Col. Charles King, 
U.S. Army (Ret.)

MILITARY PROFESSOR

Trends Analysis Program

Area of Expertise - Stability, Security, Transition & Reconstruction

Colonel (Ret.) Charlie King joined the Asia-Pacific Center in May 2006  and is currently  the director of the Trends Analysis Program. Prior to leading the TAP effort he was the Program Manager for the SSTR Course.

He has served the preceding three years here in Hawaii with the Special Operations Command, Pacific as the Chief of Staff as well as the Director of Plans, Programs, and Exercises.  While there he participated in Operation Unified Assistance and Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines, to include a deployment as Commander, Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines (JSOTF-P). 

Colonel King enlisted in the Army in 1977 and served as an infantryman with the 101^st Airborne Division prior to attending OCS.  He was commissioned in the Infantry in April 1978, and subsequently served over 25 years in Infantry or Special Forces assignments.  He has served at Fort Bragg, NC with the 5^th Special Forces Group as an SF Detachment Commander, and with the Berlin Brigade, Berlin Germany, as a rifle company commander and a battalion S-3.  From 1990 until 1995, Colonel King served with the 10^th Special Forces Group, Fort Devens, MA where he held a variety of positions.  During this time he participated in Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Provide Comfort I & II, and Operation Support Hope.  He has commanded at both the battalion and brigade level with the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, which is the Defense Department’s institutional training base for Special Forces, Psychological Operations, and Civil Affairs.

Colonel King’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (6), Army Commendation Medal (4), South West Asia Campaign Medal (3), and the Joint Meritorious Unit Citation (5).  He wears both the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab, and holds a Master Parachutist rating.  He is a graduate of Tufts University (BA), the Joint Forces Staff College, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College; (MS in Strategic Studies).  He maintains a rating in the French language.