Lieutenant Colonel Charles Courtney serves as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies and Operations Officer at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 765, The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina. As the Operations Officer, he oversees all detachment operations for one of the largest cadet corps in the Air Force.
Lieutenant Colonel Courtney commissioned through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 765 at The Citadel in May of 2010. He attended Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training at Pensacola Naval Air Station and served as an Evaluator Combat Systems Officer on the E-8C and Instructor Navigator on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) E-3A Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS). He has over 2,500 flight hours with 850 combat and combat-support hours supporting missions in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.
Education
2010 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, The Citadel
2010 Air and Space Basic Course, (Residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Distinguished Graduate, Joint Fires Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2016 Squadron Officer’s School, (Residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Distinguished Graduate, Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance Operators Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2021 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course & Aviation Safety Program Management Course, Dyess AFB, Texas
2021 Master’s Degree in Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College (OLMP), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
Assignments
February 2011 – February 2012: Student, Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla.
April 2012 – July 2012: Student, E-8C CSO Training, 330th Combat Training Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
July 2012 – December 2014: Combat Systems Officer, 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
December 2014 – May 2016: Deputy Chief, Training, 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
May 2016 – September 2016: Student, E-3A Combat Systems Officer Training, NATO AWACS Operations Squadron, Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
September 2016 – January 2017: E-3A Combat Systems Officer, NATO AWACS Operations Squadron, Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
January 2017 – August 2017: Chief, Standardization and Evaluations, NATO AWACS Operations Squadron, Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
August 2017 – February 2019: Flight Commander, NATO AWACS Operations Squadron, Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
February 2019 – June 2020: Chief of Readiness, 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
June 2020 – January 2022: Deputy Chief, Standardization and Evaluations, 461st Operations Group, Robins AFB, Ga.
January 2022 – June 2023: Chief, Commanders Action Group, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
June 2023 – Present: Associate Professor of Aerospace Studies and Operations Officer, AFROTC Detachment 765, The Citadel, Charleston, SC.
Flight Information
Rating: Senior Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: More than 2,500 (Combat hours: 772)
Aircraft flown: E-8C, E-3A
Major Awards and Decorations
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air & Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant May 7, 2010
First Lieutenant May 26, 2012
Captain May 26, 2014
Major November 1, 2019
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2025
(CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 2025)