Eric E. Fiel

Eric E. Fiel
Eric E. Fiel
	General Eric E. Fiel in 2011
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1981–2014
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Air Force Special Operations Command ; 58th Special Operations Wing
Battles/wars	Operation Deliberate Force ; Operation Noble Anvil ; War in Afghanistan ; Iraq War
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal (3); Legion of Merit ; Distinguished Flying Cross ; Bronze Star Medal (4)

Last updated May 13, 2024

Lieutenant General Eric E. Fiel is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014. The command is the Air Force component of United States Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force special operations forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders. The command has approximately 16,000 active-duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.

Air Force career

Fiel entered the United States Air Force in 1981 as a graduate of Officer Training School. He has held a variety of assignments and has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. Additionally, he has held a variety of staff positions at major command, unified command, Air Staff and Secretary of the Air Force levels. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Vice Commander, Headquarters United States Special Operations Command, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Fiel has significant experience in combat and leadership positions in major joint contingency operations. He commanded a special operations squadron during Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia and Operation Noble Anvil in Kosovo operations. From September 2001 to March 2003, he was forward-deployed as the Joint Special Operations Air Component commander in Operation Enduring Freedom. From May 2006 to April 2008, he was forward-deployed as a task force commander multiple times for operations Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. On January 26, 2011, Fiel was nominated by the Pentagon to replace Donald Wurster as the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command.^[1]

AFSOC commander

On June 24, 2011, Fiel took over Air Force Special Operations Command from General Donald C. Wurster in a ceremony held at Hurlburt Field. “Lt. Gen. Wurster has been a brilliant and strong leader,” said Adm. Eric Olson, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command. “He led by always putting people first in the air and on the ground. Today is more than a transfer of authority. We say goodbye to a great leader and friend. “Gen. Fiel will now bring his own vision,” Olson added. “There will be challenges, but I've seen him face challenges before and overcome many obstacles. In the transition from one commander to another, I know (AFSOC) will continue to excel.” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presided over the ceremony.^[2]^[3]

After Fiel assumed command he initiated a re-assessment of AFSOCs combat priorities. As a result, various changes were instituted, including a re-missioning of the MC-130W as the AC-130W gunship for increased capabilities in precision airstrike support, the 24th Special Operations Wing was stood up composed entirely of Special Tactics Squadrons as well as their training squadron.^[4] The Special Tactics Squadrons are made up of Special Tactics Officers, Combat Controllers, Combat Rescue Officers, Pararescuemen, Special Operations Weather Officers and Airmen, Air Liaison Officers, Tactical Air Control Party operators, and a number of combat support airmen which comprise 58 Air Force specialties.^[5]

Education

1980 Bachelor of Science degree in management, University at Buffalo, New York
1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
1989 Master's degree in management, Troy State University
1992 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
1992 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
2001 Master's degree in strategic studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2005 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, New York
2008 Navy Senior Leader Business Course, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Assignments

July 1981 – July 1982, student, undergraduate navigator training and electronic warfare officer training, 323rd Flying Training Wing, Mather AFB, California
August 1982 – July 1984, MC-130E EWO instructor and executive officer, 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
August 1984 – July 1985, standardization and evaluation EWO, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida
August 1985 – August 1986, executive officer, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida
September 1986 – September 1987, Air Staff Training Program, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
September 1987 – September 1988, chief of MC-130E Standardization and Evaluation, Headquarters 23rd Air Force, Hurlburt Field, Florida
September 1988 – September 1989, chief of Electronic Combat Division, Headquarters 23rd Air Force, Hurlburt Field, Florida
September 1989 – February 1990, executive officer to the Vice Commander, 23rd Air Force, Hurlburt Field, Florida
February 1990 – May 1991, aide-de-camp to the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida
June 1991 – June 1992, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
June 1992 – September 1992, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
September 1992 – April 1994, chief of North Asia Air Defense Division, Joint Intelligence Center Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
April 1994 – August 1995, chief of Crisis Management Division, Joint Intelligence Center Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
September 1995 – January 1997, director of operations, 18th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
February 1997 – September 1999, assistant director of operations, director of operations and commander of 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
September 1999 – July 2000, deputy commander of 16th Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida
August 2000 – June 2001, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
July 2001 – April 2003, commander of Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
April 2003 – May 2005, commander of 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
June 2005 – December 2005, director of operations, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida
December 2005 – April 2006, commander of Air Force Special Operations Forces, Hurlburt Field, Florida
April 2006 – April 2008, deputy commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
May 2008 – September 2009, director of Center for Force Structure, Requirements, Resources and Strategic Assessments, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida
October 2009 – June 2010, chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida
June 2010 – June 2011, vice commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, Washington, D.C.
June 2011 – July 2014, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida

Flight information

Rating: Master navigator
Flight hours: More than 2,000
Aircraft flown: T-43, T-37, MC-130E/H and AC-130A/H/U

Decorations and badges

Master Navigator Badge

	Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Legion of Merit
	Distinguished Flying Cross
	Bronze Star with three oak leaf clusters
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Air Medal
	Aerial Achievement Medal
	Air Force Commendation Medal
	Joint Service Achievement Medal
	Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
	Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three oak leaf clusters
	Outstanding Unit Award (second ribbon to denote fifth award)
	Organizational Excellence Award
	Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Kosovo Campaign Medal
	Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star
	Iraq Campaign Medal with one service star
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Armed Forces Service Medal
	Humanitarian Service Medal
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and three oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with one bronze service star
	Air Force Training Ribbon
	NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia)

Promotion dates

Second Lieutenant July 15, 1981
First Lieutenant July 15, 1983
Captain July 15, 1985
Major October 1, 1991
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 1996
Colonel March 1, 2001
Brigadier General Nov. 2, 2006
Major General Dec. 3, 2009
Lieutenant General June 11, 2010

Related Research Articles

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References

This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force

↑ "Pentagon names new commander for AFSOC". Air Force Times. Jan 26, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
↑ McCurdy, Angel, "Fiel assumes command of AFSOC, takes over for retiring Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster", Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday 24 June 2011.
↑ "Fiel assumes command of AFSOC, takes over for retiring Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster | gen, assumes, hurlburt - Northwest Florida Daily News". Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
↑ Dave Ahearn (August 2012). "Q&A: LIEUTENANT GENERAL ERIC E. FIEL". Volume: 10 Issue: 6 (August). Special Operations Technology. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
↑ "24th SOW Factsheet". Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.

Military offices
Preceded by Donald C. Wurster	Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command 2011–2014	Succeeded by Bradley Heithold

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[1] "Pentagon names new commander for AFSOC". Air Force Times. Jan 26, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2013.

[2] McCurdy, Angel, "Fiel assumes command of AFSOC, takes over for retiring Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster", Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday 24 June 2011.

[3] "Fiel assumes command of AFSOC, takes over for retiring Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster | gen, assumes, hurlburt - Northwest Florida Daily News". Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.

[4] Dave Ahearn (August 2012). "Q&A: LIEUTENANT GENERAL ERIC E. FIEL". Volume: 10 Issue: 6 (August). Special Operations Technology. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.

[5] "24th SOW Factsheet". Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.

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