USSOCOM Gets a New Deputy Cdr

DA SWO

SOWT
Verified SOF
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Don't know if this is good or bad?

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nominations:
Air Force Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Heithold has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and for assignment as vice commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Heithold is currently serving as commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency/deputy chief of staff, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
 
His Bio, sounds like a match.

MAJOR GENERAL BRADLEY A. HEITHOLD

Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Heithold is Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. General Heithold is responsible for providing multisource ISR products, applications, capabilities and resources, as well as information operations forces and expertise. AF ISR Agency includes the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing; 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing; 361st Special Operations Forces ISR Group; National Air and Space Intelligence Center; Air Force Technical Applications Center; and all Air Force cryptologic operations. In his position as AF ISR Agency Commander, General Heithold also serves as the Commander of the Service Cryptologic Component. In this capacity, he is responsible to the Director, National Security Agency, and Chief, Central Security Service, as the Air Force's sole authority for matters involving the conduct of cryptologic activities, including the spectrum of missions directly related to both tactical warfighting and national-level operations. In addition, as the Air Force Geospatial Intelligence Element Commander, General Heithold facilitates AF GEOINT federation and integration into the National System for Geospatial Intelligence; orchestrates programmatic, policy and systemic requirements developed by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at Headquarters U.S. Air Force; and organizes, trains, equips and presents AF GEOINT forces.

General Heithold enlisted in the Air Force in 1974 and spent three years at Holloman AFB, N.M., as an F-4D avionics technician. He was commissioned in 1981 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at the University of Arkansas. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, including the 451st Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia. His staff assignments include positions on the Air Staff and a unified command staff. Prior to his current assignment, he was Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

General Heithold is a master navigator with more than 3,400 flight hours in the C-130, AC-130H and MC-130P.

EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor's degree in physics, University of Arkansas
1986 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1991 Master of Public Administration degree, Troy State University, Ala.
1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Air War College, by correspondence
1998 National Defense Fellow, Florida International University, Miami
1999 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2005 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, San Diego, Calif.
2005 Systems Acquisition Management Course for Flag Officers, Defense Acquisitions University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2008 Complex Business Problems, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2010 Executive Leadership Seminar, Center for Executive Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2010 Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1981 - April 1982, student, undergraduate navigator training, Mather AFB, Calif.
2. April 1982 - December 1985, navigator and instructor navigator, 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. January 1986 - March 1986, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
4. March 1986 - June 1989, navigator, instructor navigator and evaluator navigator, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. June 1989 - September 1990, chief navigator, AC-130 Standardization and Evaluation, 23rd Air Force and, later, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. September 1990 - December 1991, Chief, AC-130 Programs and Acquisitions, Headquarters AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. December 1991 - July 1992, analyst, Mobility and Special Operations Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. July 1992 - August 1994, evaluator, Special Operations Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. August 1994 - June 1995, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 1995 - August 1997, operations officer, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. August 1997 - August 1998, Commander, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. August 1998 - June 1999, National Defense Fellow, Florida International University, Miami
13. June 1999 - May 2001, Chief, Program Strategy Division, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
14. May 2001 - May 2002, Commander, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
15. May 2002 - April 2003, Director, Plans and Programs, Headquarters AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. April 2003 - May 2005, Commander, 347th Rescue Wing, Moody AFB, Ga. (September 2004 - January 2005, Commander, 451st Air Expeditionary Group, Southwest Asia)
17. May 2005 - June 2007, Vice Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
18. June 2007 - February 2009, Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
19. February 2009 - present, Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 1999 - May 2001, Chief, Program Strategy Division, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master navigator
Flight hours: More than 3,400
Aircraft flown: C-130, AC-130H and MC-130P

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1981
First Lieutenant Aug. 5, 1983
Captain Aug. 5, 1985
Major May 1, 1993
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1997
Colonel April 1, 2000
Brigadier General Sept. 2, 2006
Major General Dec. 9, 2008

(Current as of November 2010)
 
Maybe we can appoint a quartermaster officer to SOCOM CDR/VICE CDR in the future too...

