PAUL WITT
Mr. P. Eric Witt is the Director, Department of the Air Force History and Museums Policies and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He provides policy and guidance to four key components of the Air Force history program: the Air Force Historical Research Agency; Museums and Heritage; the Historical Studies Office; and the worldwide history program.
The Historical Research Agency, located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, maintains 130 million pages of official Air Force archives. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, which hosts more than 1.5 million visitors a year, collects, restores and displays air and space craft, a legacy that spans more than a century of military flight. The Historical Support Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., produces studies and supports production of the Air and Space histories. The worldwide history program consists of more than 200 Air Force historians. They write the annual wing, numbered air force and major command/field command histories that document all Air Force and Space Force activities. Mr. Witt also serves as the historical adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief of Space Operations.
Mr. Witt enlisted in the Air Force in 1985 and served 15 years as an aerospace ground equipment mechanic prior to retraining into the Air Force history career field. He retired in 2005 from active duty and entered federal civilian service as a historian. He has researched and written extensively across the spectrum of Air Force operations including activities of F-16 fighter aircraft; operations of the B-2 Spirit bomber; development and history of command and control; events in U.S. Air Forces in Europe; and overall history of U.S. Air Force special operations. In his extended service, Mr. Witt has deployed in support of operations across the globe. During his extensive government career, Mr. Witt has served at Headquarters Air Force, Major Command and wing levels.
EDUCATION
Associate of Applied Science in Aerospace Ground Equipment, Community College of the Air Force
Associate of Science degree in Aerospace Historian, Community College of the Air Force
Bachelor of Science degree in History-American-Latin American, Troy University, Ala.
Master of Arts in Theology, Saint Leo University, Fla.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. December 1999–December 2002, Historian, 27th Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
2. December 2002–July 2005, Historian, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
3. August 2005–June 2009, Historian, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
4. June 2009–November 2012, Historian, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. November 2012–May 2016, Senior and Deputy Command Historian, U.S. Air Forces Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
6. May 2016-October 2021, Deputy Command Historian, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. October 2021–September 2023, Command Historian, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. September 2023–July 2024, Director, Air Force History Support Office, Joint Base-Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
9. July 2024–present, Director, Air Force History and Museums Policies and Programs, Headquarters Department of the Air Force, Arlington, Va.
(Current as of September 2024)
The Historical Research Agency, located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, maintains 130 million pages of official Air Force archives. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, which hosts more than 1.5 million visitors a year, collects, restores and displays air and space craft, a legacy that spans more than a century of military flight. The Historical Support Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., produces studies and supports production of the Air and Space histories. The worldwide history program consists of more than 200 Air Force historians. They write the annual wing, numbered air force and major command/field command histories that document all Air Force and Space Force activities. Mr. Witt also serves as the historical adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief of Space Operations.
Mr. Witt enlisted in the Air Force in 1985 and served 15 years as an aerospace ground equipment mechanic prior to retraining into the Air Force history career field. He retired in 2005 from active duty and entered federal civilian service as a historian. He has researched and written extensively across the spectrum of Air Force operations including activities of F-16 fighter aircraft; operations of the B-2 Spirit bomber; development and history of command and control; events in U.S. Air Forces in Europe; and overall history of U.S. Air Force special operations. In his extended service, Mr. Witt has deployed in support of operations across the globe. During his extensive government career, Mr. Witt has served at Headquarters Air Force, Major Command and wing levels.
EDUCATION
Associate of Applied Science in Aerospace Ground Equipment, Community College of the Air Force
Associate of Science degree in Aerospace Historian, Community College of the Air Force
Bachelor of Science degree in History-American-Latin American, Troy University, Ala.
Master of Arts in Theology, Saint Leo University, Fla.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. December 1999–December 2002, Historian, 27th Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
2. December 2002–July 2005, Historian, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
3. August 2005–June 2009, Historian, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
4. June 2009–November 2012, Historian, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. November 2012–May 2016, Senior and Deputy Command Historian, U.S. Air Forces Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
6. May 2016-October 2021, Deputy Command Historian, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. October 2021–September 2023, Command Historian, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. September 2023–July 2024, Director, Air Force History Support Office, Joint Base-Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
9. July 2024–present, Director, Air Force History and Museums Policies and Programs, Headquarters Department of the Air Force, Arlington, Va.
(Current as of September 2024)
