William Thomas Hobbins (born February 18, 1946) is a former Air Force general, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe; commander of Air Component Command, Ramstein; and director of Joint Air Power Competence Center, Kalkar, Germany.
Hobbins was raised in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and entered the Air Force in December 1969 as a graduate of Officer Training School. He has commanded two tactical fighter wings and a composite air group. He has served as the director of plans and operations for U.S. Forces Japan, director of plans and policy for U.S. Atlantic Command, and the director of operations for U.S. Air Forces in Europe. As the USAFE director of operations, General Hobbins was responsible for the planning, bedding down and execution of combat forces in Europe for Operation Allied Force.
Whilst serving as commander of Air Forces Iceland, Hobbins led the composite wing in the intercept of 80 Soviet bomber aircraft in nine months. During his tenure as Twelfth Air Force commander, General Hobbins deployed the Twelfth Air Force's Air Operations Center to Southwest Asia as operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom's alternate AOC prior to the beginning of the hostilities.
A command pilot, as of August 2007 the general has more than 5,000 flying hours, primarily in fighter aircraft.
General Hobbins also stars in a number of Armed Forces Network commercials.
Education
1969 Bachelor of Science degree in business finance, University of Colorado
1976 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
1977 Master's degree in business administration, Troy State University
1981 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
1985 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
1997 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
1999 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2000 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University, New York
2005 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colorado