Charles R. Holland

General
Charles R. Holland
General Charles R. Holland
Born (1946-01-21) January 21, 1946
Elkins, West Virginia, U.S.
Allegiance United States United States
Service/branch  United States Air Force
Years of service 1968–2003 (35 years)
Rank General
Commands held
Battles/wars
Awards See below

Charles R. Holland (born January 21, 1946) is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the Commander of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. As Commander, he was responsible for all special operations forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both active duty and reserve.[1] Holland is the only USSOCOM combat commander originally from the USAF as of 24 March 2014.

Career

Holland entered the Air Force in 1968 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. His early commands over his career included a squadron and two Air Force wings. He flew more than 100 combat missions, including 79 in an AC-130 Gunship in Southeast Asia. He served as Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command, was Commander of the Special Operations Command, Pacific, commanded the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and was the Vice Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. His final assignment was commanding USSOCOM at MacDill. He retired November 1, 2003.[2]

Education

Assignments

  1. August 1968 – August 1969, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas
  2. September 1969 – November 1969, student, initial C-130E pilot qualification training, Sewart AFB, Tennessee
  3. November 1969 – September 1972, C-130E pilot, 347th and 772nd tactical airlift squadrons, Dyess AFB, Texas
  4. October 1972 – January 1973, student, AC-130E combat crew training, Hurlburt Field, Florida
  5. January 1973 – January 1974, AC-130E/H aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and standardization and evaluation pilot, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
  6. February 1974 – January 1976, Air Operations Staff Officer, Directorate of Airlift, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, West Germany
  7. January 1976 – April 1977, Joint Training Exercise Plans Officer, Military Airlift Center Europe, Ramstein AB, West Germany
  8. May 1977 – December 1978, astronautical engineering graduate student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
  9. January 1979 – May 1983, Chief, Space Shuttle Flight Operations Branch, later, Deputy Director for Policy Planning, later, Executive to the Commander, Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Station, California
  10. June 1983 – August 1983, student, C-130E requalification course, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
  11. September 1983 – June 1985, Commander, 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron, Clark AB, Philippines
  12. July 1985 – June 1986, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  13. June 1986 – June 1987, Deputy Chief, Airlift and Training Division, Directorate of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  14. June 1987 – June 1988, Chief, Airlift and Training Division, Directorate of Strategic, Special Operations Forces and Airlift, Military Deputy for Acquisition, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  15. June 1988 – June 1991, Vice Commander, later, Commander, 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
  16. June 1991 – June 1993, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida
  17. June 1993 – June 1995, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
  18. June 1995 – June 1997, Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
  19. July 1997 – August 1999, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida
  20. August 1999 – October 2000, Vice Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
  21. October 2000 – October 2003, Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida

Flight Information

Awards and decorations

US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Basic Missile Maintenance Badge
United States Special Operations Command Badge
Personal decorations
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

 Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters

Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges

 Legion of Merit with bronze oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross

Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.

 Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters

 Air Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Unit awards

 Joint Meritorious Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
V

 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and bronze oak leaf cluster

 Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Service awards
Combat Readiness Medal
Campaign and service medals
Bronze star
Bronze star

Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes

 National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars
Bronze star

 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Vietnam Service Medal
Bronze star

Width-44 ribbon with the following stripes, arranged symmetrically from the edges to the center: width-2 black, width-4 chamois, width-2 Old Glory blue, width-2 white, width-2 Old Glory red, width-6 chamouis, width-3 myrtle green up to a central width-2 black stripe

 Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star
Service, training, and marksmanship awards
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon

 Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clusters

 Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Foreign awards
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions
Insignia Rank Date
GeneralDecember 1, 2000
Lieutenant General November 1, 1999
Major GeneralFebruary 22, 1997
Brigadier GeneralMay 20, 1993
ColonelDecember 1, 1985
Lieutenant ColonelDecember 1, 1982
MajorApril 19, 1979
CaptainJune 5, 1971
First LieutenantDecember 5, 1969
Second LieutenantJune 5, 1968

References

  1. ↑ United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services (2001). Nominations before the Senate Armed Services Committee, second session, 106th Congress: hearings before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, second session, on nominations of Rudy de Leon; Douglas A. Dworkin; Bernard D. Rostker; Gregory R. Dahlberg; Madelyn R. Creedon; Adm. Vernon E. Clark; Gen. John A. Gordon; Lt. Gen. Tommy R. Franks; Lt. Gen. William F. Kernan; Donald Mancuso; Roger W. Kallock; James E. Baker; Lt. Gen. Peter Pace; Lt. Gen. Charles R. Holland; Maj. Gen. Robert B. Flowers; and Robert B. Pirie, Jr., February 8; March 21; April 11; May 16, 24; June 27; July 26; September 6; October 3, 19, 2000 4. U.S. G.P.O. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "General Charles R. Holland". official biography. United States Air Force. 2003. Retrieved October 10, 2010.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force document "General Charled R. Holland biography".

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