Mr. Spence Wolin is the Executive Director, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He is responsible for providing direction in the operational test and evaluation planning, execution and reporting of more than 90 major programs valued at more than $900 billion being assessed at 17 different locations. Mr. Wolin assists the AFOTEC Commander as the senior interface between AFOTEC and major commands, other services, agencies, allied partners, industry and the scientific community.
Mr. Wolin entered civil service with the Air Force in September 2020, following seven years of active-duty service in the Air Force. Mr. Wolin attended Air Force Officer Candidate School at Maxwell AFB, ALA., in 2013 and then completed Combat Officer Systems School in 2015. During his time on active duty, Mr. Wolin was an Electronic Warfare Officer and Mission Crew Commander on the RC-135 V/W Rivet Joint. Mr. Wolin conducted sensitive reconnaissance operations in U.S. Southern Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, as well as two combat deployments conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.
Preceding entry into the Air Force, Mr. Wolin was the Injury Prevention and Reduction Program Manager for six years at the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School at Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Ill. His primary duties included educating Navy SEAL and Special Warfare Combat Crewmen candidates on exercise physiology principles, implementing and monitoring an injury prevention program, and treating and tracking injuries of SEAL and SWCC students. During this same time period, Mr. Wolin worked part-time as a Critical Care Paramedic servicing Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and Northern Indiana.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Wolin served as the AFOTEC Deputy Director of Operations.
EDUCATION
2007 Bachelor of Science, Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
2012 Master of Science, Human Movement and Biomechanics, A.T. Still University, Mesa, Ariz.
2022 Executive Master’s in Business Administration, Aerospace and Defense, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION
2013 Officer Candidate School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
- May 2008 – July 2013, Injury Prevention and Reduction Program Manager, NSWPS, NTS Great Lakes, Ill.
- July 2013 – September 2013, officer candidate, U.S. Air Force Officer Candidate School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- September 2013 – February 2015, student, Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer School, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
- February 2015 – October 2015, student, RC-135 V/W Electronic Warfare Officer Qualification Course, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- October 2015 – March 2016, Resource Advisor, Electronic Warfare Officer, RC-135 V/W, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- March 2016 – December 2017, Executive Officer, Instructor Electronic Warfare Officer, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- December 2017 – December 2018, Assistant Flight Commander, Weapons and Tactics, Instructor Electronic Warfare Officer, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- December 2018 – October 2019, Flight Commander, Commanders Action Group, Electronic Warfare Officer Instructor and Evaluator, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- November 2019 – July 2020, Assistant Director of Operations, Electronic Warfare Officer Instructor and Evaluator, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- July 2020 – September 2020, Test Program Coordinator, (J7), Joint Navigation Warfare Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
- September 2020 – December 2021, Infrastructure Management and Program Analyst, Special Projects Division, Strategic Plans and Requirements Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
- January 2022 – November 2022, Deputy Chief, Special Projects Division, Strategic Plans and Requirements Directorate, Headquarters AFOTEC, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
- December 2022 – May 2023, Chief, Strategy, Planning, and Programs Division, Strategic Plans and Requirements Directorate, Headquarters AFOTEC, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
- May 2023 – March 2024, Chief, Special Test and Advanced Programs Division, Operations Directorate, Headquarters AFOTEC, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
- March 2024 – January 2026, Deputy Director, Operations Directorate, Headquarters AFOTEC, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
- January 2026 – present, Executive Director, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: 1,960 (520 Combat)
Aircraft flown: T-6, T-1A, RC-135 V/W
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon – Long Tour
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2015 Distinguished Graduate in Electronic Warfare, Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training
2017 Electronic Warfare Officer of the Year, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2018 Distinguished Graduate, RC-135 V/W Mission Crew Commanders Qualification Course
2019 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2020 Flight Commander of the Year, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2021 AFOTEC Superior Performance Award
2023 Headquarters AFOTEC Civilian of the Year, Category III (Supervisory)
(Current as of January 2026)