Education
Harvard Kennedy School. Harvard University; United States Air Force Academy.
Harvard Kennedy School. Harvard University; United States Air Force Academy.
As Commander, he was responsible for all special operations forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both active duty and reserve. Holland is the only USSOCOM combat commander originally from the United States Air Force as of 24 March 2014. Holland entered the Air Force in 1968 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy.
His early commands over his career included a squadron and two Air Force wings.
He flew more than 100 combat missions, including 79 in an Air Corps-130 Gunship in Southeast Asia. His final assignment was commanding USSOCOM at MacDill.
He retired November 1, 2003. August 1968 – August 1969, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas September 1969 – November 1969, student, initial C-130E pilot qualification training, Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee November 1969 – September 1972, C-130E pilot, 347th and 772nd tactical airlift squadrons, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas October 1972 – January 1973, student, Air Corps-130E combat crew training, Hurlburt Field, Florida January 1973 – January 1974, Air Corps-130E/H aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and standardization and evaluation pilot, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand February 1974 – January 1976, Air Operations Staff Officer, Directorate of Airlift, Headquarters United States. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Bachelor of Arts, West Germany January 1976 – April 1977, Joint Training Exercise Plans Officer, Military Airlift Center Europe, Ramstein Bachelor of Arts, West Germany May 1977 – December 1978, astronautical engineering graduate student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio January 1979 – May 1983, Chief, Space Shuttle Flight Operations Branch, later, Deputy Director for Policy Planning, later, Executive to the Commander, Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Station, California June 1983 – August 1983, student, C-130E requalification course, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas September 1983 – June 1985, Commander, 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron, Clark Bachelor of Arts, Philippines July 1985 – June 1986, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, District of Columbia June 1987 – June 1988, Chief, Airlift and Training Division, Directorate of Strategic, Special Operations Forces and Airlift, Military Deputy for Acquisition, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the June 1988 – June 1991, Vice Commander, later, Commander, 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico June 1991 – June 1993, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida June 1995 – June 1997, Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific at Camp Her Majesty Smith, Hawaii July 1997 – August 1999, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida August 1999 – October 2000, Vice Commander, United States. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Bachelor of Arts, Germany October 2000 – October 2003, Commander, Headquarters United States. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.