Brig Gen Sarah Russ is the Mobilization Assistant to the J5, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. She is responsible for advising J5 and Commander on military, political, economic, and strategic policies. She develops, coordinates, and implements Theater Strategy, Campaign Plan, Theater Posture Plan, Operational and Contingency Plans. In addition, she coordinates defense related policy, security cooperation, and military assistance programs across the Indo-Pacific region.

Brig Gen Russ entered the Air Force in 1994 as a distinguished graduate of the Officer Training School. She is also a distinguished graduate of Transportation Officer School and C-130 Instructor Navigator Training. She transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 2004 and has served as Air Attaché at three U.S. Embassies in the Indo-Pacific region, Assistant Professor, and in staff assignments at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and NORAD - U.S. Northern Command. She played a critical role in establishing U.S. Space Command as initial cadre of Battle Watch Commanders. She is a fully joint-qualified Foreign Area Officer and speaks Korean and Spanish.

Prior to her current assignment, Brig Gen Russ served as the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. PACAF’s primary mission is to provide air and space power to promote U.S. interests in the Indo- Pacific region. Brig Gen Russ supported the Director and Commander by overseeing a diverse portfolio including strategy, operational plans, international relations, theater security cooperation, and resource programming.

EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts, Applied Mathematics, University of California, San Diego
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Master of Human Resources Management, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Defense Language Institute for Intermediate-level Spanish, Monterey, Calif.
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesly J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Reserve Joint Military Attaché School, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
2019 Joint and Combined Warfighting School - Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 2022 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Senior International Defense Management Course, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2024 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 Stanford-NUS Executive Program in International Management, National University Graduate Business School, Singapore

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 Political-Military 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, Colorado Springs, 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 and 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 SFB, Colo.)
15. June 2020–July 2022, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
16. July 2022–March 2024, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joints Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
17. April 2024–present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate (J5), U.S Indo- Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii

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/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
4. April 2024 - Present, Mobilization Assistant to the J5, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy, U.S Indo- Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii, as a Brigadier General

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 with oak leaf cluster
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
Brigadier General Aug. 1, 2022

(Current as of Sep 2024)

Last Updated: 24 February 2025