BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT H. HOLMES

Brig. Gen. Robert H. Holmes is Director, Inter-Agency Task Force, Center for Special Operations, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

General Holmes entered the Air Force in 1978 after receiving his commission from Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, Texas. He is a career combat control officer and has commanded at all levels from detachment to wing, including the 37th Training Wing, which is the largest training wing in the U.S. Air Force. During Operation Enduring Freedom, General Holmes was the Deputy Commander, Joint Special Operations Task Force-South (Task Force K-Bar), responsible for directing and conducting joint combat operations in southern Afghanistan.

The general is a master parachutist and military freefall parachutist. Prior to his current assignment, he was Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command.

EDUCATION
1969 Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and drama, David Lipscomb College, Nashville, Tenn.
1972 Master's degree in educational administration, Georgia State University, Atlanta
1982 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1987 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1998 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 International Conflict Resolution Course, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2005 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2005 Fundamentals of Negotiation, The Negotiation Project, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1978 - March 1980, unit executive officer, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
2. March 1980 - June 1980, student, Air Traffic Control Officer School, 3395th Technical Training Group, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. June 1980 - October 1980, student, combat ready qualification training, Combat Control School, 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C.
4. October 1980 - July 1981, wing/base combat control team officer, 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C.
5. July 1981 - May 1983, Commandant, Combat Control School, 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C.
6. May 1983 - May 1986, Chief, Combat Control Division, 21st Air Force, 1701st Mobility Support Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
7. May 1986 - October 1989, Commander, 1723rd Combat Control Squadron, Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany
8. October 1989 - October 1991, Chief, Combat Control Division, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. October 1991 - May 1992, Director of Operations, 1725th Combat Control Group, Scott AFB, Ill.
10. June 1992 - June 1993, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. June 1993 - June 1995, Chief, Pacific Command Operations Branch, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
12. June 1995 - May 1997, Commander, 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
13. May 1997 - June 1998, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 1998 - June 1999, Chief, Operations Briefing Division, the Joint Staff, Washington, DC
15. June 1999 - July 2001, Deputy Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. July 2001 - July 2002, Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
17. July 2002 - July 2003, special assistant to the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
18. July 2003 - June 2004, Commander, 37th Training Wing, Lackland AFB, Texas
19. June 2004 - May 2006, Director of Security Forces and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
20. June 2006 - October 2008, Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
21. October 2008 - present, Director, Inter-Agency Task Force, Center for Special Operations, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 16, 1978
First Lieutenant Nov. 16, 1980
Captain Nov. 16, 1982
Major Sept. 1, 1989
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1994
Colonel Feb. 1, 2000
Brigadier General June 1, 2005

(Current as of June 2009)