Then-Brig. Gen. Charles S. Corcoran, outgoing 380th Air Expeditionary commander, speaks to Airmen in a 2017 ceremony. (File photo/USAF)
By Troy Turner
MONTGOMERY – A series of high-ranking promotions in the Air Force is having an opportunistic trickle-down effect ranging from the White House to Maxwell Air Force Base.
President Donald Trump this week nominated retired Maj. Gen. Charles S. Corcoran for a return to service with promotion to a third star as lieutenant general; and to the assignment as commander and president of the prestigious Air University, which is hosted on the Maxwell campus in Montgomery.
Corcoran
Corcoran’s nomination will go to the Senate Armed Services Committee for review, and if green-lighted there, to the full Senate for final approval.
The opening at Air University occurred after previous president and commander, Lt. Gen. Daniel H. Tulley, was assigned to lead the Air Mobility Command, which includes the Air Force’s global operations in airlift, aerial refueling and aeromedical evacuation missions.
Tulley
Tulley had served in the Maxwell role for less than a year before taking on his new command responsibilities this week.
The leadership position with Air Mobility Command opened for Tulley after Gen. John Lamontagne was promoted to vice chief of staff of the Air Force earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Nathan L. (Nate) Owendoff, deputy commander at Air University, is serving as its acting commander.
Corcoran during his brief retirement after June 2023 from military service worked as a national security and defense consultant.
However, his military record is long and distinguished, including previous educational experiences with Maxwell.
His last post before retirement was service as assistant deputy chief of staff, Headquarters Air Force Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
CHARLES S. CORCORAN MILITARY BIO (USAF)
As Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, Corcoran was responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff for formulating policy supporting air, irregular warfare, counterproliferation, homeland security, weather and cyber operations.
As such, Corcoran determined operational requirements, capabilities and training necessary to support national security objectives and military strategy.
Corcoran earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1992. He has commanded the 525th Fighter Squadron, the 325th Operations Group, the 3rd Wing and the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. He has served as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force and in the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group.
He was also in the headquarters staff of Air Forces Central Command, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Allied Air Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. Prior to his current position, Maj. Gen. Corcoran was the Commander, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and a command pilot with more than 3,200 flying hours, including more than 440 combat hours, primarily in the F-22 Raptor and F-15 Eagle.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, History, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2003 Master of Business Administration, Touro University, Cypress, Calif.
2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of National Security Studies, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1992–February 1994, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., then Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Texas
2. February 1994–September 1994, Student, F-15C Eagle Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
3. September 1994–December 1999, Chief of Standardization and Evaluations, Weapons Officer and Scheduler, 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. December 1999–June 2000, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
5. June 2000–October 2002, Chief of Weapons and Tactics and Flight Commander, 390th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
6. October 2002–September 2004, Test and Evaluation Pilot and Chief of Safety and Training, Edwards AFB, Calif.
7. September 2004–March 2006, Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, 1st Fighter Wing, and Assistant Director of Operations, 27th FS, Langley AFB, Va.
8. March 2006–June 2007, Chief of Operations, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. June 2007–July 2009, Commander, 525th FS, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
10. July 2009–July 2010, Executive Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2010–June 2011, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
12. June 2011–June 2013, Commander, 325th Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
13. June 2013–August 2014, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
14. August 2014–June 2016, Commander, 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
15. June 2016–July 2017, Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates
16. July 2017–August 2018, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Allied Air Command, Ramstein AB, Germany
17. August 2018–July 2019, Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
18. July 2019–June 2021, Commander, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
19. June 2021–present, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2013–June 2014, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a colonel
2. August 2017–August 2018, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Allied Air Command, Ramstein AB, Germany, as a brigadier general.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flying hours: more than 3,200, including more than 440 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-15A/B/C/D and F-22
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant May 27, 1994
Captain May 27, 1996
Major Nov. 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2006
Colonel Oct. 1, 2010
Brigadier General Aug. 8, 2016
Major General May 3, 2019
Bio information provided by the U.S. Air Force.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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