Tony D. Bauernfeind

• United States Air Force Academy
• Air Force Special Operations Command
• Special Operations Command Korea
• 27th Special Operations Wing
• 1st Special Operations Group

Tony Bauernfeind
Official portrait, 2024
Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 August 2024
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan Iraq War
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (3)

Tony D. Bauernfeind (born 14 February 1969) is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who has served as the 22nd superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy since 2 August 2024. ^[1] He most recently served as the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command from 2022 to 2024. ^[2] He served as vice commander of the United States Special Operations Command from 2020 to 2022; ^[3] as vice commander, Bauernfeind was responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing actions with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the services and other government agencies in the national capital region on behalf of the commander of United States Special Operations Command. He previously served as Special Operations Command's chief of staff and as commander of Special Operations Command Korea. ^[3]

In June 2022, Bauernfeind was selected as commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command. ^{[4] [5]} In May 2024, he was nominated for assignment as superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy. ^{[6] [7]} He began this assignment on 2 August 2024.

Awards and decorations

Bauernfeind assumes command of Air Force Special Operations Command on 9 December 2022

	US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
	United States Special Operations Command Badge
	Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge

	Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
	Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
	Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Joint Service Achievement Medal
	Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device, one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Recognition Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
	Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Korea Defense Service Medal
	Humanitarian Service Medal
	Air and Space Campaign Medal
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and two oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with service star
	Air Force Training Ribbon
	NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia

Effective dates of promotions ^[3]

Rank	Date
Second lieutenant	29 May 1991
First lieutenant	29 May 1993
Captain	29 May 1995
Major	1 March 2002
Lieutenant colonel	1 March 2006
Colonel	1 October 2009
Brigadier general	2 August 2015
Major general	1 August 2018
Lieutenant general	31 July 2020

References

1. Brunet, Alexander (31 July 2024). "New superintendent set to take command of United States Air Force Academy". KRDO . Retrieved 2 August 2024.
2. Saphore, Cassandra (9 December 2022). "Bauernfeind new leader of Air Commandos". Air Force Special Operations Command. Hurlburt Field, Florida: AFSOC Public Affairs. Retrieved 11 December 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
3. "Lieutenant General Tony D. Bauernfeind (USAF)". Air Force. U.S. Air Force. 13 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
4. "PN2227 — Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind — Air Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". U.S. Congress. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
5. "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
6. "PN1755 — Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind — Air Force". U.S. Congress. 14 May 2024.
7. "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 17 May 2024.

Military offices
Preceded by Albert Elton	Commander of the 1st Special Operations Group 2011–2013	Succeeded by ???
	Commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing 2013–2015	Succeeded by Benjamin R. Maitre
Preceded by Mark C. Schwartz	Deputy Commanding General of the NATO Special Operations Component Command and Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan 2015–2016	Succeeded by ???
Preceded by E. John Deedrick	Commanding General of the Special Operations Command Korea 2016–2019	Succeeded by Otto K. Liller
Preceded by James B. Linder	Chief of Staff of the United States Special Operations Command 2019–2020	Succeeded by Collin P. Green
Preceded by James C. Slife	Vice Commander of the United States Special Operations Command 2020–2022	Succeeded by Francis L. Donovan
	Commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command 2022–2024	Succeeded by Michael E. Conley
Preceded by Thomas P. Sherman Acting	22nd Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy 2024–present	Incumbent