William T. Hobbins

General, U.S. Air Force

William T. Hobbins was born on 18 February 1946.

As a graduate of Officer Training School, Hobbins was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in December 1969. He has commanded two tactical fighter wings and a composite air group. He has served as the Director of Plans and Operations for U.S. Forces Japan, Director of Plans and Policy for U.S. Atlantic Command, and the Director of Operations for U.S. Air Forces in Europe. As the USAFE Director of Operations, Hobbins was responsible for the planning and execution of combat forces in Europe for Operation Allied Force.

Hobbins has been Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe; Commander, Air Component Command, Ramstein; and Director, Joint Air Power Competence Center, Kalkar, Germany. While serving as Commander, Air Forces Iceland, Hobbins led the composite wing in the intercept of 80 Soviet bomber aircraft in nine months.

During his tenure as 12th Air Force Commander, General Hobbins deployed the 12th Air Force's Air Operations Center to Southwest Asia as Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom's alternate AOC prior to the beginning of the hostilities.

On 1 February 2006, Hobbins was promoted to the rank of four-star General while assigned as Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe; Commander, Air Component Command, Ramstein, AB; and Director, Joint Air Power Competence Center, Kalkar, Germany.

General Hobbins retired from the Air Force on 1 February 2008. During his service, he became a Command Pilot with over 5,000 flying hours, primarily in fighter aircraft. The aircraft flown include F-15C, F-15E, C-20, A-10, AT-28 and T-38 Talon.

General Hobbins also starred in a number of Armed Forces Network commercials.

Education

1969 Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance, University of Colorado

1976 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

1977 Master's degree in Business Administration, Troy State University

1981 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA

1985 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL

1997 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, AL

1999 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, AL

2000 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University, NY

2005 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, CO

Assignments

January 1970 - December 1970, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laredo AFB, TX.

December 1970 - March 1973, T-28 Instructor Pilot, 3389th Pilot Training Squadron, Keesler AFB, MS.

March 1973 - May 1974, T-38 Instructor Pilot and Class Commander, 29th Flying Training Wing, Craig AFB, AL.

May 1974 - May 1975, AT-28 Fighter Pilot and Chief of Quality Control, Detachment 19, 1131st Special Activity Squadron, Udon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.

May 1975 - October 1977, Chief, T-38 Standardization and Evaluation Division, 29th Flying Training Wing, Craig AFB, AL.

October 1977 - July 1980, F-15 Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot, Operations Officer, and Chief, Wing Scheduling Division, 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron and 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM.

August 1980 - January 1981, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA.

January 1981 - July 1984, F-15 Operations Monitor, F-5 Program Element Monitor, and Chief, Weapon Systems Branch, Tactical Division, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.

August 1984 - May 1985, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL.

May 1985 - April 1987, Chief of Wing Inspections, 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, FL.

April 1987 - June 1988, Deputy Commander of Operations, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, TX.

June 1988 - July 1990, Vice Commander, later, Commander, Air Forces Iceland, Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland.

July 1990 - September 1991, Vice Commander, later, Commander, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, AZ.

September 1991 - June 1992, Vice Commander, 58th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, AZ.

July 1992 - July 1994, Director of Plans and Operations, U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan.

August 1994 - July 1996, Commander, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan.

August 1996 - April 1998, Director of Plans and Policy, U.S. Atlantic Command, Norfolk, VA.

April 1998 - July 2000, Director of Aerospace Operations, Headquarters USAFE, Ramstein AB, Germany.

August 2000 - September 2002, Commander, 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, and Air Force Component Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

October 2002 - August 2003, Commander, 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, Davis-Monthan AFB.

August 2003 - May 2005, Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

May 2005 - November 2005, Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and acting Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington.

December 2005 - December 2007, Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe; Commander, Air Component Command, Ramstein; and Director, Joint Air Power Competence Center, Kalkar, Germany.

Promotion Dates

Second Lieutenant - 22 December 1969

First Lieutenant - 22 June 1971

Captain - 1 February 1973

Major - 1 September 1979

Lieutenant Colonel - 1 December 1982

Colonel- 1 April 1988

Brigadier General - 15 July 1994

Major General - 1 October 1996

Lieutenant General - 1 October 2000

General - 1 February 2006

Medals and Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Distinguished Service Medal

Defense Superior Service Medal (2 Awards)

Legion of Merit

Meritorious Service Medal (5 Awards)

NATO Meritorious Service Medal

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal (2 Awards)

Order of the Rising Sun with Gold Rays

Bolivian Armed Forces Order of Aeronautical Merit in the grade of "Commander")

Ecuador (Star of the Armed Forces in the grade of Star of Military Merit)

Medalla al Mérito Aeronáutico, Uruguay (Aeronautical Merit)

Medalla al Mérito 1 Clase, Honduras

Cruz al Mérito Aeronáutico, Chile (Meritorious Air Cross Medal)

Cruz de la Fuerza Aérea, Guatemala (Air Force Cross)

Legion of Merit, System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces

Colombian Air Force Cross, Aeronautical Merit

Orden de Mayo al Merito Aeronautico en el grado de Gran Cruz (Argentine Air Force Cross)

Badges

Command Pilot Badge

Cambodia Pilot Badge
Vietnam Pilot Badge

Honors

1976 Instructor Pilot of the Year

Air Force Association Citation