Colonel Joseph M. Stangl is the Commander, 31st Maintenance Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy. The 31st Maintenance Group maintains combat capability for 56 combat-coded F-16C/D and HH-60 aircraft valued at $2.4B, and provides force infrastructure support for 1,600 military and civilian personnel assigned to 6 squadrons, including one Geographically Separated Unit at Camp Darby. Additionally, the group manages Europe’s largest munitions stockpile of 3.94 million items valued at $598 million.
Col Stangl entered the Air Force in 1988 and received his commission through the ROTC program at the University of Missouri in 2001. He has held a variety of maintenance assignments at the wing and service headquarters levels and has commanded at the squadron and group levels.
During previous operational assignments, he led combat sortie generation, aircraft maintenance, logistics and sustainment operations, and munitions supply chain activities across combat, and mission support portfolios within various units located throughout the United States, overseas locations, and within multiple combatant command AORs. Additionally, Col Stangl served as an Air Advisor in Afghanistan where he was the principal advisor to the Commander, Maintenance and Logistics, Afghan Air Force. His experience includes F-15A/B/C/D/E, F-16C/D, F-22, A-10A/C, Mi-17/35, HH-60, QF-4, and F-35As.
Col Stangl is happily married to his wife Jeffri; they have 5 children.
EDUCATION
1991 Associate of Applied Science, Aircraft Maintenance Technology, CCAF
1992 Associate of Applied Science, Criminal Law, New Mexico State University
1994 Bachelor of Science Criminal Law and Sociology, Eastern New Mexico University
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX
2003 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, FL
2004 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School, Nellis AFB, NV
2013 Distinguished Graduate, Naval College of Command and Staff, Newport Rhode Island
2013 Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, RI
2020 Distinguished Graduate, National Defense University, Eisenhower School, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
2020 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1988 - May 1988, Basic Military Training, 332d Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX
2. May 1988 - August 1988, Aircraft Pneudraulic Technical Training Course, 82d Technical Training Squadron,
Chanute AFB, IL
3. August 1988 - August 1993, F-15 Pneudraulic Systems Technician, 49 Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM
4. August 1993 - June 1999, F-111 Hydraulic Systems Technician, 27 Component Repair Squadron, Cannon AFB,
NM
5. June 1999 - December 2000, Reserve Officer Training Corps Student, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
6. January 2000 - June 2000, Propulsion Flight Commander, 366th Component Repair Squadron, Mountain Home
AFB, ID
7. June 2000 - December 2001, Executive Officer, 366th Maintenance Group, Mountain Home AFB, ID
8. December 2001 - January 2003, Assistant Officer in Charge, 390th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 366th Aircraft
Maintenance Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, ID
9. January 2003 - January 2004, Officer in Charge, Contractor Logistics Support, 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group,
Tyndall AFB, FL
10. January 2004 - June 2006, Officer in Charge, Quality Assurance Evaluation, 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group,
Tyndall AFB, FL
11. June 2006 - June 2008, Officer in Charge, 19th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,
Elmendorf AFB, AK
12. June 2008 - June 2009, Maintenance Operations Officer, 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, AK
13. June 2009 - December 2010, Maintenance Operations Officer, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-
Monthan AFB, AZ
14. January 2011 - December 2011, Commander, 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, Kabul, Afghanistan
15. January 2012 - June 2013, Student, United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
16. July 2013 - June 2015, Commander, 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
17. July 2015 - June 2016, Commander, 748th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England
18. July 2016 - June 2018, Commander, 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England
19. July 2018 - June 2019, Chief, Fighter Sustainment Branch, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon,
Washington, DC
20. July 2019 - July 2020, Student, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
21. July 2020 - June 2022, Deputy Maintenance Group Commander, 48th Maintenance Group, RAF Lakenheath,
England
22. June 2022 - June 2023, Commander, 48th Maintenance Group, RAF Lakenheath, England
23. June 2023 - Present, Commander, 31st Maintenance Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Lt Gen Leo Marquez Award, Company Grade Officer, USAF
Gen Lew Allen, Jr. Award for Outstanding Sortie Generation Leadership, Wing
Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Wing
Company Grade Officer of the Year
Field Grade Officer of the Year
(Current as of June 2023)