General Charles F. Wald | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 8 July 1948 North Dakota, U.S. |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
Branch |  United States Air Force |
Service years | 1971 - 2006 (35 years) |
Rank |  General |
| Nickname | Chuck |
| Commands | |
Conflicts | Vietnam War |
| Awards | See below |
Charles F. Wald (/wɔːld/; 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.
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.
Wald serves as a co-leader of the National Security Project (NSP) at the Bipartisan Policy Center.
In the 2024 United States presidential election, Wald endorsed Kamala Harris.
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.
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US Air Force Command Pilot Badge |
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Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge |
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United States European Command Badge |
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|---|---|
| General | 1 January 2003 |
 | Lieutenant General | 12 January 2000 |
 | Major General | 1 September 1998 |
 | Brigadier General | 1 February 1996 |
 | Colonel | 1 March 1991 |
 | Lieutenant Colonel | 1 February 1986 |
 | Major | 24 October 1980 |
 | Captain | 3 February 1975 |
 | First Lieutenant | 3 August 1972 |
 | Second Lieutenant | 3 February 1971 |
This article incorporates public domain material from General Charles F. "Chuck" Wald biography. United States Air Force.
