commander 175th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Turkey (ONW)
10. July 2001 - March 2006, Operations Group Commander, 114th Operations Group, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
11. March 2006 - May 2016, Wing Commander, 114th Fighter Wing, Joe Foss Field, S.D.
12. May 2016 - May 2018, Director, Joint Staff, Joint Forces Headquarters, Camp Rapid, S.D.
13. May 2018 - December 2020, Assistant Adjutant General, Joe Foss Field, SD
14. January 2021 - May 2021, Assistant Adjutant General, SD; dual-hatted, November 2018 - May 2021, Air National Guard Assistant to the Director A-3, US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Hickam AFB, HI
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,700
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, A-7D, F-16C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with eight oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two "M" devices
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States
Air Force Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 7, 1985
First Lieutenant March 5, 1988
Captain April 7, 1990
Major Jan. 7, 1995
Lieutenant Colonel March 6, 1999
Colonel Jan. 30, 2003
Brigadier General May 1, 2016
(Current as of May 2021)