The Air Force announced Monday that Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster, Air Force Special Operations Command boss, intends to retire after 38 years in uniform. The 1973 graduate of the Air Force Academy has led AFSOC since November 2007. USAF provided no retirement date. A command pilot, Wurster has amassed more than 4,000 hours over his career flying various types of special-mission C-130s, helicopters, and light transports as well as CV-22s. Eyed to replace Wurster is Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, who’s been vice commander of US Special Operations Command since last June and has extensive experience in the special operations realm. This includes a stint from June 2005 to December 2005 as AFSOC’s operations director. Fiel is a master navigator with more than 2,000 flight hours in AC-130 gunships, MC-130 special-mission aircraft, and trainers.
Walking the flight line occupied by Blackhawk attack helicopters and American troops on rotation at the “MK” air base in Romania, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III highlighted the important strategic value of one of NATO’s newest members Oct. 20 ahead of NATO defense ministerial meetings in Brussels Oct. 21-22.…