George Wikoff

George M. Wikoff (born 1968) is an American admiral who has served as the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples since 2025.

Wikoff graduated from George Washington University's Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1990 and became a naval aviator in the United States Navy. 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. Wikoff served as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces from 2024 to 2025, and oversaw operations during the Red Sea crisis and the Twelve-Day War.

Early life and education George M. Wikoff was born in 1968 and is a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is a 1990 graduate of the Catholic University of America, and was commissioned through the George Washington University Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Wikoff also earned a master's degree from the University of Arkansas.

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. 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. 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.

Wikoff assumed command of NAVCENT, the Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces in Manama, Bahrain, on 1 February 2024 from Brad Cooper.

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.

Awards and decorations

Naval Aviator BadgeNavy Distinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with three award starsDefense Meritorious Service MedalAir Medal with strike/flight numeral "4" deviceMeritorious Service Medal with two award starsNavy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two award starsNavy Unit Commendation ribbonNavy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with award starJoint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clustersNavy Meritorious Unit CommendationBattle Effectiveness Award 2nd awardNational Defense Service Medal with bronze service starArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalSouthwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service starAfghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze service starGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with three bronze service stars Armed Forces Service MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalNavy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with bronze service starNavy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service starNATO MedalCommand at Sea insigniaOffice of the Secretary of Defense Identification BadgeAllied Joint Force Command Naples Badge

Dates of promotion