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AFSOC commander bids farewell, retires 42-years after entering AF Academy

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kristen D. Duncan
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  He has always led by "doing the right thing and doing things right" and after a storied career Lt. Gen. Donny Wurster, the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, will pass the guidon at a ceremony Friday in Freedom Hangar at 9 a.m.

General Wurster, a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, began his career as a pilot in the rescue community. Flying HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopters in South Korea and Alaska, he participated in rescues in some of the world's most challenging environments.

Born in Washington D.C. the general advanced steadily in the Air Force special operations community. Flying assignments in the MH-60G Pave Hawk and MH-53J Pave Low helicopters helped earn him leadership positions throughout AFSOC.

After an assignment as the Inspector General for U.S. Transportation Command in Hawaii, he moved to U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Fla. There he served as special assistant for Intelligence and Information Operations, then as deputy director of U.S. Special Operations Command.

Since February, 2006, he and his family have called Hurlburt Field home - first as vice commander of AFSOC and then in November, 2007, as commander. In a letter to Air Commandos around the globe, he bid his farewell and gave credit to all.

"Each of you makes a difference, every job matters," General Wurster wrote. "Each of you has had an important role in that effort, every specialty, every rank, every functional area. Our force succeeds as a team. Despite the relatively small number of personnel in AFSOC, we fight above our weight and produce lasting and strategic effects in our wake.

"Our crews on the battlefield have an impact each time they fly...To make these machines fly, we depend on the world's best maintenance force. The dedication, energy, and selflessness of this force is the make-or-break item for AFSOC in this era of aging aircraft. This culture of rigor and precision, despite the pressure of the moment is one of the hallmarks of excellence in our force."

The general thanked and highlighted each specialty, from the Air Commando medics to the security forces protecting AFSOC's gates, and he gave a particular nod to the Special Tactics community.

"One of our smallest and most relevant communities is our special tactics forces," he said. "Barely a few hundred strong, they have had dramatic effects in combat. This is the Air Force's most highly decorated force and each of us should be proud of these Air Commandos who represent the command with daring and precision. I certainly am."

In his career he has flown more than 4,000 hours, and piloted eight different aircraft, including the CV-22 Osprey, in which he took his final flight as an Air Force aviator May 12, 2011.

General Wurster retires effective Aug. 1, although his retirement ceremony takes place today at the Air Park.

At the change of command ceremony Friday, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Admiral Eric Olson will pass command to Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel. General Fiel is the current U.S. SOCOM vice commander and also brings to AFSOC an extensive history in the command and special operations.