BRIG. GEN. STEPHANIE S. SAMENUS

Assistant Adjutant General
Johnston, IA
Since: September 2019

Brig. Gen. Stephanie S. Samenus serves as the Chief of Staff, Iowa Air National Guard, Johnston, Iowa. In this capacity, she is responsible to the Adjutant General and Deputy Adjutant General in oversight of Air National Guard operations and establishing plans and programs to ensure mission readiness of over 1900 personnel to provide air capability in federal and state missions.

General Samenus started her military career with the Naval Reserve as a Supply Corps Officer in 1993. In 1998 she joined the 185th Fighter Wing as the Budget Officer. Her assignments include command at the flight and group level with multiple deployments including Afghanistan, Guam, Turkey, Japan and Germany. General Samenus served as the Course Director of the ANG Squadron Commanders Course from 2014-2018. In 2019, she served as the Team Lead for the Air National Guard Advise Assist Team in Puerto Rico for hurricane recovery efforts. General Samenus served as Commander, Joint Task Force West for the State of Iowa in response to COVID-19 and as the Vice Wing Commander from 2020-2021. Prior to assuming her current position, she served as the director of Manpower and Personnel, National Guard Bureau, Space Operations, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.

EDUCATION 1987 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph 1987 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Business Management, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph 1993 Naval Supply Corps Officer School, Athens, Ga. 1994 Masters in Business Administration, University of South Dakota, Vermillion 2001 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence 2004 Public Affairs Qualification Course, Defense Information School, Fort Meade, Md. 2005 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2005 Executive Officer Education Course, Keesler AFB, Miss. 2007 Air War College, by correspondence 2010 Commanders Development Course, ANG Readiness Center, Andrews AFB, Md. 2013 Air Force Emergency Operations Center Director Course, Sioux City, Iowa 2018 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., by correspondence 2020 Joint Combined Warfighting School-H, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., by correspondence 2022 Space Executive Course, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo. ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 1993 - October 1995, Training Officer, San Diego Naval Station/Naval Reserve Center, Sioux City, Iowa 2. October 1995 - December 1998, Administrative Officer, Fleet Industrial Supply Center, Yokosuka, Japan; NRC, Sioux Falls, S.D. 3. December 1998 - December 2001, Budget Officer, 185th Fighter Wing, Sioux City, Iowa 4. December 2001 - November 2005, Community Manager; 185th Air Refueling Wing, Sioux City, Iowa 5. November 2005 - March 2006, Comptroller, 185th ARW Sioux City, Iowa 6. March 2006 - July 2009, Executive Officer, 185th ARW, Sioux City, Iowa 7. July 2009 - October 2011, Vice Wing Commander, 185th ARW, Sioux City, Iowa (January 2011 - March 2011, Commander, Expeditionary Mission Support Group, 455th AEW, Bagram, Afghanistan) 8. October 2011 - January 2020, Commander, Mission Support Group, 185th ARW, Sioux City, Iowa 9. January 2020 - June 2021, Vice Wing Commander, 185th ARW, Sioux City, Iowa (April 2020 - June 2020, Commander, Joint Task Force West, Sioux City, Iowa) 10. June 2021 - November 2022, Director, Manpower and Personnel(S1), National Guard Bureau Space Operations, Washington, D.C. 11. November 2022 - Present, Chief of Staff-Air, Iowa National Guard, Joint Forces Headquarters, Johnston, Iowa

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal Navy Achievement Medal.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 2014 Disney Award for Top Dining Facility Nationwide Eight Air and Space Outstanding Unit Awards.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Ensign Sept. 3, 1993 Lieutenant Junior Grade Sept. 3, 1995 Captain Aug. 1, 1997 Major Aug. 11, 2001 Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 21, 2005 Colonel Jan. 1, 2013 Brigadier General Nov. 1, 2022.