Tod D. Wolters

Tod D. Wolters
Tod D. Wolters
	General Tod D. Wolters
Nickname(s)	"Magoo"
Born	October 13, 1960 (age 62); Hiawatha, Kansas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1982–2022
Rank	General
Commands held	United States European Command ; Supreme Allied Commander Europe ; United States Air Forces in Europe ; Twelfth Air Force ; 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force ; 325th Fighter Wing ; 47th Flying Training Wing ; 1st Operations Group ; 485th Air Expeditionary Wing ; 19th Fighter Squadron ;
Battles/wars	Gulf War ; War in Afghanistan ; Iraq War ;
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3); Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2); Defense Superior Service Medal ; Legion of Merit (3); Bronze Star Medal (2);
Alma mater	United States Air Force Academy (BS); Air Command and Staff College ; Armed Forces Staff College ; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ; United States Army War College ;
	Tod D. Wolters's voice Wolters's opening statement at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the security environment in Europe; Recorded March 30, 2022

Last updated May 03, 2023

Tod Daniel Wolters^[1] (born October 13, 1960) is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the commander of U.S. European Command and concurrently as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). He previously served as the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa. He assumed his capstone assignment at the European Command in Germany on May 2, 2019^[2] and at the Allied Command in Belgium on May 3, 2019.^[3]

Military career

The son of Air Force Brigadier General Thomas E. Wolters,^[4] Wolters received his commission in 1982 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He has commanded the 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; the 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Virginia; the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing, Saudi Arabia; the 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas; the 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Florida; the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan; and the Twelfth Air Force, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. He has fought in operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.^{[ citation needed ]}

Wolters served in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, as Director of Legislative Liaison, and in Headquarters' staff positions at United States Pacific Command, Headquarters United States Air Force, and Air Force Space Command.^{[ citation needed ]}

Prior to Wolters' appointment as SACEUR, he was the Director for Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. He assisted the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in fulfilling his responsibilities as the principal military advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense. Wolters develops and provides strategic guidance to the combatant commands and relays communications between the President and the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders regarding current operations and plans.

Wolters is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in the F-15C, F-22, OV-10, T-38 and A-10 aircraft.^{[ citation needed ]}

Education

1982 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1990 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1995 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1996 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1996 Master's degree in aeronautical science technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2001 Master's degree in strategic studies, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2004 Senior Executive Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2007 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Combined Force Land Component Commander's Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2014 Fellow, Pinnacle Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Assignments

June 1982 – June 1983, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas
July 1983 – August 1983, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
September 1983 – November 1983, student, OV-10 Replacement Training Unit, Patrick AFB, Fla.
November 1983 – June 1984, OV-10 pilot, 704th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Sembach Air Base, West Germany
July 1984 – September 1986, OV-10 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, Calif.
October 1986 – November 1986, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
December 1986 – April 1987, student, F-15 Replacement Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
May 1987 – December 1989, F-15 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany
January 1990 – April 1990, student, U.S. Air Force F-15 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
May 1990 – February 1992, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
March 1992 – March 1995, assistant operations officer, flight commander and instructor pilot, F-15 Division, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
April 1995 – March 1997, aide-de-camp to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
April 1997 – December 1997, Chief of Safety, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
January 1998 – December 1998, operations officer, 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
January 1999 – June 2000, Commander, 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
July 2000 – June 2001, student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
June 2001 – April 2002, Chief, Combat Forces Division, Directorate of Operational Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
May 2002 – July 2004, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va. (February 2003 – May 2003, Commander, 485th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia)
July 2004 – April 2006, Commander, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
June 2006 – March 2008, Commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
March 2008 – March 2009, Deputy Commander, Political-Military Affairs, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
April 2009 – May 2011, Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
May 2011 – May 2012, Commander, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force – Afghanistan, and Deputy Commander-Air, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan
June 2012 – August 2013, director, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
September 2013 – December 2014, Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
December 2014 – July 2015, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
July 2015 – August 2016, Director for Operations, Joint Staff, Arlington, Va.
August 2016 – April 2019, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Commander, U.S. Air Forces Africa; Commander, Allied Air Command, headquartered at Ramstein AB, Germany; and Director, Joint Air Power Competency Centre, Kalkar, Germany
May 2019 – July 2022, Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany; and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Mons, Belgium

Summary of joint assignments

April 1995 – March 1997, aide-de-camp to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a major.
March 2008 – March 2009, Deputy Commander, Political-Military Affairs, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general.
May 2011 – May 2012, Commander, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force – Afghanistan, and Deputy Commander-Air, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, as a major general.
September 2013 – December 2014, Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., as a lieutenant general.
July 2015 – August 2016, Director for Operations, Joint Staff, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant general.
May 2019 – July 2022, Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany; and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Mons, Belgium, as a general.

