Doss in Transformers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2006
Contact: Missouri Southern Alumni Association
(417) 625-9355

 

Story by Stephen Ernest Smith

 

 

Capt. Frederic Doss

JOPLIN, MO (SNS) - Only a few short years ago, Frederic (Adam) Doss was a student at Missouri Southern State University with a penchant for The X Files and science fiction movies.

 

Today he is Capt. Frederic Doss at the 49th Fighter Wing Air Force Base in Holloman, N.M. working with the Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) Group, 49th Materiel Maintenance Group (MMG).

 

He says: “Our group is responsible for setting up BEAR assets all over the world,” Doss says. “Our assets can turn a landing strip with minimal infrastructure anywhere on earth into a fully operational airbase in a matter of a few days. We have billeting tents, shower/shave and latrine units, kitchens, vehicles, water storage systems, lighting, air conditioning units, and a plethora of other amenities to make it all possible, plus teams of trained experts to set it all up.”

 

The existence of the BEAR group was one of the prime reasons Holloman AFB was selected as the filming site for Michael Bay’s Transformers the Movie.

 

Doss, who graduated from Missouri Southern in 2000 with a degree in Sociology, says the site simulates a deployed location somewhere in the Middle East and is the location of a lot of action in the film.

 

In the film two alien races, the Autobots and the Decepticons, bring their battle to Earth, leaving the future of humankind hanging in the balance.

 

Doss’ position at the BEAR base led him to work with personnel from Dreamworks a “Big Ten” studio headquartered in the United States that develops, produces, and distributes films, video games, and television programming. He served as one of the key points of contact between the film crew and the Air force.

 

While assisting with other aspects of the film he had a conversation with Sally Jackson who worked locations casting for the film.

 

“I revealed that I had been an acting student at Southern and she asked me to read for a part the next day. I nailed it on the first try and ended up playing a small role in the film opposite Charlie Bodin and Glenn Morshower. Charlie has done several TV shows and Glenn plays Agent Pierce, a regular on “24” since the first season. Both actors were a dream to work with.”

 

During his time at Missouri Southern Capt. Doss had roles in such diverse productions as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the Secret Garden, Camelot and Peter and the Wolf.

 

Frederic Doss plays a Navy Petty Officer in the film. Transformers is directed by Michael Bay and written by Alex Kurtzman and John Rogers.

 

He calls working on Transformers the Movie a “dream come true.”

 

Earlier this month, Capt. Doss had another surprise.

 

“I discovered I am being deployed to the desert,” he says. “Joining the Air Force right after 9/11 it has been a goal of mine to go over there and make a difference. I’ve very excited though I dread leaving my wife Andrea and beautiful little daughter for so long.”

 

Andrea Doss has a degree in English from Missouri Southern. The couple's daughter, Annabel, is almost 4 years old.

 

Capt. Doss expects to be in the Middle East for approximately eight months.

 

Transformers the Movie is scheduled for release in 2007.