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U N I T E D   S T A T E S   A I R   F O R C E

GENERAL CHARLES R. HOLLAND

photo of GENERAL CHARLES  R. HOLLAND
Retired Nov. 1, 2003.  

Gen. Charles R. Holland is Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. As Commander, he is responsible for all special operations forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both active duty and Reserve.

General Holland entered the Air Force in 1968 after graduating from the U.S Air Force Academy. He has commanded a squadron, two Air Force wings, served as Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command, and was Commander of the Special Operations Command Pacific. Prior to his current assignment, General Holland commanded the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and was the Vice Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

General Holland is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours and more than 100 combat missions, including 79 in an AC-130 Gunship in Southeast Asia.

EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1974 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1975 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1976 Master of science degree in business management, Troy State University, Ramstein AB, West Germany
1978 Master of science degree in astronautical engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1982 National Security Management Course, by correspondence
1986 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1990 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1998 National and International Security Management Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

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, Tenn.
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, Fla.
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, Calif.
10. June 1983 - August 1983, student, C-130E requalification course, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
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, N.M.
16. June 1991 - June 1993, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
17. June 1993 - June 1995, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
18. June 1995 - June 1997, Commander, Special Operations Command Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
19. July 1997 - August 1999, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
20. August 1999 - October 2000, Vice Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
21. October 2000 - present, Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,000
Aircraft flown: C-130, C-37, AC-130, HC-130, MC-130, MH-53, MH-60, H-3, H-1 and T-39

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with V device and oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Vietnam Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star
Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Short
Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Long with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with seven oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 5, 1968
First Lieutenant Dec 5, 1969
Captain Jun 5, 1971
Major Apr 19, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Dec 1, 1982
Colonel Dec 1, 1985
Brigadier General May 20, 1993
Major General Feb 22, 1997
Lieutenant General Nov 1, 1999
General Dec 1, 2000


(Current as of January 2003)