Walter Kross

Education

• 1964 Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, Niagara University, New York
• 1971 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 1974 Master's degree in government, Southern Illinois University
• 1975 Master's degree in public administration, Auburn University, Alabama
• 1975 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 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

  Assignments

• December 1964 – July 1966, student, pilot training, Laredo Air Force Base, Texas
• July 1966 – February 1967, F-4 pilot, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
• February 1967 – September 1967, F-4 pilot, 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron, George Air Force Base, California
• September 1967 – September 1968, F-4C aircraft commander, 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam
• September 1968 – March 1972, C-141 pilot, 76th Military Airlift Squadron, later, flight examiner, 437th Military Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina
• March 1972 – August 1974, VC-135 and VC-137 special missions pilot, 98th Military Airlift Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland
• August 1974 – August 1975, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base
• 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.
• April 1979 – July 1981, member, chief of staff of the Air Force Staff Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
• July 1981 – June 1982, student, National War College, and senior research fellow, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
• June 1982 – March 1984, deputy commander for operations and later, vice commander, 89th Military Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base
• March 1984 – July 1987, vice commander, and later, commander, 436th Military Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware
• 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
• October 1988 – May 1990, deputy chief of staff, plans and requirements, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
• May 1990 – July 1991, director of operations and logistics, Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
• 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.
• January 1992 – July 1992, commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
• July 1992 – June 1993, vice commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
• June 1993 – July 1994, commander, 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, California
• July 1994 – July 1996, director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
• July 1996 – 1998, commander in chief, U.S. Transportation Command, and commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

  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

  Awards and decorations

Publications

• Military Reform: The High Tech Debate in Tactical Air Forces, 1985
• Splash One: Air Victory Over Hanoi, 1991