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Command changes at 20th Air Force; both former commanders at Minot AFB

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyoming – Maj. Gen. Ferdinand “Fred” Stoss will pass the 20th Air Force guidon to Maj. Gen. Michael Lutton during a change of command ceremony today at 10 a.m. at F. E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.

Both are former commanders of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base.

Lt. Gen. Anthony Cotton, deputy commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, is the presiding official for the ceremony. Tracing its lineage back to 1944, 20th Air Force will welcome its 24th commander.

Prior to this assignment, Lutton was the deputy director for Nuclear and Homeland Defense Operations, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is a career space and missile officer and a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School. Lutton also served as weapons officer instructor, weapons squadron operations officer and weapons squadron commander. He commanded the United States Air Force’s only group providing initial training for the nation’s space and intercontinental ballistic missile operations and air launched cruise missile maintenance forces. He was commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB from June 2014-June 2016.

The 20th Air Force commander is responsible for over 12,000 people for the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile force, organized into three operational wings. In addition, the commander oversees the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, which provides critical support to the nuclear operation and mission partners.

20th Air Force is comprised of three missile wings and one air base wing – 90th Missile Wing, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, and 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Montana, and 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Additionally, 20th Air Force oversees the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, California.

Stoss has been the 20th Air Force commander since January 2018. He is headed to his next assignment as director, Plans and Policy, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. He was commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base from October 2009-June 2011.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, media will not be invited to the ceremony. The ceremony will be broadcasted live on the official 20th Air Force Facebook page.

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