# Tod D. Wolters

Tod Daniel Wolters (born October 13, 1960) is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the commander of U.S. European Command and concurrently as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). He previously served as the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa. He assumed his capstone assignment at the European Command in Germany on May 2, 2019 and at the Allied Command in Belgium on May 3, 2019.

## Military career

The son of Air Force Brigadier General Thomas E. Wolters, Wolters received his commission in 1982 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He has commanded the 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; the 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Virginia; the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing, Saudi Arabia; the 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas; the 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Florida; the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan; and the Twelfth Air Force, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. He has fought in operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Wolters served in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, as Director of Legislative Liaison, and in Headquarters' staff positions at United States Pacific Command, Headquarters United States Air Force, and Air Force Space Command.
Prior to Wolters' appointment as SACEUR, he was the Director for Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. He assisted the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in fulfilling his responsibilities as the principal military advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense. Wolters develops and provides strategic guidance to the combatant commands and relays communications between the President and the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders regarding current operations and plans.
Wolters is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in the F-15C, F-22, OV-10, T-38 and A-10 aircraft.

## Education

* 1982 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
* 1990 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
* 1995 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
* 1996 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
* 1996 Master's degree in aeronautical science technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
* 2001 Master's degree in strategic studies, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
* 2004 Senior Executive Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
* 2007 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
* 2010 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
* 2010 Combined Force Land Component Commander's Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
* 2014 Fellow, Pinnacle Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

## Assignments

* June 1982 – June 1983, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas
* July 1983 – August 1983, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
* September 1983 – November 1983, student, OV-10 Replacement Training Unit, Patrick AFB, Fla.
* November 1983 – June 1984, OV-10 pilot, 704th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Sembach Air Base, West Germany
* July 1984 – September 1986, OV-10 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, Calif.
* October 1986 – November 1986, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
* December 1986 – April 1987, student, F-15 Replacement Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
* May 1987 – December 1989, F-15 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany
* January 1990 – April 1990, student, U.S. Air Force F-15 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
* May 1990 – February 1992, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
* March 1992 – March 1995, assistant operations officer, flight commander and instructor pilot, F-15 Division, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
* April 1995 – March 1997, aide-de-camp to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
* April 1997 – December 1997, Chief of Safety, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
* January 1998 – December 1998, operations officer, 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
* January 1999 – June 2000, Commander, 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
* July 2000 – June 2001, student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
* June 2001 – April 2002, Chief, Combat Forces Division, Directorate of Operational Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
* May 2002 – July 2004, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va. (February 2003 – May 2003, Commander, 485th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia)
* July 2004 – April 2006, Commander, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
* June 2006 – March 2008, Commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
* March 2008 – March 2009, Deputy Commander, Political-Military Affairs, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
* April 2009 – May 2011, Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
* May 2011 – May 2012, Commander, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force – Afghanistan, and Deputy Commander-Air, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan
* June 2012 – August 2013, director, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
* September 2013 – December 2014, Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
* December 2014 – July 2015, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
* July 2015 – August 2016, Director for Operations, Joint Staff, Arlington, Va.
* August 2016 – April 2019, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Commander, U.S. Air Forces Africa; Commander, Allied Air Command, headquartered at Ramstein AB, Germany; and Director, Joint Air Power Competency Centre, Kalkar, Germany
* May 2019 – July 2022, Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany; and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Mons, Belgium

## Summary of joint assignments

* April 1995 – March 1997, aide-de-camp to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a major.
* March 2008 – March 2009, Deputy Commander, Political-Military Affairs, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general.
* May 2011 – May 2012, Commander, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force – Afghanistan, and Deputy Commander-Air, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, as a major general.
* September 2013 – December 2014, Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., as a lieutenant general.
* July 2015 – August 2016, Director for Operations, Joint Staff, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant general.
* May 2019 – July 2022, Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany; and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Mons, Belgium, as a general.

## Flight information

Rating: Command Pilot Flight hours: more than 4,990 Aircraft flown: F-15C, F-22, OV-10, T-38, and A-10

## Awards and decorations

| Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge |
| Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge | Basic Space Operations Badge |
| 1st row | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
| 2nd row | Defense Superior Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal | Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster | Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster | Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster |
| 3rd row | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Medal with oak leaf cluster | Air Medal with oak leaf cluster | Air Medal with oak leaf cluster |
| 4th row | Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters | Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters | Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
| 5th row | Air Force Achievement Medal | Air Force Achievement Medal | Air Force Achievement Medal | Air Force Combat Action Medal | Air Force Combat Action Medal | Air Force Combat Action Medal | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster |
| 6th row | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (second ribbon to denote fifth award) | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (second ribbon to denote fifth award) | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (second ribbon to denote fifth award) | Army Superior Unit Award | Army Superior Unit Award | Army Superior Unit Award |
| 7th row | Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster | Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster | Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster | Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster | Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster | Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster | National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star |
| 8th row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze service star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze service star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze service star |
| 9th row | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon | Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon | Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon |
| 10th row | Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters | Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters | Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters | Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and one bronze oak leaf cluster | Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and one bronze oak leaf cluster | Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and one bronze oak leaf cluster | Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters | Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters |
| 11th row | Air Force Longevity Service Award (second ribbon to denote tenth award) | Air Force Longevity Service Award (second ribbon to denote tenth award) | Air Force Longevity Service Award (second ribbon to denote tenth award) | Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service star | Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service star | Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service star | Air Force Training Ribbon | Air Force Training Ribbon | Air Force Training Ribbon |
| 12th row | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | SICOFAA Legion of Merit, Grand Cross | SICOFAA Legion of Merit, Grand Cross | SICOFAA Legion of Merit, Grand Cross | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
| Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge | United States European Command Badge |
| Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge | SACEUR Badge |
| Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |
| Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge | Headquarters Air Force Badge |
* He is also a recipient of the Weapons School Graduate Patch .

## Effective dates of promotion

Promotions :
| Rank | Date |
| General | August 11, 2016 |
| Lieutenant General | September 24, 2013 |
| Major General | August 2, 2011 |
| Brigadier General | November 2, 2007 |
| Colonel | July 1, 2002 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | January 1, 1998 |
| Major | March 1, 1994 |
| Captain | June 2, 1986 |
| First Lieutenant | June 2, 1984 |
| Second Lieutenant | June 2, 1982 |