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            GENERAL CHARLES F. "CHUCK" WALDGen. Charles F. "Chuck" Wald is Deputy Commander, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. USEUCOM is responsible for all U.S. forces operating across 91 countries in Europe, Africa, Russia, parts of Asia and the Middle East, and most of the Atlantic Ocean. General Wald earned his commission through the Air Force ROTC program in 1971. He has combat time as an O-2A forward air controller in Vietnam and as an F-16 pilot flying over Bosnia. The general has served as a T-37 instructor pilot and F-15 flight commander. Other duties include Chief of the U.S. Air Force Combat Terrorism Center, support group commander, operations group commander, and special assistant to the Chief of Staff for National Defense Review. He was also the Director of Strategic Planning and Policy at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and served on the Joint Staff as the Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy.General Wald commanded the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, where on Aug. 30, 1995, he led one of the wing’s initial strike packages against the ammunition depot at Pale, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in one of the first NATO combat operations. He also commanded the 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., where he led the development of the Afghanistan air campaign for Operation Enduring Freedom, including the idea of embedding tactical air control parties in ground special operations forces. Prior to assuming his current position, he was Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations at the Pentagon. The general is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours, including more than 430 combat hours over Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq and Bosnia.EDUCATION1971 Bachelor of Arts degree in pre-law, North Dakota State University1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.1982 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.1982 Master of Political Science degree in international relations, Troy State University1990 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.1993 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.ASSIGNMENTS1. February 1971 - January 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.2. May 1972 - February 1973, forward air controller, Da Nang AB, South Vietnam3. May 1973 - May 1976, instructor pilot and wing flight examiner, Air Training Command, Craig AFB, Ala.4. December 1976 - August 1978, project officer, Operational Systems Engineering Branch, Norton AFB, Calif.5. August 1978 - August 1981, F-15A aircraft commander, instructor pilot and flight commander, 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany6. August 1981 - September 1982, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.7. September 1982 - August 1985, flight commander, assistant operations and operations officer, 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.8. August 1985 - August 1989, Chief, Strategic North Atlantic Treaty Organization Branch; later, Chief, Strategic and Middle East-Africa Branch; later, Chief, U.S. Air Force Combat Terrorism Center; later, assistant executive officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Washington, D.C.9. August 1989 - July 1990, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.10. July 1990 - March 1993, Deputy Commander for Operations, 86th Tactical Fighter Wing; later, Commander, 86th Support Group; later, Commander, 86th Operations Group, Ramstein AB, Germany11. March 1993 - September 1993, executive officer to Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Boerfink AB, Germany12. September 1993 - May 1995, executive officer to Director of Operations and U.S. Senior National Representative, Headquarters Allied Air Forces Central Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany13. May 1995 - July 1997, Commander, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy14. July 1997 - January 1998, special assistant to the Chief of Staff for National Defense Review, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.15. January 1998 - October 1998, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.16. October 1998 - January 2000, Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.17. January 2000 - November 2001, Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C.18. November 2001 - December 2002, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.19. December 2002 - present, Deputy Commander, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, GermanyFLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 3,600, including 430 combat hoursAircraft flown: C-20, O-2, T-37, T-38, F16 and F-15MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf clusterDistinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with oak leaf clusterDistinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf clusterMeritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Medal with silver oak leaf clusterAerial Achievement MedalAir Force Commendation MedalPresidential Unit Citation with oak leaf clusterJoint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clustersAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with V device and silver oak leaf clusterAir Force Organizational Excellence Award with four oak leaf clustersCombat Readiness MedalNational Defense Service Medal with two bronze starsArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service Medal with bronze starSouthwest Asia Service Medal with bronze starGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalArmed Forces Service MedalHumanitarian Service MedalAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold BorderFrench National Order of Merit (Rank of Commander)Gold Cross of Honor of the German Armed ForcesRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with PalmNATO Medal (Yugoslavia)Inter-American Defense Board Medal with silver starRepublic of Vietnam Campaign MedalOTHER ACHIEVEMENTSDepartment of State Superior Honor AwardNorth Dakota Distinguished Service MedalHonorary Doctorate of Laws, North Dakota State UniversityDefense Intelligence Agency Directors AwardEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Feb. 3, 1971First Lieutenant Aug. 3, 1972Captain Feb. 3, 1975Major Oct. 24, 1980Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 1986Colonel March 1, 1991Brigadier General Feb. 1, 1996Major General Sept. 1, 1998Lieutenant General Jan. 12, 2000General Jan. 1, 2003(Current as of May 2006)