Major General Eric W. Vollmecke
Maj. Gen. Vollmecke currently serves as the Deputy Director for Political-Military Affairs Africa for Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia. He provides strategic direction, policy guidance, and planning focus to develop and execute the National Military Strategy. Through the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, he enables the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide military advice to the President, the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council.
General Vollmecke was commissioned in 1982 through the Reserve Officer Training Corp program at The Citadel. He began his career as a communications officer which culminated at Headquarters, United States Air Force Staff leading system development initiatives on the Worldwide Military Command and Control System. In 1987, he transitioned to the West Virginia Air National Guard and earned his pilot wings. He has held numerous leadership and command positions at the squadron, wing, State, and major staff levels while also balancing a corporate career in the technology field.
General Vollmecke has served in tactical and operational roles in Panama, Desert Shield/Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom including commanding the 451st AEG, Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2005. He shaped the formulation of the Air National Guard's modernization strategy across all major weapon systems, mission areas, and warfighting mediums for overseas and domestic operations. In April 2013, he was selected as the Deputy Commanding General for United States support to French Forces conducting combat operations in Mali, later training West African Forces from 15 Countries for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission. Before his assignment to the Joint Staff, Major General Vollmecke served as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe/Air Forces Africa.
EDUCATION:
1982 Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina
1985 Squadron Officer School (SOS), by correspondence
1988 Master of Business Administration in Business Administration, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
1997 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), by correspondence
2000 Air War College (AWC), by correspondence
2008 Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM), by in residence
2008 Senior Leadership Officer Course (SLOC), by in residence
2009 Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, by in residence
2010 George C. Marshall Center, Senior Executive Seminar, by in residence
2011 CAPSTONE, by in residence
2012 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence
2014 Enterprise Perspective Seminar (EPS), by in residence
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. November 1982 - April 1983, Student, Computer Systems Development Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
2. April 1983 - April 1984, Computer Systems Planning Officer, Air Force Data Services Center, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
3. April 1984 - October 1984, Computer Systems Planning Officer, 1st Information Systems Group, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
4. October 1984 - April 1985, Command and Control Programming Resources Officer, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
5. April 1985 - August 1987, Programs and Resources Officer, Headquarters, United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
6. August 1987 - November 1988, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
7. November 1988 - November 1992, Pilot, C-130, 167th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia
8. November 1992 - November 1993, Assistant Flight Commander, C-130, 167th Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia
9. November 1994 - November 1998, Pilot, C-130, Flight Commander, 167th Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia
10. November 1998 - October 2002, Commander, 167th Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia
11. October 2002 - January 2004, Air Operations Staff Director, Headquarters, West Virginia Air National Guard, Charleston, West Virginia
12. January 2004 - January 2005, Commander, 167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg, West Virginia
13. October 2007 - October 2011, Chief of Staff
14. October 2011 - August 2012, Assistant Adjutant General; dual-hatted, August 2009 - July 2012, (A-5), Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard
15. September 2012 - March 2016, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE/CC)
16. March 2016 - Present, Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, J-5, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 3,900 hours
Aircraft Flown: C-130B/E/H2/H3, C-5, T-37, T-38
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with Silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze service stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal with bronze service star
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon - Short Tour
Air Force Expeditionary Service Medal with Gold Frame and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass, M Device and Numeral 5
Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of West Virginia
Association of Information Technology Professionals
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant Aug. 12, 1982
First Lieutenant Aug. 22, 1984
Captain Aug. 22, 1986
Major Oct. 7, 1992
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 22, 1997
Colonel Jul. 18, 2003
Brigadier General Mar. 28, 2008
Major General Sep. 1, 2012
(Current as of April 2017)