Maj Gen Charles D. Bolton Prepares the 18th Air Force for the Future Fight
By Mrs. Lauren Fosnot, Staff Writer
Leading Air Mobility Command’s sole numbered air force is no simple task, but Maj Gen Charles D. Bolton, newly appointed Commander of the 18th Air Force, is up for the challenge. The 18th Air Force, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, IL, consists of twelve wings and one direct reporting unit. Bolton’s responsibility includes ensuring the readiness and sustainment of approximately thirty-six thousand active duty, Reserve, and civilian Airmen. His leadership comes at a pivotal time for the 18th Air Force, and Bolton shared with The Mobility Forum how he is focused fully on preparing to meet the challenges of Great Power Competition and how his previous experiences have prepared him for this role.
His most recent assignment was a deployment to Wiesbaden, Germany, as the Deputy Commanding General, Operations, for the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, where he coordinated efforts with coalition partners to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. “I think that assignment was very important for me because I was able to witness what our Mobility Airmen do at the tip of the spear,” the Commander explained.
This experience and his role at the United States Transportation Command, where he took part in Operation Allies Refuge, reinforced his recognition of the need for adaptability and readiness to execute our nation’s call.
Drawing from these insights, Bolton is committed to ensuring the 18th Air Force is prepared for future challenges: “My immediate goal is to make sure that transition [to Great Power Competition readiness] is successful inside 18th Air Force and our wings, without assuming too much risk to the institution.”
For Bolton, this means maintaining the operational effectiveness that has defined the 18th Air Force, with three main priorities:
- Advancing the force and installation readiness.
- Developing ready Airmen and families.
- Preparing the force to win.
Bolton is also very committed to integrating new technologies to support the 18th Air Force’s role in future conflicts in contested environments. He highlighted the importance of enabling real-time situational awareness and enhanced decision-making capabilities, noting, “We will need to maintain the situational awareness to know where we’re at, where the enemy is, and where the forces that we’re supporting are.” The Commander says he will continue obtaining the support for the resources and time to exercise those capabilities to use those emerging technologies so that “crews have what they need to be successful in that high-end fight.”
At the core of these priorities, Maj Gen Bolton shares his greatest goal—empowering Mobility Airmen to take pride in the amazing work they do every day.
“Pride is in how you look, talk, and act,” he explained. “It is not only a representation of who you are personally, but the organization that you work for. Standards are not just about the rules we live by but it’s about the dedication to do the job as best you can and as safely as you can.”
This pursuit of excellence is what drives success. With global threats evolving and the nature of conflict shifting toward Great Power Competition, Bolton’s focus on readiness, innovation, and the professional development of Airmen is key to positioning the 18th Air Force for an even more successful future.
Biography of Maj Gen Charles D. Bolton
Maj Gen Charles D. Bolton, Commander of the 18th Air Force at Scott Air Force Base (AFB), IL, ensures the readiness and sustainment of approximately thirty-six thousand active duty, Air Force Reserve, and civilian Airmen at twelve wings and one direct reporting unit. With more than four hundred aircraft, the 18th Air Force supports Air Mobility Command’s worldwide mission of providing rapid global mobility to America’s armed forces through airlift, airdrop, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation.
Bolton received his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994. He has performed flying duties at Yokota Air Base, Japan; Little Rock AFB, AR; and Pope AFB, NC. He commanded the 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Southwest Asia, the 314th Operations Group at Little Rock AFB, and the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia. Prior to his current position, he was the Special Assistant to the Commander of Air Mobility Command.
Bolton is a Master Navigator with more than 2,800 flight hours in C-130E and C-130H aircraft; a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School; and has served multiple tours supporting Operations Inherent Resolve, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.