Deputy Chief of Staff Operations

2004 - 2007

Major General Joseph P. Stein

Major General Joseph P. Stein is the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Casteau, Belgium.

General Stein entered the Air Force in 1975 as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He completed his navigator and combat crew training in 1977 at Mather Air Force Base, California.

His first assignment was to 69th Bombardment Squadron, Loring AFB, Maine as Standardization and Evaluation navigator and training flight instructor radar navigator. This was followed in 1981 by an assignment as transportation officer, Air Staff Training Program, Directorate of Logistics and Engineering, Headquarters US Air Force, Washington D.C.

Then in 1982 he moved to the US Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs as Standardization and Evaluation Staff Officer and Commander, Cadet Squadron 09. In 1985 he attended the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and graduated with distinction in 1986.He continued with studies from 1986-1987 at the B-1B Offensive Systems Officer Initial Qualification Course, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

This was followed in 1987 with the assignment of Assistant Operations Officer, 77th Bombardment Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and later, in 1988, became Operations Officer and Commander of 37th Bombardment Squadron. In 1990, still at Ellsworth Air Force Base, he took up the post of Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations, 28th Bombardment Wing.

Then in 1991 he attended the National War College, Fort Lesley J McNair, Washington D.C.

His next assignment took him to NATO Headquarters, Brussels as Staff Planner, Nuclear Policy Branch at the International Military Staff. In 1994 he returned to the US as Commander, 97th Support Group, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. In 1996 he moved back to Washington D.C. as Chief, Air Force Colonel Matters Office at Headquarters US Air Force. This was followed by the assignment in 1997 as Commander, 93rd Air Control Wing (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System) at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

He was then assigned in 1999 as Commander, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. In 2000 he returned to Washington D.C. as Director of Manpower and Organization, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters US Air Force. In 2002 he served as Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command (ACC), Langley Air Force Base, Virginia and followed as Director of Operations, HQ ACC from October 2002 until March 2004.

He served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, J3 Operations and Director of Operations for Joint Forge (Bosnia) and Joint Guardian (Kosovo) and the International Security Assistance Force (Afganistan), Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Casteau, Belgium, from March to October 2004.

Major General Stein is a master navigator with more than 3,200 hours of flying time in the B-52G, T-43, E-8C and B-1B. His military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Achievement Medal.