Col. Charles D. Bolton is the Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia. He commands a composite wing that includes air mobility, precision strike, personnel recovery, electronic attack, logistics operations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing is comprised of more than 4,000 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Airmen and coalition forces. Approximately 200 of the wing's Airmen are filling Joint Expeditionary Taskings in support of U.S. Army combat support requirements at forward bases in Southwest Asia.
He was commissioned upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994 with a bachelor of science degree in biology. Colonel Bolton has performed flying missions at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., and Pope Air Force Base, N.C. He also commanded the 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron where he led a team of approximately 45 Airmen and contractors providing operations support capabilities to the warfighters who prosecuted operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Bolton was the 314th Operations Group Commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark
Colonel Bolton is a master navigator with more than 2,600 hours in the C-130E and C-130H, and he is a distinguished graduate of the US Air Force Weapons School. He has served in multiple tours supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of science degree in biology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 United States Air Force Mobility Weapons School, Little Rock AFB, Ark. and Nellis AFB, Nev.
2002 Master of science degree in computer resources and information management, Webster University, Mo.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2006 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2009 Air War College, by correspondence
2012 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1994 - November 1995, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
2. November 1995 - December 1998, Scheduler, Life Support Officer, Tactics Officer, Instructor Navigator, 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan
3. December 1998 - May 1999, Tactics Officer, Instructor Navigator, 374th Operations Support Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan
4. May 1999 - December 1999, C-130 Weapons Instructor Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark. and Nellis AFB, Nev.
5. December 1999 - May 2001, Joint Readiness Instructor and Evaluator Navigator, Joint Operations Directorate, Combat Aerial Delivery School, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. May 2001 - May 2002, Regional Operations Director, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. May 2002 - June 2003, Chief of C-21, C-12, UH-1 Requirements, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. June 2003 - June 2005, Flight Commander, Wing Weapons and Tactics, 43d Operations Support Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
9. June 2005 - June 2006, Assistant Operations Officer, 41st Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
10. June 2006 - June 2007, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
11. June 2007 - June 2009, Operations Liaison Officer, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2009 - June 2010, Commander, 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Southwest Asia
13. June 2010 - June 2011, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. June 2011 - June 2012, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2012 - June 2014, Conventional Arms Control Branch Chief, Joint Staff J5 Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2014 - June 2016, Commander, 314th Operations Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
17. June 2016 - present, Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: master navigator
Flight hours: more than 2,600
Aircraft Flown: C-130E, C-130H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Iraqi Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant June 1, 1996
Captain June 1, 1998
Major Sept. 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2009
Colonel Oct. 1, 2014
(Current as of June 2016)