Historical Shift as Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds Takes Command of USAFE
In a move marking a significant shift from tradition, President Donald Trump named Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds as the new leader of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. Notably, Hinds will not receive a promotion to a four-star general, a departure from the custom since the late 1950s.
The Department of the Air Force explained that this decision aligns with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to minimize the number of general officers across the military. “In alignment with the Department of War directive to reduce general and flag officer positions, the nominee for the United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander is at the lieutenant general grade,” stated an Air Force spokesperson.
Hegseth emphasized the importance of operational efficiency and leadership in his May statement. “The Department of Defense is committed to ensuring the lethality of U.S. military forces to deter threats and, when necessary, achieve decisive victory,” he wrote. He continued, “A critical step in this process is removing redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions.”
During his tenure, President Trump has often questioned the level of U.S. military involvement in Europe, expressing concerns over European allies’ defense spending. His administration previously considered decreasing troop levels in Germany, prompting lawmakers to voice concerns about the implications amid rising tensions with Russia. Despite this, Hegseth assured in February that there were no immediate plans to reduce troop numbers in Europe.
Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, who has been the acting commander since May, following Gen. James Hecker’s retirement, brings nearly three decades of military service. As a seasoned F-22 and F-15 instructor pilot, Hinds has served in various capacities, including as a wing commander and the deputy commander of USAFE since September 2024.
Historically, USAFE was led by three-star generals in its early years post-World War II, with Lt. Gen. Curtis LeMay among the notable leaders. This changed in 1957 when Gen. Frank Everest assumed command during the Cold War, establishing a long tradition of four-star leadership, with rare exceptions.
Today, other major Air Force commands such as U.S. Air Forces Central Command and Air Force Special Operations Command are headed by three-star generals. Meanwhile, U.S. Army Europe and Africa is commanded by a four-star general, Army Gen. Christopher Donahue.
The Air Force currently has 11 four-star generals, including Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and his successor nominee Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach. Other notable four-star generals include Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Daniel Caine and NATO military commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich. The recent retirement of Gen. Jim Slife left the vice chief of staff position vacant.
Additionally, the White House announced several nominations for Air Force and Space Force major generals poised for promotions and new assignments:
- Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost is nominated to become Global Strike’s deputy commander.
- Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn is set to lead the Air Education and Training Command.
- Maj. Gen. Jennifer Hammerstedt will command the Air Force Sustainment Center.
- Maj. Gen. Daniel Tulley is nominated as head of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base.
- Space Force Maj. Gen. Dennis Bythewood will lead U.S. Space Forces-Space at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