Flight information

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,990
Aircraft flown: F-15C, F-22, OV-10, T-38, and A-10

Awards and decorations

Badge	US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Badge	Basic Space Operations Badge
1st row	Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters		Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
2nd row	Defense Superior Service Medal	Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters		Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
3rd row	Defense Meritorious Service Medal	Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters		Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
4th row	Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters	Joint Service Commendation Medal		Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
5th row	Air Force Achievement Medal	Air Force Combat Action Medal		Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
6th row	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three bronze oak leaf clusters	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (second ribbon to denote fifth award)		Army Superior Unit Award
7th row	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster	Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster		National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
8th row	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal	Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star		Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze service star
9th row	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal		Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
10th row	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and one bronze oak leaf cluster		Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
11th row	Air Force Longevity Service Award (second ribbon to denote tenth award)	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service star		Air Force Training Ribbon
12th row	NATO Medal for service with ISAF	SICOFAA Legion of Merit, Grand Cross^[5]		Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Badge	United States European Command Badge
Badge	SACEUR Badge
Badge	Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Badge	Headquarters Air Force Badge

He is also a recipient of the Weapons School Graduate Patch .

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions
Insignia	Rank	Date
	General	August 11, 2016
	Lieutenant General	September 24, 2013
	Major General	August 2, 2011
	Brigadier General	November 2, 2007
	Colonel	July 1, 2002
	Lieutenant Colonel	January 1, 1998
	Major	March 1, 1994
	Captain	June 2, 1986
	First Lieutenant	June 2, 1984
	Second Lieutenant	June 2, 1982

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References

This article incorporates public domain material from General Tod D. Wolters Biography. United States Air Force.

↑ "United States Air Force Academy - Polaris Yearbook (Colorado Springs, CO), Class of 1981, Page 493 of 512 (afa) | E-Yearbook.com has the largest online yearbook collection of college, university, high school, middle school, junior high school, military, naval cruise books and yearbooks. Search and browse yearbooks online!". e-yearbook.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
↑ "United States European Command". www.eucom.mil. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
↑ "SHAPE | General Tod D. Wolters Assumes Command as 19th Supreme Allied Commander Europe". shape.nato.int. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
↑ writer, Patty Moore Contributing. "Veterans of Korea honored in Everest". Hiawatha World Online. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
↑ "El Libro Cronológico del Sistema de Cooperación entre las Fuerzas Aéreas Americanas" (PDF). SICOFAA. 2015. p. 40. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

External links

Media related to Tod D. Wolters at Wikimedia Commons
Appearances on C-SPAN

Military offices
Preceded by Daniel P. Woodward	Commander of the 47th Flying Training Wing 2004–2006	Succeeded by Edward M. Minahan
Preceded by Jack B. Egginton	Commander of the 325th Fighter Wing 2006–2008	Succeeded by Darryl Roberson
Preceded by ???	Deputy Commander for Political-Military Affairs of the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan 2008–2009	Succeeded by Carlton D. Everhart II
Preceded by Stanley T. Kresge	Director of Air, Space, and Cyberspace Operations of the Air Force Space Command 2009–2011	Succeeded by David D. Thompson
Preceded by Charles W. Lyon	Commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan 2011–2012	Succeeded by Kenneth S. Wilsbach
Preceded by Lori Robinson	Legislative Liaison of the United States Air Force 2012–2013	Succeeded by Thomas W. Bergeson
Preceded by Robin Rand	Commander of the Twelfth Air Force 2013–2014	Succeeded by Mark Nowland
Preceded by Burton M. Field	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the United States Air Force 2014–2015	Succeeded by John W. Raymond
Preceded by William C. Mayville Jr.	Director for Operations of the Joint Staff 2015–2016	Succeeded by John L. Dolan
Preceded by Curtis M. Scaparrotti	Commander of the United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe 2019–2022	Succeeded by Christopher G. Cavoli

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[1] "United States Air Force Academy - Polaris Yearbook (Colorado Springs, CO), Class of 1981, Page 493 of 512 (afa) | E-Yearbook.com has the largest online yearbook collection of college, university, high school, middle school, junior high school, military, naval cruise books and yearbooks. Search and browse yearbooks online!". e-yearbook.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.

[2] "United States European Command". www.eucom.mil. Retrieved July 29, 2020.

[3] "SHAPE | General Tod D. Wolters Assumes Command as 19th Supreme Allied Commander Europe". shape.nato.int. Retrieved July 29, 2020.

[4] writer, Patty Moore Contributing. "Veterans of Korea honored in Everest". Hiawatha World Online. Retrieved July 29, 2020.

[5] "El Libro Cronológico del Sistema de Cooperación entre las Fuerzas Aéreas Americanas" (PDF). SICOFAA. 2015. p. 40. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

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