Maj. Gen. William A. Spangenthal is the Deputy Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The command is responsible for the recruiting, training and education of Air and Space Force personnel and includes Air Force Recruiting Service, two Numbered Air Forces and Air University. AETC operates more than 1,400 trainer, fighter and mobility aircraft, 23 wings, 10 bases and five geographically-separated groups. It governs approximately 60,000 active duty, Reserve, Guard, civilian and contractor personnel who train more than 293,000 students per year.
Maj. Gen. Spangenthal graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1992. He has commanded at the squadron, expeditionary group and wing levels. Additionally, his staff experience includes various doctrine, strategy and warfighting requirements positions within Air Forces Central Command as well as the office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Director, Operations and Communications, AETC.
Maj. Gen. Spangenthal is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in the T-37 Tweet, T-38 Talon, KC-135 Stratotanker, C-12 Huron, C-17 Globemaster III, MQ-9 Reaper, T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II, A-29 and HH-60 Pave Hawk.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, Operations Research, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Master of Arts, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Secretary of Defense Fortune 500 Fellow, Apple Inc., Cupertino, Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1992 - October 1993, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. February 1994 - May 1998, Instructor Pilot, KC-135R, Executive Officer, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
3. July 1998 - July 2000, Air Force Intern, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
4. February 2000 - May 2003, Evaluator Pilot, C-17A, Wing Executive Officer, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. May 2003 - June 2004, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. June 2004 - June 2005, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 2005 - June 2007, Chief, Future Concepts, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. June 2007 - June 2009, Commander, 21st Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. June 2009 - June 2010, Secretary of Defense Fortune 500 Fellow, Apple Inc., Cupertino, Calif.
10. June 2010 - June 2012, U.S. Transportation Command liaison to U.S. Central Command and U.S. Southern Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
11. June 2012 - June 2013, Commander, 376th Expeditionary Operations Group, Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan
12. June 2013 - June 2015, Commander, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
13. July 2015 - April 2017, Director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. 14. May 2017 - April 2018, Director of Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments, Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph, Texas
15. 15. April 2018 - June 2020, Director of Operations and Communications, JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
16. 16. June 2020 - present, Deputy Commander, Air Education and Training Command, JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2010 - June 2012, U.S. Transportation Command liaison to U.S. Central Command and U.S. Southern Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 3,500
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, KC-135, C-12, C-17, and T-1
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant May 27, 1994
Captain May 27, 1996
Major Nov. 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2006
Colonel Oct. 1, 2010
Brigadier General, Aug. 12, 2016
Major General Nov. 2, 2019
(Current as of July 2020)