Biography
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
Major General Eric E. Austin

Major General Eric Austin assumed the duties as the Commanding General of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in August 2022. He last served as the Director, Capabilities Development Directorate, Combat Development and Integration.

Major General Austin was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1991, earned his wings as a naval aviator in 1994, and selected to fly the AV-8B Harrier. Major General Austin has extensive operational and tactical experience in the AV-8B, to include deployment aboard amphibious shipping as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit and combat experience from multiple deployments to Kuwait and Iraq. He commanded Marine Attack Squadron 211 from May 2007 to November of 2008 and more recently commanded Marine Aircraft Group 14 from June 2014 to May 2016. He also served as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command.

His staff assignments include Director, Capabilities Development Directorate, Combat Development and Integration; Deputy Director, Joint Training, Joint Staff J7; Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps; Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing; Pacific Command Action Officer, Operations Directorate for the Joint Staff J-39; Executive Officer, Marine Aircraft Group 13; Executive Officer, Marine Attack Squadron 513; Weapons and Tactics Instructor, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1; and various squadron billets in operations, aviation maintenance, aviation safety and pilot training.

Major General Austin graduated from the Naval Academy with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering in 1991, was a distinguished graduate of The Basic School in 1992, and completed flight school in 1994. He was awarded a Masters of National Security Strategy from the National War College in 2010, graduated from the Marine Corps University Senior Planner’s course in 2012, and completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in 2013.