General James B. Hecker

Commander United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa

Gen. James B. Hecker is the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Commander, U.S. Air Forces Africa; Commander, Allied Air Command, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and Director, Joint Air Power Competence Centre, Kalkar, Germany. He is responsible for the air and missile defense of 30 NATO alliance member nations while commanding U.S. airpower across more than 19 million square miles. This area includes 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, possesses more than a quarter of the world’s population and generates more than a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product.

Gen. Hecker was commissioned in 1989 through the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has completed numerous flying, staff and command assignments and is a command pilot with more than more than 3,600 flying hours in the F-15C, F-22, MQ-1B, HH-60, C-208 and T-38C. Prior to his current assignment, Gen. Hecker was the Commander and President of Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

EDUCATION

• 1989 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• 1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
• 1996 U.S. Air Force F-15C Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
• 1999 Master of Science, Aeronautical Sciences, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
• 2002 Congressional Legislative Fellow, Washington, D.C.
• 2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2007 Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2009 National Security Studies Program, Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
• 2010 Leadership Enhancement and Development Program, Goldsboro, N.C.
• 2014 Joint Maritime Component Commander Course, Newport, R.I. 2016 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2017 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2017 Combined and Joint Force Land Component Commander Course, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
• 2019 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
• 2020 Harvard Seminar for New Presidents, Harvard University, Boston, Mass.
• 2021 Pinnacle Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
• 2021 Cyberspace Operations Executive Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.