George Wikoff
U.S. Navy admiral
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George M. Wikoff (born 1968) is a United States Navy admiral who has served as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples since 2025. He previously served as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces from 2024 to 2025. During his command of U.S. Navy forces in the Middle East, he oversaw combat operations in the Red Sea crisis and the Twelve-Day War.
George Wikoff | |
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| Born | 1968 (age 57–58) |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Service years | 1990–present |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa Allied Joint Force Command Naples United States Naval Forces Central Command United States Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Forces Naval Air Forces (acting) Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (acting) Carrier Strike Group 5 Carrier Air Wing 3 VFA-122 VFA-211 |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) |
| Alma mater | Catholic University of America University of Arkansas |
Wikoff graduated from George Washington University's Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1990 and became a naval aviator. He served on several aircraft carriers and was an instructor at TOPGUN. His senior commands included Carrier Air Wing 3, Carrier Strike Group 5, and concurrently the Naval Air Forces and the Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, the latter in an acting capacity from 2023 to 2024. He was also the vice director of the Joint Staff from 2021 to 2023.
Early life and education
George M. Wikoff was born in 1968[2] and is a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is a 1990 graduate of the Catholic University of America, was commissioned through the George Washington University Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program, and earned masters from the University of Arkansas.[1]
Naval career
Wikoff became a naval aviator with experience flying the F-14 Tomcat and the F/A-18 Hornet. He served operationally in Fighter Squadron (VF) 102 aboard USS America (CV-66) and VF-154 forward deployed to Atsugi, Japan on USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). Command assignments include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211 deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), VFA-122, Carrier Air Wing 3 deployed aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and Carrier Strike Group 5 forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).[3][4][5][6]
Wikoff’s shore assignments include the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, as TOPGUN training officer; Navy Personnel Command as placement officer for the Tomcat and Super Hornet communities; Joint Staff as an action officer in the Operations Directorate, Deputy Directorate for Antiterrorism and Homeland Defense (J-34); Chief of Naval Operations staff as air warfare special programs requirements officer (N88); the Combined Air and Space Operations Center as battle director in Qatar; U.S. Naval Forces Central Command as Chief of Staff and Maritime Operations Center Director in Bahrain, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations, Joint Staff as Deputy Director for Operations (OT-5) and Assistant Director for Global Integration and Current Operations (J-33), and Vice Director, Joint Staff.[1][3][4]
He took office as vice director of the Joint Staff in May 2021.[7] In January 2023 he was nominated for promotion to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as commander of United States Naval Forces Central Command, United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces.[3][8] On 7 September 2023, when Kenneth Whitesell retired as the Navy's "Air Boss," Wikoff became acting commander of Naval Air Forces and the Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. His tenure lasted during a hold on his nomination and hundreds of other military nominations in the U.S. Senate by Senator Tommy Tuberville.[9][10]
Wikoff assumed command of NAVCENT, the Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces in Manama, Bahrain, on 1 February 2024 from Brad Cooper.[4] He presided over combat operations for over a year, mainly against the Houthis in Yemen, amidst Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This consisted of U.S. attacks inside Yemen during Operation Poseidon Archer from January 2024 to January 2025, and Operation Rough Rider in the spring of 2025. He was also in command of Navy ships involved in Operation Midnight Hammer during the Twelve-Day War with Iran in June 2025. He relinquished command to Curt Renshaw on 6 October 2025.[11][12]
Wikoff assumed command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples in Lago Patria, Italy, from Stuart B. Munsch on 19 November 2025.[13]
Awards and decorations
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