Colonel Houston Hodgkinson is the Vice Commander, 24th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. The 24th SOW is the Air Force's special operations ground force who works with joint, multinational, and interagency partners to project power. Prior to this assignment Col Hodgkinson served as Chief of Staff, Special Reconnaissance and Enabling Command, U.S. Special Operations Command Headquarters, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Col Hodgkinson was born in Alamogordo, New Mexico and graduated from the United States Air force Academy in 2000. He earned his pilot wings at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, in 2002 and has flown over 2,900 hours in the C-130E/H and MC-130H. Col Hodgkinson has served on multiple operational deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM and commanded the Joint Special Operations Air Detachment-Philippines.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, Business Management, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Master of Business Administration, University of Phoenix, Ariz.
2014 Master of Arts, Military Operational Art/Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Master of Arts, National Security Strategy, National War College, Ft McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2002 – May 2004, C-130E/H Pilot, 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
2. May 2004 – May 2005, C-130E/H Aircraft Commander/Tactics Officer, Dyess AFB, Texas
3. May 2005 – March 2006, Assistant Flight Commander, C-130E/H, Dyess AFB, Texas
4. October 2006 – October 2007, OIC Current Operations, Kadena Air Base, Japan
5. October 2007 – September 2009, Flight Commander/Chief, Current Operations, Kadena AB, Japan
6. September 2009– September 2010, Evaluator Pilot/Assistant Director of Operations, Kadena AB, Japan
7. September 2010 – February 2011, Chief of Exercise Plans/MC-130H Instructor Pilot, Kadena AB, Japan
8. February 2011– February 2012, Academic Instructor, Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. February 2012 – July 2013, Director of Operations, 29th Student Squadron, Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2013 – June 2014, Student, Air Command Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2014 – May 2015, Assistant Director of Operations, 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353d Special Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan
12. May 2015 – December 2016, Operations Officer, 353d Special Operations Support Squadron, 353d Special Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan
13. December 2016 – June 2018, Commander, 353d Special Operations Support Squadron, 353d Special Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan
14. June 2018 – July 2019, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
15. July 2019 – June 2021, Deputy Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component Europe, RAF Mildenhall, UK
16. July 2021- July 2022, Chief of Staff, Special Operations Joint Task Force, USSOCOM HQ, Tampa, Fla.
17. July 2022 - Current, Vice Wing Commander, 24 Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,900
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-44, C-130E, C-130H, and MC-130H
DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 5 oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters Iraq Campaign Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
(Current as of July 2022)