Lieutenant General Thad A. Wolfe is vice commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. He assists the commander in the development of doctrines, concepts, tactics and procedures for combat air force-wide employment of air power, and in leading a force of more than 258,000 people and managing financial assets of more than $56.7 billion.
The general completed a tour as an intelligence officer during the Vietnam conflict. He has commanded a bombardment squadron, an Air Force wing and an Air Force center along with numerous joint duty and headquarters level assignments. He is a command pilot, with more than 4,000 flying hours.
EDUCATION
1964 Bachelor of science degree in military science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1969 Master's degree in electrical engineering, University of Wyoming
1972 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1978 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1985 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1992 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1965 - September 1966, operations flight commander, 6950th Security Wing, Royal Air Force Station Chicksands, England
2. September 1966 - June 1967, signals intelligence operations officer, 6994th Security Squadron, Pleiku, and later Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam
3. June 1967 - June 1969, student, University of Wyoming
4. June 1969 - February 1970, development engineer, Defense Intelligence Agency, Va.
5. February 1970 - August 1974, pilot training, T-38 instructor pilot, flight commander and assistant section commander, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
6. July 1974 - January 1975, B-52 aircrew training, Castle Air Force Base, Calif.
7. January 1975 - August 1977, crew commander, standardization and evaluation instructor pilot, and operations officer, 325th Bombardment Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.
8. August 1977 - June 1978, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
9. June 1978 - May 1981, readiness analyst, chief of personnel and administration, executive officer to the director, directorate of operations and readiness, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. May 1981 - March 1982, commander, 9th Bombardment Squadron, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas
11. March 1982 - December 1982, deputy commander for standardization and evaluation, 1st Combat Evaluation Group, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
12. December 1982 - July 1984, command center senior controller, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
13. July 1984 - June 1985, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. June 1985 - February 1988, vice commander, then commander, 509th Bombardment Wing, Pease Air Force Base, N.H.
15. February 1988 - July 1988, special assistant to the commander for officer professional development, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
16. July 1988 - September 1990, deputy director, national strategic target list, joint strategic target planning staff, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
17. September 1990 - January 1992, commander, Strategic Warfare Center, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
18. January 1992 - August 1993, assistant deputy director for operations, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
19. August 1993 - present, vice commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: B-1, B-52, EC-135, FB-111, KC-135, T-37, T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with service star
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 3, 1964
First Lieutenant Dec 3, 1965
Captain Dec 3, 1967
Major Sep 1, 1975
Lieutenant Colonel Nov 1, 1979
Colonel Oct 1, 1982
Brigadier General Oct 1, 1988
Major General Aug 1, 1991
Lieutenant General Aug 16, 1993
(Current as of December 1993)