Colonel Samuel C. Stitt III is the Commander, 54th Fighter Group, Holloman AFB, New Mexico. He is responsible for the operations of the largest F-16 Formal Training Unit. The 54th Fighter Group is under the command of the 49th Wing and consists of more than 400 people including three F-16 Fighter Squadrons, an Operations Support Squadron and a Training Squadron. Before this assignment, Col Stitt served as the Concept Development Branch Chief, Directorate of Joint Force Development, the Joint Staff, Suffolk, VA.
Col Stitt received his commission in 2000 from the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Baylor University, Waco, Texas. He attended Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and F-16 training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. His operational assignments include pilot at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, instructor duty at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; Wing Advanced Programs Manager, Operations Division Chief for RED FLAG-Alaska and 80th Operations Group at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training; and commanded the 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, 407th Air Expeditionary Group at an Undisclosed Location in Southwest Asia.
Col Stitt is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flight hours and 600 combat hours. He has operational experience in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE, Southeast Asia and the Pacific theatre, and combat tours in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, and INHERENT RESOLVE.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Texas.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2010 Master of Aeronautical Science, Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona.
2010 USAF Air Command and Staff College by correspondence.
2021 Master of Strategic Studies, USAF Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2000 – December 2000, Squadron Section Commander, 49th Operational Support Squadron, Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
- January 2001 – January 2002, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas.
- May 2002 – November 2002, Student, F-16 Formal Training Unit, 62nd Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona.
- December 2002 – August 2005, Forward Air Controller (Airborne) F-16 Pilot and Chief of Standardization and Evaluations, 523rd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, New Mexico.
- September 2005 – January 2007, F-16 Instructor Pilot and Chief of Training, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea.
- August 2007 – December 2010, T-38 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander, 87th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas (June 2010 – December 2010, MC-12 Aircraft Commander and Chief of Tactics, 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Balad AB, Iraq).
- May 2011 – May 2012, F-16 Instructor Pilot and Chief of Advanced Programs, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
- June 2012 – May 2015, F-16 Evaluator Pilot and Director of Operations, 18th Aggressor Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska.
- June 2015 – December 2017, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Evaluator Pilot and Chief, Standardization and Evaluations Division, 80th Operations Group, Sheppard AFB, Texas.
- January 2018 – January 2019, F-16 Pilot and Commander, 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Undisclosed Location, SW Asia.
- May 2019 – June 2020, F-16 Evaluator Pilot and Deputy Commander, 51st Operations Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
- July 2020 – June 2021, Student, USAF Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
- July 2021 – June 2023, Chief, Concept Development Branch, Futures and Concept Division, Directorate for Joint Force Development J-7, Suffolk, Virginia.
- July 2023 – Present, Commander, 54th Fighter Group, Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2021 – June 2023, Chief, Concept Development Branch, Futures and Concept Division, Directorate for Joint Force Development J-7, Suffolk, Virginia, as a Colonel.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,400 hours, including over 600 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: F-16C/D, MC-12W, AT-38, T-38A/C, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with three devices
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2000
First Lieutenant June 2002
Captain June 2004
Major May 2010
Lieutenant Colonel September 2015
Colonel October 2021
(Current as of July 2023)