Colonel Charles M. Drouillard is the Joint Global Strike Operations Center (J-GSOC) Deputy Commander at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The Center’s mission is to safeguard the United States and assure our Allies through global power on demand.
Col Drouillard is a 1995 graduate of the USAF Academy and worked as an aeronautical engineer before attending pilot trainning at Columbus AFB, MS. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, LA, where he served as B-52 Pilot and Aircraft Commander flying combat missions in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE. He then moved to Fort Hood, serving in the 9th ASOS as Brigade Air Liaison Officer, Chief of Mobility and Exercises, Terminal Attack Controller-Instructor and Evaluator and deployed to Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as Fighter Duty Officer at Bagram AB, Afghanistan. In June 2004, he returned to the 2nd Bomb Wing and worked as B-52 Instructor/Evaluator Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations and Chief--Wing Exercises and Evaluations. He also deployed to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territories flying combat missions in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He then commanded Detachment 3, 29th Training Systems Squadron where he oversaw acquisition, modification, and lifecycle management of the $550M B-52 aircrew training systems. He then moved to Fort Stewart serving as the 15th Air Support Operations Squadron Director of Operations and Commander before deploying with the 3rd Infantry Division to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan as Regional Command – South Air Liaison Officer and Commander, 807th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron. He next moved to Brussels, Belgium as the Air and Operations Planner in the United States Military Delegation to NATO. Col Drouillard then served as the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Panel Chair at Headquarters Air Force, Strategic Plans and Requirements Directorate at the Pentagon. Following assignment in DC, he commanded the 3rd Air Support Operations Group at Fort Hood, TX. Prior to his current position, he was the Director of Operations for Air Forces Strategic overseeing Bomber Task Force missions globally.
EDUCATION:
1995 Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences, USAFA
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB
2004 Masters of Engineering Management, Southern Methodist University
2006 Air Command and Staff College (by correspondence)
2010 Air War College (by correspondence)
2014 Joint PME Phase II, Norfolk NAS
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. August 1995 – April 1996, Aeronautical Engineer, USAF Academy, CO
2. April 1996 – May 1997, Student Pilot, Columbus AFB, MS
3. June 1997 – November 1997, Student, B-52 Initial Co-pilot Qualification, Barksdale AFB, LA
4. November 1997 – December 2000, Pilot, 20th Bomb Sq, BAFB, LA (OAF)
5. January 2001 – October 2001, B-52 Aircraft Commander, 20th Bomb Sq, BAFB, LA
6. October 2001 – May 2004, Air Liaison Officer, 9th Air Support Operations Sq, Ft Hood, TX
7. June 2004 – August 2005, B-52 Aircraft Commander, 20th Bomb Sq, BAFB, LA
8. August 2005 – July 2006, B-52 Instructor Pilot, Assistant DO, 20th Bomb Sq, BAFB, LA (OEF)
9. July 2006 – January 2008, Branch Chief, 2nd Operations Group Stan/Eval, BAFB, LA
10. January – July 2008 – Chief of Exercises/Evaluations, 2 BW Plans and Programs, BAFB, LA
11. July 2008 – July 2010, Commander, Detachment 3, 29th Training Systems Sq, BAFB, LA
12. August 2010 – March 2011, Director of Operations, 15th ASOS, Ft Stewart, GA
13. April 2011 – July 2012, Commander, 15th ASOS, Ft Stewart, GA
14. August 2012 – August 2013, Commander, 807th Expeditionary ASOS, Kandahar AF, AFG
15. October 2013 – August 2016, Air and Operations Planner, United States Military Delegation to the Military Committee at NATO, Brussels, BEL
16. August 2016 – July 2018, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Panel Chair, Pentagon, Wash. DC
17. July 2018 – July 2020, Commander, 3d Air Support Operations Group, Fort Hood AIN, TX
18. July 2020 – Mar 2022, Director of Operations, Air Forces Strategic, Barksdale AFB, LA
19. Mar 2022 – Present, Deputy Commander, Joint Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale AFB, LA
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2800 with 340 combat hours in OEF and OAF.
Operational aircraft qualifications: B-52H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
(Current as of December 2022)