George Wikoff

George Wikoff
Born	1968 (age 56–57) New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. [1]
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Service years	1990–present
Rank	Admiral
Commands	United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa Allied Joint Force Command Naples United States Naval Forces Central Command United States Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Forces Naval Air Forces (acting) Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (acting) Carrier Strike Group 5 Carrier Air Wing Three VFA-122 VFA-211
Battles / wars	War in Afghanistan
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4)
Alma mater	Catholic University of America

George M. Wikoff (born 1968) ^[2] is a United States Navy admiral who serves as the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples since 18 November 2025. He previously served as the commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command, United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces from 2024 to 2025. He previously served as the vice director of the Joint Staff from 2021 to 2023. ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}

In January 2023, Wikoff was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command, United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces. ^{[6] [7]} He served as acting commander of Naval Air Forces from 7 September 2023 to January 2024. ^[8]

Awards and decorations

Naval Aviator Badge
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal		Legion of Merit with three award stars		Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with strike/flight numeral "4" device		Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars		Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two award stars
Navy Unit Commendation ribbon		Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with award star		Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation		Battle Effectiveness Award 2nd award		National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal		Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star		Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with three bronze service stars		Armed Forces Service Medal		Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with bronze service star		Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star		NATO Medal Non-Article5
Command at Sea insignia
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Allied Joint Force Command Naples Badge

Career highlights

Vice Admiral George M. Wikoff is a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is a 1990 graduate of the Catholic University of America, was commissioned through the George Washington University NROTC program, and earned masters from the University of Arkansas.

Wikoff served operationally in Fighter Squadron (VF) 102 aboard USS America (CV 66) and VF-154 forward deployed to Atsugi, Japan on USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Command assignments include Strike Fighter Squadron(VFA) 211 deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), VFA-122, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 deployed aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5 forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and Commander (acting) Naval Air Forces.

Wikoff’s shore assignments include the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, as TOPGUN training officer; Naval Personnel Command as placement officer for the Tomcat and Super Hornet communities; Joint Staff as an action officer in the Operations Directorate, Deputy Directorate for Antiterrorism and Homeland Defense (J-34); Chief of Naval Operations staff as air warfare special programs requirements officer (N88); the Combined Air and Space Operations Center as battle director in Qatar; U.S. Naval Forces Central Command as Chief of Staff and Maritime Operations Center Director in Bahrain, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations, Joint Staff as Deputy Director for Operations (OT-5) and Assistant Director for Global Integration and Current Operations (J-33), and Vice Director, Joint Staff.

References

1. "Rear Admiral George Wikoff". www.navy.mil.
2. Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1 October 1990. p. 192. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
3. "US Navy Admiral hails Beijing as 'cordial, professional' in South China Sea". South China Morning Post. 17 October 2019.
4. "Wikoff Takes Command of 7th Fleet's Task Force 70". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
5. "Rear Adm. George M. Wikoff, commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, visits USS McCampbell (DDG 85)". DVIDS.
6. "PN211 — Rear Adm. George M. Wikoff — Navy". United States Congress . 26 January 2023.
7. "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense.^{[ dead link ]}
8. LaGrone, Sam (25 August 2023). "Acting Commanders Set to Take Charge of Naval Academy, Naval Air Forces and NAVSEA". USNI News . Retrieved 2 September 2023.

External links

• Media related to George M. Wikoff at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices
Preceded by Sara A. Joyner	Commander of Carrier Air Wing 3 2013–201?	Succeeded by ???
Preceded by Karl O. Thomas	Commander of Carrier Strike Group 5 2019–2020	Succeeded by Will Pennington
Preceded by William D. Byrne Jr.	Vice Director of the Joint Staff 2021–2023	Succeeded by Michael L. Downs
Preceded by Kenneth R. Whitesell	Commander of Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Acting 2023–2024	Succeeded by Douglas C. Verissimo
Preceded by Charles Cooper II	Commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command, United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces 2024–2025	Succeeded by Curt Renshaw
Preceded by Stuart B. Munsch	Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples and United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa 2025–present	Incumbent