General Charles A. Flynn assumed command of the United States Army's largest Service Component Command, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), on June 4, 2021. The U.S. Army Pacific is headquartered at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, with portions of the command-forward deployed and based throughout the Indo-Pacific.
General Flynn comes to Fort Shafter after serving as deputy chief of staff for Army operations, plans, and training at the Pentagon. General Flynn has served in a variety of command, staff, and leadership positions from platoon leader to division commander.
General Charles A. Flynn is a native of Middletown, Rhode Island, and Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Rhode Island with a BS in Business Management. General Flynn is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses at Fort Benning, GA. He holds two master’s degrees, one in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI and one in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University.
General Flynn has served in a variety of command, staff, and leadership positions from platoon leader to division commander. He commanded A Company, 4th Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and later A Company 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington. He served as the Operations Officer of the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light) and later as the Operations Officer of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He commanded the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, deploying in support of both OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. General Flynn then served as the G3 Operations Officer, 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed again to Iraq in support of OIF as the commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC.
Following Brigade Command, General Flynn served as the Executive Assistant, Director of the Joint Staff and then Executive Officer, Commander, International Security Assistance Force, United States Forces – Afghanistan. He then served as the Director, Mission Command Center of Excellence (MCCOE) and later as the acting Commanding General, United States Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He returned to Fort Bragg to serve as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations) of the 82nd Airborne Division then became Assistant G-3/5/7 (Readiness), United States Army Forces Command. General Flynn served as the 25th Infantry Division Commander then became Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Pacific Command.
General Flynn has also served in key staff assignments to include Chief Operations, G-3, 25th Infantry Division (Light) and Joint Observer/Trainer, Joint Warfighting Center, Suffolk, Virginia. General Flynn’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Legion of Merit (two oak leaf clusters), Bronze Star (four oak leaf clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Combat Infantryman’s Badge (with star), Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and Pathfinder Badge.
General Flynn is married, and they have three children.