Colonel Charles L. Rich is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief, Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He is the principal advisor to the Deputy CIO on Air Force Reserve matters and provides Total Force perspective in information dominance capabilities across Air Force Cyberspace roles and missions. He ensures integration of Reserve Component personnel/capabilities into critical resource allocation & policy development processes.
Col. Rich received his commission as a distinguished military graduate from the University of Tennessee’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1990. He has held a variety of space, acquisition, tactical and fixed communications positions and has served in staff assignments with Air Combat Command, Air Force Space Command, US Joint Forces Command and Headquarters United States Air Force.
Prior to his current assignment Col. Rich was the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director of Cyberspace and Information Dominance, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA prior to his current assignment.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
1994 Master’s in Business Administration, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1995 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Advance Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2007 Project Management Institute Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) #70716
2008 Building Industry Consulting Services International Registered Communications Distribution Designer Certification (RCDD) #071258
2011 Air War College by Seminar
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1991 – January 1993, Squadron Section Commander, 58th Supply Squadron, Luke, AFB, Ariz.
2. January 1993 – April 1994, Squadron Section Commander, 58th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Luke, AFB, Ariz.
3. April 1994 – February 1995, Communications-Computer Systems Officer, 14th Communications Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
4. February 1995 - June 95, Communications-Computer Systems Officer, Engineering Installations Services Division, 38th Engineering and Installation Group, Tinker AFB, Oka.
5. June 1995 – May 1996, Program Manager, Regional Distribution Systems (RDS) Contract 38th Engineering Installation Wing, Tinker AFB, Oka.
6. May 1996 – January 1997, Executive Officer to the 38th Engineering Installation Wing Commander, 38th Engineering Installation Wing, Tinker AFB, Oka.
7. January 1997 – January 1998, Deputy Director, Commander’s Action Group, 38th Engineering Installation Wing, Tinker AFB, Oka.
8. January 1998 – June 2000, Chief of Communication-Electronics Maintenance, 74th Air Control Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
9. June 2000 – June 2001, J6 Deputy Director Joint Readiness Unit (JRU), USSOCJFCOM, Norfolk, Va.
10. June 2001 – February 2002, Reserve Chief, Air Force Reserve Command Network Operation and Security Center (NOSC), HQ AFRC, Robins, AFB Ga.
11. February 2002 – February 2004, Deputy Commander, 55th Combat Communications Squadron, Robins, AFB Ga.
12. February 2004 – July 2007, End User Requirements and Assessments, MILCOM Systems Wing (MCSW), Los Angeles AFB, Ca.
13. July 2007 – December 2010, Senior Systems Engineer, Office of the Chief Engineer, MILCOM Systems Wing (MCSW), Los Angeles AFB, Ca.
14. January 2011 – Sep 2013, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director of Information Assurance, Information Assurance Division, Office of the Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. Sep 2013 – February 2015, Squadron Commander, 42d Combat Communications Squadron, Joint Base McGuire Dix-Lakehurst, NJ.
16. February 2015 – February 2019, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director of Cyberspace and Information Dominance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
17. February 2019 – Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Chief, Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2000 – June 2001, J6 Deputy Director Joint Readiness Unit (JRU), SOCJFCOM, Norfolk, Va.
2. February 2004 – July 2007, End User Requirements and Assessments, MILCOM Systems Wing (MCSW), Los Angeles AFB, Ca.
3. July 2007 – December 2010, Senior Systems Engineer, Office of the Chief Engineer, MILCOM Systems Wing (MCSW), Los Angeles AFB, Ca.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECEMBERORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three Oak Leaf Clusters
Nation Defense Service Medal with one device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1995 - 38th Engineering Installation Wing Company Grade Officer of the Year
1996 - Distinguished Young Armed Forces Comm. and Electronics Assn. Officer of the Year.
1997 and 2007 - Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Meritorious Service Award
1998 - 1st Fighter Wing Lt Gen Leo Marquez award winner for Communications-Electronic Maintenance
1998 - 1st Operations Group Company Grade Officer of the Year
2003 - Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Emerging Leadership Award
2007 - MILSATCOM Systems Wing IMA (Reservist) of the Year
2010 - SAF/A6 Individual Mobilization Augmentee of the Quarter October-December 2011
2011 - SAF/A6 Individual Mobilization Augmentee of the Quarter June-August 2012
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant October 19, 1990
First Lieutenant October 19, 1992
Captain October 19, 1994
Major October 19, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel October, 19, 2008
Colonel September 1, 2014
(Current as of 1 April 2019)