BRIGADIER GENERAL WENDY B. WENKE
Brig. Gen. Wendy B. Wenke is the Director for Manpower, Personnel, Recruiting and Services, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. General Wenke serves as the senior Air National Guard officer responsible for comprehensive plans and policies covering all life cycles of personnel management, which includes advocacy at higher headquarters, end strength management, education and training, resource allocation, and the services program on behalf of over 108,100 Airmen.
General Wenke was commissioned in 1987 through the Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson, Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. She has commanded at the Squadron, Deputy Group, Vice Wing and state level. General Wenke is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Noble Eagle, and Enduring Freedom. In addition, she has experience in a variety of staff assignments at the Wing and Joint Force Headquarters level. She served as the DIRMOBFOR for Hurricane Dorian. Her joint experience includes Senior Policy Development Analyst for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support of Civil Authorities, Pentagon, Washington D.C. In this role, she interfaced with the White House, Congress, National Security Council Staff and other Cabinet agencies. She was responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of DOD policy on air domain homeland defense activities. Prior to her current position, General Wenke served as the Delaware Assistant Adjutant General-Air.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Business Management, University of Alaska
1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1999 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2003 Air War College, by correspondence
2009 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education
2012 Air National Guard Senior Leader Maintenance Course
2013 Space Executive Course, AFSPACE, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2015 Master’s degree in Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2018 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives (CPIE), Chapel Hill, N.C.
2018 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2018 Safety and Accident Investigation Board President Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2019 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2019 Dual Status Commanders Course, USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2019 Regional Studies Seminar - Africa, Washington, D.C.
2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC); Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1987 - September 1988, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather AFB, Calif.
2. October 1988 - February 1989, Initial Navigator Crew Training, KC-135, Castle AFB, Calif.
3. February 1989 - February 1990, Navigator, KC-135E, Eielson AFB, Alaska
4. February 1990 - October 1991, Navigator, KC-135E, Phoenix, Ariz. (October 1990, KC-135 Navigator, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
5. November 1991 - July 1992, Inactive Ready Reserve, Denver, Colo.
6. July 1992 - July 1993, Executive Support Officer, Boise, Idaho
7. July 1993 - March 1995, Executive Support Officer, Boise, Idaho
8. March 1995 - October 1995, Executive Support Officer, Reno, Nev.
9. October 1995 - June 1996, Executive Support Officer, Boise, Idaho
10. July 1996 - October 2001, Navigator, C-130E, Boise, Idaho (July 2000 – September 2000, C-130 Navigator, Muscat, Oman)
11. October 2001 - October 2002, Chief of Wing Plans, Eielson AFB, Alaska
12. October 2002 - October 2004, Commander, Eielson AFB, Alaska
13. October 2004 - October 2005, Deputy Commander, Eielson AFB, Alaska
14. October 2005 - October 2006, Vice Chief of the Joint Staff, Ft. Richardson, Alaska
15. October 2006 - October 2007, Director of Staff, Ft. Richardson, Alaska
16. October 2007 - March 2011, Vice Chief of the Joint Staff, Ft. Richardson, Alaska
17. March 2011 - October 2014, Vice Wing Commander, Eielson AFB, Alaska
18. November 2014 - February 2018, Senior Policy Development Analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington D.C. as a colonel, Joint Duty Assignment
19. March 2018 - August 2018, Chief of Staff, New Castle, DE
20. September 2018 - May 2021, Assistant Adjutant General, New Castle, DE
21. June 2021 - Present, Director, Manpower, Personnel, Recruiting and Services (A-1), National Guard Bureau, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2014 - February 2018, Senior Policy Development Analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington D.C. as a colonel, Joint Duty Assignment as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Navigator
Flight hours: More than 1,500
Aircraft flown: C-130E, KC-135A/E/R
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star
Global War on Terrorism Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hourglass and three “M” devices
Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2016 Department of Homeland Security, Unity of Effort Award
Level III Joint Qualified Officer
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 5, 1987
First Lieutenant Nov. 5, 1989
Captain Nov. 5, 1991
Major April 5, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel June 10, 2001
Colonel April 27, 2006
Brigadier General March 1, 2018
(Current as of June 2021)