George Wikoff

George M. Wikoff (born 1968)^[2] is a United States Navy vice admiral who serves as the commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command, United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces. He previously served as the vice director of the Joint Staff from 2021 to 2023.^[1][3][4][5]

George Wikoff
Born	1968 (age 56–57) New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.[1]
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1990–present
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands	United States Naval Forces Central Command United States Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Forces Carrier Strike Group 5 Carrier Air Wing Three VFA-122 VFA-211
Battles / wars	War in Afghanistan
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4)
Alma mater	Catholic University of America

In January 2023, Wikoff was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command, United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces.^[6][7] He served as acting commander of Naval Air Forces from 7 September 2023 to January 2024.^[8]

Career highlights

Vice Admiral George M. Wikoff 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 NROTC program, and earned masters from the University of Arkansas.

Wikoff 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 (CVW) 3 deployed aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5 forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and Commander (acting) Naval Air Forces.

Wikoff’s shore assignments include the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, as TOPGUN training officer; Naval 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.