# Special Forces officer promoted, assumes command of Afghanistan SOF command



## Ravage (Mar 6, 2009)

http://www.socom.mil/Releases/2009/PR09-006.pdf

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Fayetteville native Army Col. Edward M. Reeder Jr. was promoted to brigadier general by Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, in a ceremony at the Davis Conference Center here Feb. 25.  Brig. Gen. Reeder, formerly Adm. Olson’s executive officer, departed the same afternoon to assume duties as commander of the newly established Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command—Afghanistan in Kabul.

“Ed Reeder is an extraordinary officer and a man of real character. People like to be around him, and people like to work for him,” Adm. Olson said during the ceremony. “Ed Reeder epitomizes the SF officer,” he added. Reeder credited his success to his friends, family, former co-workers and superiors, and even high school classmates who filled the room at the ceremony. “The reason I am up here today is due to the people I have worked for and worked with,” Brig. Gen. Reeder said.

Reeder was born at Fort Bragg, N.C., to Army Command Sgt. Maj. Edward Reeder Sr. and Ginko Reeder. Reeder followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the Army in 1982 when he received his commission as an infantry officer. He attended the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1986 and, upon graduation, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Panama. While assigned to the 3rd Battalion, he participated in Operation JUST CAUSE as a Special Forces Operational Detachment – Alpha commander. While assigned to the 7th SFG (A), Reeder also served as a U.S. Army Advisor to the El Salvadoran National Civil Defense Forces.

After returning to Fort Bragg in 1990, he was assigned as the aide-de-camp to the commanding general of Fort Bragg’s U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. During this assignment he also commanded a company and served as a battalion operations officer in the 7th SFG (A). He returned to Panama in 1996 where he was assigned to the U.S. Southern Command and the Joint Interagency Counternarcotics Task Force – South as the chief of the Training and Plans Divisions.

Following his second assignment in Panama, Reeder returned to the 7th SFG (A) where he served as the group operations officer, executive officer and deputy commander. In 2001 he assumed command of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd SFG (A). He deployed the battalion to Afghanistan in 2002 and 2003 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. After serving as the operations officer for U.S. Army Special Forces Command and attending National War College, Reeder assumed command of the 7th SFG (A) in August 2005. As the commander, he deployed twice with the group to Afghanistan.

Reeder arrived at USSOCOM headquarters in January 2008 and served as Olson’s executive officer.

Reeder is married to the former Adrian Hopkins of Overland Park, Kan. He and his wife have three children, Edward III, Jennifer and Morgan.


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