Major General Eric W. Vollmecke is a retired United States Air Force general. He was the Air National Guard Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe/Air Forces Africa and was formerly the Assistant Adjutant General - Air in the West Virginia National Guard.
Military career Vollmecke entered the Air Force as a communications officer where he later served at Headquarters, United States Air Force Staff leading system development initiatives on the Worldwide Military Command and Control System. He has maintained his communications background through his civilian occupation.
In 1987, he joined the West Virginia Air National Guard and was selected to attend pilot training. Since then, he has risen from C-130 mission pilot through flight commander, squadron commander, director of operations and wing commander to his present position, while also balancing a corporate career. During his tenure as wing commander, he oversaw an enormous program to transform the base and transition its personnel from the tactical to the strategic airlift mission. Highlights of his career include a reserve officer exchange tour, during which he flew operational missions with the Royal Air Force in Africa. General Vollmecke has flown combat missions in Panama, Desert Shield/Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. After 11 September 2001, he led the 167th Airlift Wing on two deployments supporting combat operations for Operation Enduring Freedom. During initial stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he served as Chief of Staff for the Director of Mobility Forces for United States Central Command in the Combined Air Operations Center. In 2005, he was selected to command the 451st Air Expeditionary Group at Kandahar Airbase, Afghanistan.
In September 2017, he retired from the Air Force.
Civilian occupation and professional affiliations General Vollmecke serves as the Managing Director for North American Operations for a medical device manufacturer. He is responsible for building the company's partnerships and alliances for new joint ventures throughout the world. Additionally, he leads the company's global research and product development strategy working closely with the company's major manufacturing facilities in Germany and China.
Professional affiliations include membership in the National Guard Association of West Virginia, the National Guard Association of the United States and the Association of Information Technology Professionals.
Personal life General Vollmecke's younger brother, Kirk Vollmecke, is a Major General in the US Army.
Education 1982 The Citadel, Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics, Charleston, South Carolina 1988 George Washington University, Master of Business Administration, Washington, D.C. 2000 Air War College, by correspondence 2010 George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Senior Executive Seminar, Garmisch, Germany 2011 CAPSTONE General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
Assignments Nov 1982 – Apr 1983, Student, Computer Systems Development Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi Apr 1983 – Apr 1984, Computer Systems Planning Officer, Air Force Data Services Center, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Apr 1984 – Oct 1984, Computer Systems Planning Officer, 1st Information Systems Group, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Oct 1984 – Apr 1985, Command and Control Programming Resources Officer, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Apr 1985 – Aug 1987, Programs and Resources Officer, Headquarters, United States Air Force, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Aug 1987 – Nov 1988, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas Nov 1988 – Nov 1992, Co-Pilot, C-130, 167th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia Nov 1992 – Nov 1993, Assistant Flight Commander, C-130, 167th Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia Nov 1994 – Nov 1998, Pilot, C-130, 167th Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia Nov 1998 – Oct 2002, Commander, 167th Airlift Squadron, Martinsburg, West Virginia Oct 2002 – Jan 2004, Air Operations Staff Director, Headquarters, West Virginia Air National Guard, Charleston, West Virginia Jan 2004 – Jan 2005, Commander, 167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg, West Virginia Oct 2007 – Oct 2011, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, West Virginia Air National Guard, Charleston, West Virginia Aug 2009 – Jul 2012, (A5), Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard, Arlington, Virginia Oct 2011 – Aug 2012, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, West Virginia National Guard, Charleston, West Virginia Sep 2012 – Sep 2017, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe/Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany Sep 2017 - Retired from USAF & WV ANG.
Flight information
Awards and decorations US Air Force Command Pilot Badge Personal decorationsLegion of MeritBronze Star MedalMeritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersAerial Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterJoint Service Commendation MedalAir Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Achievement MedalUnit awardsMeritorious Unit AwardAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Organizational Excellence AwardService awardsCombat Readiness Medal with silver and two bronze oak leaf clustersCampaign and service medalsNational Defense Service Medal with bronze service starArmed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze service starsSouthwest Asia Service Medal (with one oak leaf cluster)Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze service starAfghanistan Campaign MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalArmed Forces Service Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterHumanitarian Service MedalService, training, and marksmanship awardsAir Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with bronze oak leaf clusterAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Longevity Service Award with four bronze oak leaf clustersArmed Forces Reserve Medal with silver Hourglass device, Mobilization device and Award numeral 5Small Arms Expert Marksman RibbonAir Force Training RibbonForeign awardsNATO MedalNational Guard awardsWest Virginia Commendation MedalWest Virginia Emergency Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clustersWest Virginia Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clustersWest Virginia Distinguished Unit Award with gold frame and bronze oak leaf cluster
Effective dates of promotion + Promotions Insignia Rank DateMajor GeneralSeptember 1, 2012Brigadier GeneralMarch 25, 2008ColonelJuly 18, 2003Lieutenant ColonelAugust 22, 1997MajorOctober 7, 1992CaptainAugust 22, 1986First LieutenantAugust 22, 1984Second LieutenantAugust 12, 1982
References
Brigadier General Eric W. Vollmecke, Official Biography