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 across every branch in the U.S. Armed Forces. Currently, Holland is the first and the only member of the U.S. Air Force to serve as commander of USSOCOM. 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. Education Assignments August 1968 – August 1969, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas September 1969 – November 1969, student, initial C-130E pilot qualification training, Sewart AFB, Tennessee November 1969 – September 1972, C-130E pilot, 347th and 772nd tactical airlift squadrons, Dyess AFB, Texas October 1972 – January 1973, student, AC-130E combat crew training, Hurlburt Field, Florida 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 February 1974 – January 1976, Air Operations Staff Officer, Directorate of Airlift, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, West Germany January 1976 – April 1977, Joint Training Exercise Plans Officer, Military Airlift Center Europe, Ramstein AB, West Germany May 1977 – December 1978, astronautical engineering graduate student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 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 June 1983 – August 1983, student, C-130E requalification course, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas September 1983 – June 1985, Commander, 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron, Clark AB, Philippines July 1985 – June 1986, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. June 1986 – June 1987, Deputy Chief, Airlift and