Taking nothing away from his faithful service or achievements but I am of the opinion that those at the pointy end of the stick should be led by others who have been at the pointy end of the stick.
 
I seem to remember that SOCOM had an AF CINC (Gen Holland) a few years back (his background was much like Heitholds) and he led as into OEF and did a fair job.
 
I seem to remember that SOCOM had an AF CINC (Gen Holland) a few years back (his background was much like Heitholds) and he led as into OEF and did a fair job.

Has nothing to do with him being AF; I would have no issues with PJ/CCT officers (whatever they are called) being in that role... The issue here is experience where the rubber meets the road.
 
For the job he's doing, it would probably be better to have someone with a background in intel, logistics, or budget. That's probably what he's going to be spending most of his time doing. SOCOM's commander has the "operator" side covered.
 
For the job he's doing, it would probably be better to have someone with a background in intel, logistics, or budget. That's probably what he's going to be spending most of his time doing. SOCOM's commander has the "operator" side covered.

I agree as long as it is understood that the Deputy CDR is never made the CDR. In this day and age you need a "process"* guy on staff and the more rank the better, but I think it would be a serious disservice to all of her were ever promoted to the SOCOM/ USASOC/ etc.commander's slot based upon a successful tours as the deputy.

Make your top guy a trigger-puller and his deputy more of a support/ "process" guy.

* - By "process" I'm thinking of a budgetary and political machinations needed to run a large command these days. Yes, you have staff members to do that, but to have the #2 involved would be very positive IMO.
 
Look at Dwight Eisenhower, folks. If he wasn't a leader, who was? And how many times was he selected for Command? Arguably only the important times...
 
If only there was a way to integrate the two. Then again, SEALs are arguably already drones of a sort...
 
Makes sense to me...put the Navy an Air Force in charge of a predominately Army command:confused:
 
Makes sense to me...put the Navy an Air Force in charge of a predominately Army command:confused:
I think it's good to occaisionally bring new ideas into USSOCOM. How many SF centric commanders have taken the seat in Tampa? not too many, yet SF is the largest (2nd largest?)(manpower) piece of ARSOF.
Best way to curb "group think" is to bring someone from another group in.
 
...Best way to curb "group think" is to bring someone from another group in.

Bullshit!

We need like minded people in command who still believe "Humans Are More Important Than Hardware."

As for SF and Group think, SF should be a Group think, an SF mentality Group think. Too many outside influences over SF is in part what has brought SF from where it once was, the premier UW unit in the military to second string door kickers. No thank you.

There haven't been many SF CDRs take the CDR USSOCOM position because SF guys arent typically DA centrist guys and that position generally draws from guys who have commanded at JSOC.

I wonder how the Navy would respond to an Infantry Division commander being put in command of a Carrier Group or the Air Force to an Artillery Officer being in command of a Wing...you know, to demote the Group Think issue. I am, sure that would go over like a fart in church.

I understand the process piece FF mentioned previously and I agree, however those with pet projects tend to push those projects...
 
Bullshit!

There haven't been many SF CDRs take the CDR USSOCOM position because SF guys arent typically DA centrist guys and that position generally draws from guys who have commanded at JSOC.
...

Sacolick is a former commander of CAG and Mulholland was the DCG of JSOC when I was there, maybe one of them will be next in line for the SOCOM command slot?
 
Sacolick is a former commander of CAG and Mulholland was the DCG of JSOC when I was there, maybe one of them will be next in line for the SOCOM command slot?

Maybe. I spoke to Mulholland at length when he was here in late March and in my novice opinion believe he would be a good choice for the position. I dont know much about Sacolick other than what people have told me about his command presence at SWTG. I like the fact that he is all about "the standards" being enforced regardless of what that does to manning.

Crip
 
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