ADM. ERIC T. OLSON - Eighth commander of USSOCOM

Admiral Eric Thor Olson, USN, (born 1951 or 1952 in Tacoma, Washington) is the 8th and current Commander, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). ADM Olson is the first Navy SEAL ever to be appointed to the grade of a three-star and four-star admiral as well as the first naval officer to be USSOCOM's combatant commander. ADM Olson is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School. ADM Olson participated in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993.

Olson graduated from the Naval Academy in 1973 and completed SEAL training in 1974. For the next two decades, he served in a variety of military assignments, many of them overseas, until 1994 when he became commander of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, an American counter-terrorism unit. Olson was promoted again in 1999 when he assumed command of Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California. He assumed his current assignment on 9 July 2007.


http://www.navyseals.com/eric-t-olson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_T._Olson

https://sealteamspartan.foroes.org/t336-capt-pete-wikul-longest-serving-navy-seal#2745

Admiral Eric T. Olson is the eighth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. USSOCOM ensures the readiness of joint special operations forces and, as directed, conducts operations worldwide.

A native of Tacoma, Wash., Olson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1973 and qualified as a Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) officer in 1974. He has served operationally in an Underwater Demolition Team, SEAL Team, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team, Special Boat Squadron, and at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He has commanded at every level.

Olson has participated in several conflicts and contingency operations, and has served as a SEAL instructor, strategy and tactics development officer and joint special operations staff officer. His overseas assignments include service as a United Nations military observer in Israel and Egypt, and as Navy Programs officer in Tunisia. He served on the Navy staff as assistant deputy chief of Naval Operations (Plans, Policy, and Operations).

Olson earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and studied at the Defense Language Institute. He is a Joint Specialty officer and Political-Military Affairs sub-specialist with emphasis on Africa and the Middle East. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star.
Updated: 29 June 2009

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=433