Colonel Charles Freel

Biography

Colonel Charles M. Freel is the Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Northeast Region Detachment 225, University of Notre Dame, Indiana. In this capacity, he leads a team of instructors to train, educate, and prepare 90 cadets to become commissioned officers in the active duty Air and Space Forces. Prior to taking command of Detachment 225, Colonel Freel was the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Director of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Colonel Freel is a 1998 graduate from Officer Training School. His previous assignments include tactical intelligence support for F-15C and F-16 fighter wings, instructor and Chief of Academics at the United States Air Force Weapons School, and chief of wing intelligence for Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. He served as Deputy Chief, ISR Force Management, Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He accomplished squadron command of the 303d Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, followed by a tour as the Deputy Commander, 373d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, and Military Deputy Commander/Operations Division Deputy Chief, Alaska Mission Operations Center, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Colonel Freel was then in command of the 691st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, 70th ISR Wing, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. He has deployed in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, NORTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.

Education

• 1997 Bachelor of Arts, government and international relations, University of Notre Dame, Ind.
• 2002 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
• 2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2006 Master of Strategic Intelligence degree, American Military University (correspondence)
• 2008 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
• 2012 Master of Strategic Intelligence degree, National Intelligence University (IDE)
• 2014 Air War College (correspondence)
• 2019 Master of Strategic Studies degree, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

Assignments

1. April 1998 – December 1998, Student, Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2. January 1999 – January 2000, Assistant Chief, Intel Readiness, 18th Operations Suppot Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
3. January 2000 – January 2002, Chief of Intelligence, 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
4. January 2002 – June 2002, Student, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
5. June 2002 – June 2005, Intelligence Weapons Officer, 27th Operations Support Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
6. June 2005 – July 2007, Instructor, 19th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. July 2007 – January 2008, Chief of Academics, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. January 2008 – July 2010, Senior Intelligence Officer, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska
9. July 2010 – August 2011, Deputy Chief, ISR Force Management, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. August 2011 – July 2012, Student, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
11. July 2012 – June 2014, Commander, Detachment 2, 18th Intelligence Squadron, Osan AB, ROK
12. June 2014 – August 2016, Commander, 303d Intelligence Squadron, Osan AB, ROK
13. August 2016 – July 2018, Deputy Commander, 373d ISR Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
14. July 2018 – June 2019, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2019 – June 2020, Chief, ISR Operations and Analysis Division, ISR Directorate, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
16. June 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 691st ISR Group, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
17. July 2022 – July 2024, Director of ISR (A2), Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
18. July 2024 – Present, Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Northeast Region, Detachment 225, Notre Dame, Ind.

Major Awards and Decorations

• Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
• Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
• Air and Space Achievement Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Korea Defense Service Medal
• Defense Cooperation Award Shield Third Class (Japan Air Self-Defense Force)

Effective Dates of Promotion

• Second Lieutenant – April 24, 1998
• First Lieutenant – April 24, 2000
• Captain – April 24, 2002
• Major – September 1, 2007
• Lieutenant Colonel – February 1, 2013
• Colonel – May 1, 2019