Charles F. Wald (; born 8 July 1948) is a retired United States Air Force general and former Deputy Commander of United States European Command. He retired on 1 July 2006, and was succeeded by General William E. Ward.
Military career Wald earned his commission through the Air Force ROTC program in 1971. He has combat time as an O-2A forward air controller in Vietnam and as an F-16 pilot flying over Bosnia. The general has served as a T-37 instructor pilot and F-15 flight commander. Other duties include Chief of the U.S. Air Force Combat Terrorism Center, support group commander, operations group commander, and special assistant to the Chief of Staff for National Defense Review. He was also the Director of Strategic Planning and Policy at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and served on the Joint Staff as the Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy.
Wald commanded the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, where on 30 August 1995, he led one of the wing's initial strike packages against the ammunition depot at Pale, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in one of the first NATO combat operations. He also commanded the 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where he led the development of the Afghanistan air campaign for Operation Enduring Freedom, including the idea of embedding tactical air control parties in ground special operations forces. Prior to assuming his current position, he was Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations at the Pentagon.
Wald, director and senior advisor to the Aerospace & Defense Industry for Deloitte LLP, is responsible for providing senior leadership in strategy and relationships with defense contractors and Department of Defense (DOD) program executives. He is a subject matter specialist in weapons procurement and deployment, counter terrorism, national, energy and international security policy. Prior to joining Deloitte, General Wald was the Vice President, International Programs for L-3 Communications Corporation, based in Washington D.C.
Wald has argued that there is a military option for a strike against Iran.Buzzing Iran
Wald serves as a co-leader of the National Security Project (NSP) at the Bipartisan Policy Center. "National Security Project"
Personal In the 2024 United States presidential election, Wald endorsed Kamala Harris.
Football career While attending North Dakota State University, Wald was a president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and a starting wide receiver in the North Dakota State Bison football team. He was selected in the 14th round of the 1970 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.Official Atlanta Falcons draft history
Education
Assignments February 1971 - January 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Arizona May 1972 - February 1973, forward air controller, Da Nang AB, South Vietnam May 1973 - May 1976, instructor pilot and wing flight examiner, Air Training Command, Craig AFB, Alabama December 1976 - August 1978, project officer, Operational Systems Engineering Branch, Norton AFB, California August 1978 - August 1981, F-15A aircraft commander, instructor pilot and flight commander, 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany August 1981 - September 1982, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama September 1982 - August 1985, flight commander, assistant operations and operations officer, 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia August 1985 - August 1989, Chief, Strategic North Atlantic Treaty Organization Branch; later, Chief, Strategic and Middle East-Africa Branch; later, Chief, U.S. Air Force Combat Terrorism Center; later, assistant executive officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Washington, D.C. August 1989 - July 1990, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. July 1990 - March 1993, Deputy Commander for Operations, 86th Tactical Fighter Wing; later, Commander, 86th Support Group; later, Commander, 86th Operations Group, Ramstein AB, Germany March 1993 - September 1993, executive officer to Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Boerfink AB, Germany September 1993 - May 1995, executive officer to Director of Operations and U.S. Senior National Representative, Headquarters Allied Air Forces Central Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany May 1995 - July 1997, Commander, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy July 1997 - January 1998, special assistant to the Chief of Staff for National Defense Review, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. January 1998 - October 1998, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. October 1998 - January 2000, Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. January 2000 - November 2001, Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, South Carolina November 2001 - December 2002, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. December 2002 - July 2006, Deputy Commander, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
Flight information
Awards and decorations US Air Force Command Pilot BadgeJoint Chiefs of Staff BadgeUnited States European Command Badge Personal decorationsDefense Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterAir Force Distinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with bronze oak leaf clusterDistinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf clusterMeritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterAir Medal with silver oak leaf clusterAerial Achievement MedalAir Force Commendation MedalUnit awardsPresidential Unit Citation with bronze oak leaf clusterJoint Meritorious Unit Award with two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and silver oak leaf clusterAir Force Organizational Excellence Award with four bronze oak leaf clustersState awardsState Department Superior Honor AwardDefense Intelligence Agency Director's AwardService and campaign medalsCombat Readiness MedalNational Defense Service Medal with two bronze service starsArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service Medal with bronze service starSouthwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service starGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalArmed Forces Service MedalHumanitarian Service MedalService, training, and marksmanship awardsAir Force Overseas Short Tour Service RibbonAir Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frameAir Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clustersSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship RibbonAir Force Training RibbonForeign awardsFrench National Order of Merit, Commandeur MedalGold Cross of Honor of the German Armed ForcesVietnam Gallantry Cross Unit CitationNATO Medal for Former YugoslaviaInter-American Defense Board Medal with silver starVietnam Campaign MedalNational Guard awardsNorth Dakota Distinguished Service Medal
Other achievements
Effective dates of promotion + Promotions Insignia Rank DateGeneral1 January 2003Lieutenant General 12 January 2000Major General1 September 1998Brigadier General1 February 1996Colonel1 March 1991Lieutenant Colonel1 February 1986Major24 October 1980Captain3 February 1975First Lieutenant3 August 1972Second Lieutenant3 February 1971
References
Sources Deloitte LLP Biography for General Charles Wald