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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      CoxOct2015Engage On
        
        CoxOct2015LIEUTENANT GENERAL SAMUEL D. COX********Lt. Gen. Samuel D. Cox is the Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. As Air Mobility Command’s sole warfighting numbered air force, 18th Air Force is responsible for the command’s worldwide operational mission of providing rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces through airlift, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, and contingency response. With approximately 39,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen and approximately 1,100 aircraft, the 18th Air Force manages the global air mobility enterprise through the 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), 11 wings and two stand-alone groups. General Cox also commands Task Force 294, which oversees Air Force tanker operations in support of U.S. Strategic Command.
General Cox has commanded at the squadron, wing, and operations center levels. During his tenure as the 436th Airlift Wing commander at Dover Air Force Base, Del., the general deployed to Southwest Asia as deputy director of Mobility Forces supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Shortly after, General Cox was the commandant of cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo., responsible for cadet military training and Airmanship education, supervising cadet life activities, and providing support to facilities and logistics for more than 4,000 cadets and 300 Air Force and civilian personnel. General Cox was the commander, 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), Scott Air Force Base, Ill. He also served as the director, Strategy, Policy, Programs, and Logistics (TCJ5/4), USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill., and director, Operations and Plans (TCJ3), USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Illinois. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.**EDUCATION**
1984 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
1992 Master of Arts, Human Resource Development, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo. 
1996 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2001 Air War College, by correspondence 
2002 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. **ASSIGNMENTS**
1. June 1984 - May 1985, student, undergraduate pilot training, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss. 
2. June 1985 - August 1985, C-141 initial qualification training, 97th Airlift Wing, Altus AFB, Okla. 
3. September 1985 - November 1989, pilot scheduler and instructor pilot, 41st Military Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
4. November 1989 - December 1990, assistant chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 41st Military Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
5. December 1990 - November 1991, standardization and evaluation pilot, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
6. November 1991 - May 1993, chief, C-141 Tactics, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. 
7. May 1993 - July 1994, plans officer, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Directorate of Plans and Programs, Scott AFB, Ill. 
8. July 1994 - August 1996, aide-de-camp for the commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
9. August 1996 - June 1997, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
10. June 1997 - November 1998, assistant director of Operations, 17th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
11. November 1998 - June 1999, operations officer, 437th Operations Support Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
12. June 1999 - February 2001, commander, 14th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
13. February 2001 - August 2001, deputy commander, 437th Operations Group, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
14. August 2001 - June 2002, student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 
15. June 2002 - May 2004, deputy executive secretary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C. 
16. May 2004 - May 2005, vice commander, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C. 
17. May 2005 - May 2007, commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del. 
18. May 2007 - October 2008, director, Air Force General Officer Management Office, Washington, D.C. 
19. October 2008 - July 2010, commandant of cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 
20. July 2010 - July 2011, commander, 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), Scott Air Force Base, Ill. 
21. August 2011 - June 2012, director, Strategy, Policy, Programs, and Logistics (TCJ5/4), USTRANSCOM, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. 
22. June 2012 – December 2013, director, Operation and Plans (TCJ3), USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill. 
23. December 2013 - October 2015, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C.
24. October 2015 - present, Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. June 2002 - May 2004, deputy executive secretary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C., as a colonel 
2. August 2011 - June 2012, director, Strategy, Policy, Programs, and Logistics (TCJ5/4), USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill., as a brigadier and major general 
3. June 2012 - November 2013, director, Operation and Plans (TCJ3), USTRANSCOM, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as a major general **FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating: command pilot 
Flight hours: more than 4,600 
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C-141, C-17 and C-5 **MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal 
Legion of Merit 
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters 
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster 
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster 
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster 
Joint Service Achievement Medal 
Air Force Achievement Medal 
Joint Meritorious Unit Award 
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with bronze and two silver oak leaf clusters 
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters 
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters 
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star 
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star 
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars 
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal 
Humanitarian Service Medal **EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1984 
First Lieutenant May 30, 1986 
Captain May 30, 1988 
Major Dec. 1, 1995 
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998 
Colonel Aug. 1, 2003 
Brigadier General Dec. 9, 2008 
Major General Jan.13, 2012 
Lieutenant General Dec. 3, 2013
(Current as of October 2015)
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