Maj. Gen. Eric T. Hill retired as the Deputy Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. The command is the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force Special Operations Forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders with approximately 20,800 active duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.
Maj. Gen. Hill graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Army ROTC. After completing undergraduate pilot training, he served as a UH-60 pilot until transferring to the U.S. Air Force completing multiple MH-60G special operations assignments. He transitioned as initial cadre instructor for the CV-22 Osprey and then commanded both the flight test and first operational squadrons.
Maj. Gen. Hill completed assignments at Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, combatant commands, and has served as a Joint Special Operations Air Component Commander and Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, Commanding General.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1999 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2000 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, HH-60 Division, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Special Operations Component Commander Course, MacDill AFB, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1991–October 1992, Initial Entry Rotary Wing, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. November 1992–November 1995, Platoon Leader, Operations Officer, 45th Medical Company, Ansbach, Germany
3. December 1995–October 1996, G3 Air, 30th Medical Brigade, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. November 1996–December 1999, Chief of Safety, MH-60 Evaluator, 55th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. January 2000–July 2000, U.S. Air Force Weapons School HH-60G Division, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
6. July 2000–January 2001, Assistant Director of Operations, Flight Commander, Detachment 1, 58th Special Operations Wing, Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.
7. January 2001–May 2002, Director, Joint Search and Rescue Center Operation Enduring Freedom, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia
8. June 2002–June 2005, Commander, Detachment 1, 18th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
9. July 2005–June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2006–June 2009, Director of Operations and Commander, 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. July 2009–June 2010, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2010–July 2011, Division Chief, Joint Staff J37 (DDSO), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2011–July 2012, Director Counterterrorism Strategy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. August 2012–August 2013, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component – Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
15. September 2013–July 2014, Senior Analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Cost Analysis and Program Evaluation, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. August 2014–September 2015, Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
17. October 2015–July 2017, Vice Director, U.S. Special Operations Command J5 Strategy, Plans and Policy, MacDill AFB, Fla.
18. August 2017–May 2019, Vice Director, U.S. Central Command J5 Strategy, Plans and Policy, MacDill AFB, Fla.
19. June 2019–June 2020, Commanding General, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, Baghdad
20. July 2020–August, Deputy Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENT
1. July 2009–June 2010, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2010–July 2011, Division Chief, Joint Staff J37 (DDSO), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2011–July 2012, Director Counterterrorism Strategy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
4. August 2012–August 2013, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component – Central Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a colonel
5. September 2013–July 2014, Senior Analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Cost Analysis and Program Evaluation, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
6. August 2014–September 2015, Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a colonel
7. October 2015–July 2017, Vice Director, U.S. Special Operations Command J5 Strategy, Plans and Policy, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general
8. August 2017–May 2019, Vice Director, U.S. Central Command J5 Strategy, Plans and Policy, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general
9. June 2019–June 2020, Commanding General, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, Baghdad, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,100
Aircraft flown: MH-60G, HH-60G, T-34C, C-12C, MV-22B and CV-22B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 1, 1990 (U.S. Army)
First Lieutenant April 1, 1992 (U.S. Army)
Captain April 1, 1994 (U.S. Army)
Major March 1, 2002 (U.S. Air Force)
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2006 (U.S. Air Force)
Colonel Aug. 1, 2011 (U.S. Air Force)
Brigadier General Aug.16, 2016 (U.S. Air Force)
Major General Nov. 1, 2019 (U.S. Air Force)
(Current as of July 2020)