James Hecker

U.S. Air Force general

James B. Hecker

Hecker in 2022

Born| California, United States[1]
Allegiance| United States
Service / branch| United States Air Force
Years of service| 1989–present
Rank| General
Commands| United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
Allied Air Command
Air University
9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan
NATO Air Command-Afghanistan
Nineteenth Air Force
18th Wing
432nd Wing
3rd Operations Group
27th Fighter Squadron
Battles / wars| War in Afghanistan
Awards| Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit (3)

James B. Hecker is a United States Air Force general who serves as the commander of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa and Allied Air Command since 27 June 2022.[2][3][4] Before that, he served as the commander and president of the Air University from November 2019 to June 2022.[5] and also previously served as the vice director for operations of the Joint Staff.[6][7][8][9]

He is from Arnold, California and graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1989.[10]

## Awards and decorations

[edit]

Gen Hecker assumes command U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa on June 27, 2022. | US Air Force Command Pilot Badge

|

| Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
| Air Staff Badge
| Weapons School Graduate Patch

| Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster

|

| Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
| Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
| Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
| Air Medal with "C" device and two oak leaf clusters
| Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
| Air Force Achievement Medal
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters

| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters

| Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
| Combat Readiness Medal

| National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two service stars

| Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star

| Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star

| Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
| Armed Forces Service Medal

| Humanitarian Service Medal with service star
| Air and Space Campaign Medal
| Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
| Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with three oak leaf clusters
| Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame
| Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
| Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
| Air Force Training Ribbon

| NATO Medal for Kosovo with service star

## Effective dates of promotions

[edit]

Rank | Date

|

Second lieutenant[5] | 31 May 1989
First lieutenant[5] | 31 May 1991
Captain | 31 May 1993
Major | 1 July 1999
Lieutenant colonel[5] | 1 March 2002
Colonel[5] | 1 January 2007
Brigadier general[5] | 2 August 2013
Major general[5] | 3 May 2016
Lieutenant general[5] | 22 November 2019
General | 27 June 2022

## References

[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States government.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James B. Hecker.

1. ^ "Military Profile: Lt. General James Hecker".
2. ^ "PN2228 — Lt. Gen. James B. Hecker — Air Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". U.S. Congress. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
3. ^ "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
4. ^ "USAFE-AFAFRICA, NATO Allied Air Command Change of Command". U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa. Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany: USAFE-AFAFRICA Public Affairs. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Lieutenant General James B. Hecker (USAF)". United States Air Force. 28 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
6. ^ "Air University welcomes Lt. Gen. Hecker as commander, president". U.S. Air Force. 22 November 2019.
7. ^ "Pentagon taps new leader for Air University". The Montgomery Advertiser. Associated Press.
8. ^ "Air University Commander to address Alabama World Affairs Council on March 17". 6 March 2020.
9. ^ "U.S. Forces Strike Taliban, East Turkestan Islamic Movement Training Sites". U.S. Central Command.
10. ^ Polaris (PDF). Vol. XXXI. Colorado Springs, Colorado: United States Air Force Academy. 1989. p. 113. Retrieved 24 June 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Military offices

Preceded by

Matthew H. Molloy

|  Commander of the 18th Wing
2013–2015  | Succeeded by

Barry Cornish

Preceded by

Scott J. Zobrist

|  Director of Plans, Programs, and Requirements of the Air Combat Command
2015  | Succeeded by

Jeff Taliaferro

Preceded by

Michael A. Keltz

|  Commander of the Nineteenth Air Force
2015–2017  | Succeeded by

Patrick J. Doherty

Preceded by

Jeff Taliaferro

|  Deputy Commander for Air of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
2017–2018  | Succeeded by

Barre Seguin

Preceded by

James J. Malloy

|  Vice Director for Operations of the Joint Staff
2018–2019  | Succeeded by

Jeff Taliaferro

Preceded by

Anthony J. Cotton

|  Commander and President of the Air University
2019–2022  | Succeeded by

Andrea Tullos

Preceded by

Jeffrey L. Harrigian

|  Commander of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
2022–present  | Incumbent

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