Brig. Gen. Leslie F. Hauck III is the Chief of Staff for Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command. He oversees a corps-level headquarters staff across multiple locations in the area of responsibility to achieve commander’s objectives of countering terrorism and setting the conditions for long-term security cooperation frameworks in Iraq and Syria.
Brig. Gen. Hauck received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1998. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing level, while also serving as an instructor pilot, evaluator and forward air control-airborne instructor in the F-16. He has been stationed for more than ten years overseas including assignments in Europe, the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Hauck led the Electronic Spectrum, Information and Cyber Effects Operations Directorate at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, where he oversaw spectrum management, integration and capability development of non-kinetic, multi-domain effects, along with doctrine, organization, training and Airmen development to help achieve Air Force future force design.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science Degree, Operations Research, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2009 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2011 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Enterprise Leadership Seminar – Executive Development, University of North Carolina Kenan Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2024 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations Program, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass.
2024 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1998–March 1999, Casual Status, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
2. March 1999–August 2000, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. August 2000–May 2001, Student, F-16 Formal Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. May 2001–March 2004, Flight Safety Officer, Training Officer, Activities Security Monitor, 522nd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M. (December 2002–March 2003, Chief of Safety, 384th Air Expeditionary Group, Operation Iraqi Freedom)
5. March 2004–May 2007, Flight Safety Officer, Flight Commander, Deputy Chief Standardization/Evaluation, Flight Examiner, 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. May 2007–July 2007, Assistant Director of Operations, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
7. July 2007–May 2008, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Operations Center and F-16 Instructor Pilot, 607th Air Operations Center, Osan AB, South Korea
8. May 2008–August 2009, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrision-Yongsan, South Korea
9. August 2009–May 2010, Chief, Strategy Branch (J5), United States Forces Korea Policy Division (J5), U.S. Army Garrision-Yongsan, South Korea
10. May 2010–June 2011, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
11. June 2011–June 2012, Director of Operations, 310th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
12. June 2012–June 2013, Commander, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
13. June 2013–June 2015, Deputy Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz. (April
2014–October 2014, Deputy Commander, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
14. June 2015–June 2016, Student, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2016–June 2017, Chief, Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. July 2017–February 2018, Deputy Chief, Operations and Plans Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
17. February 2018–July 2019, Chief, 5th Generation Integration Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
18. July 2019–July 2021, Commander, 31st Operations Group, Aviano AB, Italy (additionally, October 2020–May 2021, Vice Commander, 31st Fighter Wing)
19. July 2021–June 2023, Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany 20. June 2023–January 2025, Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21. January 2025–May 2025, Director, Spectrum, Information, Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
22. May 2025–present, Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2008–August 2009, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrision-Yongsan, South Korea
2. August 2009–May 2010, Chief, Strategy Branch (J5), United States Forces Korea Policy Division (J5), U.S. Army Garrision-Yongsan, South Korea
3. May 2025–present, Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,700
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-16 and HH-60
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
(Current as of June 2025)