Matthew Wolfe Davidson

Matthew Wolfe Davidson
Matthew Wolfe Davidson
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1994–present
Rank	Major General
Commands	Second Air Force ; 24th Special Operations Wing ; 724th Special Tactics Group ; 24th Special Tactics Squadron ; 320th Special Tactics Squadron
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal (2); Legion of Merit (2)

Last updated April 15, 2025

Matthew Wolfe Davidson is a United States Air Force major general who serves as the commander of the Second Air Force. He previously served as the deputy director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency from 2023 to 2024.^[1]

Davidson is a 1993 graduate from Oklahoma State University's Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He is a career Special Tactics Officer and has led special operations forces during operations Provide Comfort II, Assured Response, Joint Endeavor, Enduring Freedom – Philippines, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels and led joint operations as the Chief of Staff for Special Operations Command Central. Prior to assuming his current assignment, Davidson served as the Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff.^[2]^[3]

Education

1993 Bachelor of Science, Geography, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2004 Master of Science, International Relations, Troy State University, Alabama
2005 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2006 Master of Military Art and Science, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C.
2014 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk Naval Station, Va.

Military career

Davidson served as the deputy commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command.^[4] He also served as the director for operations of the Air Force Special Operations Command, as deputy commander of the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan, and once served as deputy commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command of the United States Space Command and vice commander of the Space Operations Command, United States Space Force. He was also previously assigned as executive officer to the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from June 2016 to April 2018.^[3] He was replaced by Michael E. Conley in June 2015.^[5]^[3]^[6]

Assignments

January 1994–December 1994, Special Tactics Training Pipeline
December 1994–August 1997, flight commander, 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
August 1997–August 1998, assistant director of Operations, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida
August 1998–January 2002, flight commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina
January 2002–May 2003, director of operations, 320th Special Tactics Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
May 2003–June 2004, commander, 320th Special Tactics Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
June 2004–June 2005, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
June 2005–June 2006, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
June 2006–June 2008, Air and Space Strategist, headquarters Air Force, Project CHECKMATE, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
June 2008–June 2009, deputy commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, North Carolina
June 2009–April 2011, commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, North Carolina
April 2011–June 2012, commander, 724th Special Tactics Group, Pope Army Field, North Carolina
June 2012–June 2013, Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C.
June 2013–June 2014, chief of staff, Special Operations Command Central Forward headquarters, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
September 2014–June 2016, commander, 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.^[7]
June 2016–April 2018, Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
April 2018–August 2019, vice commander, 14th Air Force, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.^[2]
August 2019–December 2019, Deputy Combined Force Space Component Commander, U.S. Space Command, and Vice Commander, 14th Air Force, Air Force Space Command, Vandenberg AFB, California
December 2019–April 2020, Deputy Combined Force Space Component Commander, U.S. Space Command, and Vice Commander, Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force, Vandenberg AFB, California
April 2020–August 2022, Director of Operations, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
August 2022–June 2023, Deputy Commander, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
July 2023–July 2024, Deputy Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.

Awards and decorations

	Senior Parachutist Badge
	Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge
	Special Operations Diver Badge
	Headquarters Air Force Badge

	Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
	Bronze Star Medal
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Air Force Commendation Medal
	Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award
	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
	Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Recognition Ribbon
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
	Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Armed Forces Service Medal
	Humanitarian Service Medal
	Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver oak leaf cluster
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with service star
	Air Force Training Ribbon

Effective dates of promotion


Rank	Date
Second lieutenant	Sept. 23, 1993
First lieutenant	Sept. 23 1995
Captain	Sept. 23, 1997
Major	Feb. 1, 2004
Lieutenant colonel	Sept. 1, 2007
Colonel	Sept. 1, 2011
Brigadier general	July 24, 2018

References

↑ "Air Force Special Operations General begins new role as Deputy Director of DTRA". DVIDS. July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
1 2 Swartzell, Griffin (July 1, 2019). "Constant integration, constant delivery". Colorado Springs Military Newspaper Group . Retrieved July 18, 2020.
1 2 3 "Brigadier General Matthew Wolfe Davidson". United States Air Force. October 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
↑ "Senior leader announcement: Week of March 31". Air Force. March 31, 2022.
↑ Wall, Mike (November 13, 2019). "US Must Adapt to Fight Growing Space-Based Threats, Air Force Officials Say". Space.com . Retrieved June 29, 2020.
↑ Erwin, Sandra (January 31, 2020). "Air Force Special Operations Command officer named to senior post in U.S. Space Force". SpaceNews . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
↑ Cheesman, Katrina (August 24, 2015). "Air Force Cross recipient medically retires". Northwest Florida Daily News . Retrieved July 18, 2020.

Military offices
Preceded by Robert G. Armfield	Commander of the 24th Special Operations Wing 2014–2016	Succeeded by Michael E. Martin
Preceded by Heather L. Pringle	Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force 2016–2018	Succeeded by Larry R. Broadwell
Preceded by Chad Franks	Vice Commander of the 14th Air Force, later Space Operations Command 2018–2020	Succeeded by Michael E. Conley
New office	Deputy Commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command 2019–2020	Succeeded by Michael E. Conley
Preceded by Michael E. Martin	Deputy Commanding General for Operations of NATO Special Operations Component Command and Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan 2020–2021	Command disestablished
Preceded by Michael E. Martin	Director of Operations of the Air Force Special Operations Command 2021–2022	Succeeded by Jocelyn J. Schermerhorn
Preceded by Eric T. Hill	Deputy Commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command 2022–2023	Succeeded by Rebecca J. Sonkiss
Preceded by Peter M. Bonetti Acting	Deputy Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency 2023–2024	Succeeded by Lyle K. Drew
Preceded by Michele C. Edmondson	Commander of the Second Air Force 2024–present	Incumbent

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[1] "Air Force Special Operations General begins new role as Deputy Director of DTRA". DVIDS. July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.

[position-2] 1 2 Swartzell, Griffin (July 1, 2019). "Constant integration, constant delivery". Colorado Springs Military Newspaper Group . Retrieved July 18, 2020.

[biography-3] 1 2 3 "Brigadier General Matthew Wolfe Davidson". United States Air Force. October 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

[4] "Senior leader announcement: Week of March 31". Air Force. March 31, 2022.

[5] Wall, Mike (November 13, 2019). "US Must Adapt to Fight Growing Space-Based Threats, Air Force Officials Say". Space.com . Retrieved June 29, 2020.

[replacement=appointment-6] Erwin, Sandra (January 31, 2020). "Air Force Special Operations Command officer named to senior post in U.S. Space Force". SpaceNews . Retrieved July 12, 2020.

[position2-7] Cheesman, Katrina (August 24, 2015). "Air Force Cross recipient medically retires". Northwest Florida Daily News . Retrieved July 18, 2020.

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