Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders

    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      EtterNov2014Engage On
        
        EtterNov2014LIEUTENANT GENERAL WILLIAM H. ETTERLt. Gen. William H. Etter is Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Force North) and Commander Continental North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. His command comprises four direct reporting units, 10 aligned Air National Guard units, and a large number of active air defense alert sites, including aircraft, air defense artillery, and up to 15,000 active duty, National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Canadian Forces and civilian personnel. Additionally, Lt. Gen. Etter is responsible for the oversight of the 1,400 units and 56,000 volunteers of the Civil Air Patrol.First Air Force falls under Air Combat Command and is responsible for the operational readiness of assigned and attached U.S. Air Force forces.  As the Joint Force Air Component Commander for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, General Etter develops contingency plans and conducts full-spectrum U.S. Air Force air and space operations in the continental U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as over the maritime approaches to the U.S.
General Etter earned his commission through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Connecticut. He has served in various operational, command and staff assignments as an F-16 pilot. General Etter subsequently served as Director of Operations and Assistant Adjutant General-Air for the Vermont Air National Guard before transferring to the Connecticut Air National Guard.
Upon moving to the National Guard Bureau, General Etter served in many positions including Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Director Joint Staff of National Guard Bureau, Director of Domestic Operations (J3), Director of Domestic Operations/Force Development (J3/7) and the Deputy Director of the Air National Guard. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, for National Guard Matters at the Pentagon. The general is a command pilot with more than 3,700 hours in a variety of military aircraft.**EDUCATION**
1979 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs 
1984 Master of Science, Management, Troy State University, Troy, Ala.
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
2005 Senior Executives in International Security, John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2006 Dual Status Title 10/32 Joint Task Force Commanders Course, Norfolk, Va.
2007 Leading Organizational Change, the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
2009 Combined Force Air Component Commander (CFACC) Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2011 Senior Executive Seminar, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Garmisch, Germany
2014 Pinnacle General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. February 1980 - February 1981, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. February 1981 - June 1981, Student, Fighter Lead-in Training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. June 1981- February 1982, Student, F-16 Initial Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Fla.
4. February 1982 - July 1985, Pilot, Instructor Pilot and Standardization Evaluation Examiner, F-16, 496th Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany
5. July 1985 - September 1985, Student, Tactical Air Command Instructor Pilot Course, F-16, MacDill AFB, Fla.
6. September 1985 - July 1987, Instructor Pilot, Standardization Evaluation Flight Examiner, F-16, 61st Tactical Fighter Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
7. July 1987 - January 1993, Instructor Pilot and Standardization Evaluation Flight Examiner, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vt.
8. January 1993 - August 1993, Operations Officer, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vt.
9. August 1993 - April 1997, Commander, 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vt.
10. April 1997 - November 2001, Commander, 158th Operations Group, Burlington, Vt.
11. November 2001- August 2003, Director of Operations, Headquarters Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vt.
12. August 2003 - August 2004, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Joint Force Headquarters Vermont National Guard, Colchester, Vt. 
13. August 2004 - January 2007, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Commander, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vt.; (also served September 2006, Maple Tap Commander, Iraq)
14. February 2007 - June 2008, Director for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.; also served January 2008 - June 2008, Acting Director, Joint Staff, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
15. July 2008 - March 2010, Director, Domestic Operations (J3), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
16. April 2010 - November 2010, Director for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.; also served April 2010 - September 2010, Acting Director, Domestic Operations/Force Development (J3/7), Arlington, Va.
17. December 2010 - June 2012, Deputy Director, Air National Guard, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2012 - March 2013, Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, for National Guard Matters, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
19. March 2013 - present, Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Force North) and Commander Continental North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall AFB, Fla.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. February 2007 - June 2008, Director for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.; also served January 2008 - June 2008, Acting Director, Joint Staff, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va., as a major general
2. July 2008 - March 2010, Director, Domestic Operations (J3), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va., as a major general
3. April 2010 - October 2010, Director for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.; (April 2010 - September 2010, Acting Director, Domestic Operations/Force Development (J3/7), Arlington, Va. as a major general)
4. June 2012 - March 2013, Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, for National Guard Matters, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major general**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 3,700 (military), more than 11,300 (commercial) 
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, F-16A/B/C/D, B-737, B-757, B-767 
Pilot wings from: Columbus AFB, Miss.**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "valor" device and four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon (Long) 
Air Force Longevity Service Award with eight oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Hourglass Device and 'M' device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Training Ribbon**OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS**
1979 Summa Cum Laude, University of Connecticut 
1979 Distinguished Graduate, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, University of Connecticut
1981 Commander's Trophy and Flying Training Award, Undergraduate Pilot's Training, Air Training Command
1985 Gabreski Award, Top Graduate, F-16 Instructor Pilot Course, McDill AFB, Fla**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant May 20, 1979
First Lieutenant May 20, 1981
Captain Nov. 20, 1983
Major Sept. 12, 1989
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 3, 1993
Colonel March 30, 2000
Brigadier General Jan. 28, 2004
Major General Feb. 1, 2007
Lieutenant General March 7, 2013
(Current as of June 2016)
  Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil