Lt. Gen. Stephen F. Jost is the Commander, United States Forces, Japan, and Commander, Fifth Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Yokota Air Base, Japan. He is the senior U.S. military representative in Japan and is responsible for managing bilateral security issues, overseeing joint and bilateral exercises, administering the Status of Forces Agreement, improving combat readiness, and enhancing the quality of life of 66,000 military and Department of Defense civilian personnel and 45,000 dependents.
Lt. Gen. Jost received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and is a Command Pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, F-16C/D and F- 35A. He has flown missions in support of South Korea defense obligations and operations Iraqi Freedom, Southern Watch and Noble Eagle. Prior to his current assignment, the general was the Commander, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, United States Transportation Command, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Computer Science, Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1998 Combat Air Platform Employment Seminar, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
1999 Fighter Electronic Combat Officer’s Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2000 United States Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Distinguished Graduate, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2001 Squadron Officer’s School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
2007 Master of Military Arts and Science, Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of National Resources and Strategy, Distinguished Graduate, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2013 Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Learning, Greensboro, N.C.
2015 Senior Leader Enhancement Seminar, U.S. Congressional Execution, Washington, D.C.
2018 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, Institute for Defense and Business, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2018 Senior Leader Enhancement Seminar, China and Middle East Affairs, Washington, D.C.
2018 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2018 Senior Leader Security Seminar, Dahlgren, Va.
2019 Senior Leader Enhancement Seminar, Middle East and South Asia Affairs, Washington, D.C.
2019 Combined-Joint Force Special Operations Component Commander’s Course, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2019 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Level IV Anti-Terrorism Executive Seminar, McClean, Va.
2021 Senior Leader Enhancement Seminar, China and the Far East, Washington D.C.
2021 Combined-Joint Force Land Component Commander’s Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2022 Executive Coaching and 360 Assessment, Flatter, Inc., Fredericksburg, Va.
2022 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
2022 United Kingdom Pinnacle Course, Royal College of Defence Studies, London, United Kingdom.
2022 Combined Forces Air Component Commander’s Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Executive Leading Data and Artificial Intelligence-Organizations Course, Laurel, Md.
2023 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Executive Coaching and 360 Assessment, Flatter, Inc., Fredericksburg, Va.
2023 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2023 Global Cyber for Senior Leaders Course, Digital University, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
2024 Pinnacle General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2024 Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander’s Course, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
2024 Cyberspace Operations Executive Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 General Officer Pre-Deployment Acculturation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.June 1994 – December 1995, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2.January 1996 – August 1996, Student, F-16 Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3.September 1996 – July 1999, Instructor Pilot, 523rd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
4.August 1999 – June 2000, Instructor Pilot, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
5.July 2000 – December 2000, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6.January 2000 – April 2003, Weapons Officer and Flight Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
7.May 2003 – July 2006, Flight Commander and Director of Operations, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8.August 2006 – June 2007, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9.July 2007 – June 2009, Operations Officer (J-3) and Lead, Fixed-Wing Analyst (J-8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10.Jul 2009 – July 2010, Commander, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
11.August 2010 – June 2011, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12.July 2011 – June 2012, Deputy Commander, 35th Operations Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan
13.July 2012 – December 2012, Director of Staff, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
14.January 2013 – May 2014, Commander, 33rd Operations Group, Eglin AFB, Fla.
15.May 2014 – August 2016, Commander, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
16.September 2016 – July 2017, Senior Air Force Planner, Joint and National Security Council Matters, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17.August 2017 – March 2018, Chief, Operations Division, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18.April 2018 – May 2019, Director, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19.June 2019 – June 2020, Chief of Staff, Combined-Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command
20.July 2020 – April 2022, Deputy Director, Joint Strategic Planning (J-5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21.May 2022 – June 2024, Commander, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, United States Transportation Command, Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
22.July 2024 – present, Commander, United States Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.July 2007 – July 2009, Operations Officer (J-3) and Lead, Fixed Wing Analyst (J-8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
2.June 2019 – June 2020, Chief of Staff, Combined-Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command, as a brigadier general
3.July 2020 – April 2022, Deputy Director, Joint Strategic Planning (J-5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a brigadier general
4.May 2022 – June 2024, Commander, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, United States Transportation Command, Naval Station Norfolk, Va., as a major general
5.October 2024 – present, Commander, United States Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan, as a lieutenant general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,700
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16C/D and F-35A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant June 1, 1996
Captain June 1, 1998
Major July 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2008
Colonel July 1, 2012
Brigadier General Sept 2, 2018
Major General June 24, 2022
Lieutenant General October 8, 2024
(Current as of October 2024)