Upon completion of a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1958, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Transportation Corps.

From 1967 to 1969, Ross was assigned as a JTF-11 Staff Officer, United States Strike Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

Upon his return to the United States, Ross was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics at HQDA, in the Financial Resources and the Materiel Acquisition Directorates.

His next assignment was as the Deputy Comptroller of Oakland Army Base, California, and later as the Commander of the Military Ocean Terminal, Bay Area.

He returned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, HQDA, as the Director for Transportation, Energy and Troop Support from 1982 to 1984.

[1] Ross married Patricia L. Cox (1 August 1935 – 17 June 2020) on 18 December 1955 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas[2] while they were both still students in the Education program at Henderson State University.