2023 Hall of Fame Inductee
University of California, Santa Barbara (1986)
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Eric Wendt was born on Oct. 7, 1964, in Berkeley, California.
He received his commission in 1986 after completing the Army ROTC program and a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Wendt graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and the George C. Marshall award winner for the UCSB “Surfrider” Battalion.
Wendt later continued his education as an active-duty Army officer and received a Master of Arts in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1995. In 2005 he was a Postgraduate Fellow at NPS. In 2018 NPS recognized him as a distinguished alumnus.
Wendt commanded at every level of Special Forces and Special Operations from captain to lieutenant general. He spent four and a half years in the Light Infantry, and 30 years in Special Forces, including 13 years of command at tactical, operational, and strategic levels while serving in 56 different countries.
During his career, Wendt served as the Principal Military Assistant to Secretaries of Defense Robert Gates and Leon Panetta. He also worked directly for the U.S. Secretary of State and led an eight-country coalition for two years while serving as the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In his final assignment, he commanded the NATO Special Operations Headquarters from 2019 to 2021.
Wendt retired from service on March 1, 2021, after 34.5 years of service. He continues to support the Army and sister services, working as one of two DoD senior mentors in South Korea and teaching Command and Leadership as a professor of practice at NPS.
Wendt has been an active mentor for UCSB Army ROTC throughout his entire military career. He returns frequently to teach, coach and mentor the “Surfrider” Cadets and Cadre and is often a guest speaker at their events.
Wendt’s awards and accolades include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Army Distinguished Service Medals, two Defense Superior Service Medals, Legion of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, German Gold Cross of Honor (for combat service with German troopers in Afghanistan), Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the U.S. Department of State Superior Honor Award. Wendt speaks Arabic and Korean, and in 2023 was one of four inducted into the Defense Language Institute (DLI) Hall of Fame at the Presidio of Monterey.
About the Army ROTC Hall of Fame
The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The first class (2016) inducted 326 former ROTC Cadets who had distinguished themselves in their military or civilian career.
The Hall of Fame honors graduates of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. It provides a prestigious and tangible means of recognizing and honoring Army ROTC Alumni who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Nation, the Army and the history and traditions of the Army ROTC Program.
Read more about the 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees.
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