Col. Michael C. Alfaro is the Commander of the 48th Fighter Wing at Royal Air Force Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell, England, and the U.S. Country Representative to the United Kingdom (USCR-UK). He is responsible for nearly 7,000 activeduty personnel, British and U.S. civilians, and 11,000 family members. The “Statue of Liberty Wing” hosts four combat ready fighter squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35A Lighting II aircraft, making the 48th Fighter Wing the largest U.S. fighter base in Europe. As the USCR-UK, Col. Alfaro is the U.S. European Command’s senior non-diplomatic military representative in the UK and liaises directly with His Majesty’s Government on behalf of the 22,000 U.S. Forces (service members, dependents and civilian employees) in the UK under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement.
Col. Alfaro received his commission after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2002 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He is also a graduate of Embry Riddle University, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and the Joint Advanced Warfighting School. A career F-15E pilot, Col. Alfaro instructed at the United States Air Force Weapons School and commanded the 494th Fighter Squadron. Col. Alfaro has also served as the aide-de-camp to the International Security Assistance Force Commander and as a member of the Joint Staff J-7.
Prior to his current position, Col. Alfaro served as Headquarters Air Force A5/A7XD Design Development Division Chief at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He led a division of selectively manned strategists through the development of service level concepts to shape Air Force modernization efforts. He also advised the Air Force’s Chief Modernization Officer, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Secretary of the Air Force on future threats and needed capabilities.
Col. Alfaro is a command pilot with over 2,300 hours in the F-15E, including 757 combat hours over Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERENT RESOLVE.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Aeronautical Science w/ distinction, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Public Administration, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2019 Master of Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2003 – May 2004, Student Pilot, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 2004 – July 2004, Student Pilot, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Moody AFB, Ga.
3. August 2004 – May 2005, Student Pilot, F-15E, 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. June 2005 – December 2008, F-15E Pilot, Assistant to the Weapons Officer, Chief of Training, Flight Commander, F-15E
Instructor and Evaluator, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. (Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Operation
ENDURING FREEDOM)
5. January 2009 – June 2009, Student, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. July 2009 – May 2011, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Flight Commander, F-15E Instructor and Evaluator, 494th Fighter
Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK. (Operation ENDURING FREEDOM)
7. June 2011 – April 2013, Chief of 57th Wing Commander’s Action Group, USAF Weapons School Instructor, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. May 2013 – May 2014, Aide-de-camp for Commander, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul Air Field, Afghanistan
(Operation ENDURING FREEDOM)
9. June 2014 – June 2015, Student, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
10. July 2015 – January 2018, Assistant Director of Operations, Director of Operations, Commander, 494th Fighter Squadron,
RAF Lakenheath, UK.
11. February 2018 – March 2018, Deputy Commander, 48th Maintenance Group, RAF Lakenheath, UK.
12. April 2018 – June 2018, Deputy Commander, 48th Operations Group, RAF Lakenheath, UK.
13. July 2018 – June 2019, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
14. July 2019 – April 2021, J7 Branch Chief, the Joint Staff, Suffolk, Va.
15. May 2021 – June 2023, Commander, 4th Operational Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
16. July 2023 – November 2025, Commander, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Commander, 332d Air
Expeditionary Wing, United States Central Command Area of Responsibility.
17. December 2025 – July 2026, Division Chief, HAF A5/7XD Design Development, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA.
18. July 2026 – Present, Commander, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2019 – April 2021, J7 Branch Chief, the Joint Staff, Suffolk, Va., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2,300
Aircraft flown: F-15E, F-35A, T-37, T-38A, AT-38B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Longevity Service Award with five oak leaf clusters
NATO Medal with star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major May 01, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel January 01, 2016
Colonel March 01, 2020
(Current as of July 2026)