Col. Sarah Russ is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. As the Air Force component to U.S. Southern Command, Air Forces Southern conducts security cooperation and provides air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Air Force Southern supports U.S. Southern Command to deter aggression, defeat threats, rapidly respond to crises and work with our allies and partner nations to build regional capacity to ensure a secure, free and prosperous Western Hemisphere.
Colonel Russ entered the Air Force in 1994 as a distinguished graduate of the Officer Training School. She is also a distinguished graduate of both Transportation Officer School and C-130 Instructor Navigator Training. She earned her navigator wings in 1997 and flew as C-130 and EC-130 instructor navigator. She transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 2004 and has served as Air Attaché at three U.S. Embassies, Assistant Professor, and in staff assignments at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Northern Command. She also played a critical role in establishing U.S. Space Command as initial cadre of Battle Watch Commanders.
Colonel Russ is a senior navigator with more than 1,400 flying hours in various aircraft and fully joint qualified. She is a Foreign Area Officer and speaks Korean and Spanish.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Mathematics, University of California, San Diego
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Master’s degree in Human Resources Management, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Defense Language Institute for Intermediate-level Spanish, Monterey, Calif.
2011 Air War College, by correspondence
2016 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair,
Washington, D.C.
2016 Reserve Joint Military Attaché School, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
2019 Joint & Combined Warfighting School - Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2020 Transnational Issues Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Strategic Mindset Seminar, Stimson Associates, Arlington, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1994 – November 1994, Vehicle Operations Flight Commander, 20th Transportation Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2. November 1994 – December 1995, Combat Readiness and Resources Assistant Flight Commander, 20th Transportation Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
3. December 1995 – September 1996, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training Phase I, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
4. October 1996 – July 1997, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training Phase II, Randolph AFB, Texas
5. August 1997 – January 1998, Student, C-130 Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. February 1998 – February 2000, C-130 Navigator and Executive Officer, 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan
7. March 2000 – July 2001, EC-130 Instructor Navigator and Flight Commander, 42nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
8. July 2001 – March 2004, EC-130 Instructor Navigator, Wing Scheduler, Chief of Exercise and Plans, and Assistant Group Executive Officer, 355th Operations Support Squadron and Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9. March 2004 – May 2008, Latin America Pol-Mil Affairs Strategist, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
10. June 2008 – October 2011, Assistant Professor, Adjunct Instructor, and Director of Assessment, Departments of Mathematical Sciences and Foreign Languages, Dean of Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
11. November 2011 – March 2015, Country Director, South Asia and Oceania Policy Division, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii (with additional duty as Mexico Desk Officer, Security Cooperation Division, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.)
12. March 2015 – April 2016, Future Plans Director, Strategic Plans Division, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii (with additional duty as Deputy Division Chief, Security Cooperation Division, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.)
13. April 2016 – July 2018, Reserve Air Attaché to Asia-Pacific, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. (with additional duty as Special Assistant to the Strategy, Policy & Plans (J5) Director, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.)
14. July 2018 – May 2020, Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Dean of the Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. (with additional duty as Battle Watch Commander, Joint Operations Center, U.S. Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.)
15. June 2020 – present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2011 – March 2015, Country Director, South Asia and Oceania Policy Division, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2013 – October 2015, Mexico Desk Officer and Deputy Division Chief, Security Cooperation Division, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
3. March 2015 – April 2016, Future Plans Director, Strategic Plans Division, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: senior navigator
Flight hours: more than 1,400
Aircraft flown: T-34C, T-43A, T-1A, C-130B/E, and EC-130E/H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze star
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 15, 1994
First Lieutenant March 15, 1996
Captain March 15, 1998
Major Aug. 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 11, 2009
Colonel March 27, 2015
(Current as of June 2021)