# Charles A. Flynn

Charles A. Flynn (born c. 1963) is a retired United States Army general who last served as the commanding general of United States Army Pacific from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Training (G3/5/7) of the Army Staff from 2019 to 2021. He is the younger brother of Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn, Donald Trump's first National Security Advisor.

## Background

Flynn was raised in Middletown, Rhode Island, and graduated from Middletown High School in 1981. Flynn received his commission via the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps at the University of Rhode Island in 1985. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Rhode Island in 1985.

## Military career

Flynn received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 1997 and a Master of Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the Joint Advanced Warfighting School within the Joint Forces Staff College of National Defense University.
At the start of his career, Flynn became qualified as an Infantry officer. In addition, he completed the Ranger, Airborne, and Pathfinder courses. His early assignments included: commander of A Company, 4th Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment and commander of A Company 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He also served as operations officer (S-3) of 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Flynn subsequently commanded 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment, which included deployment for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He deployed to Iraq again as commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He later served as executive assistant to the Director of the Joint Staff and executive officer for the commander of International Security Assistance Force, United States Forces – Afghanistan. Flynn went on to serve as director of the Mission Command Center of Excellence (MCCOE) and acting commander of the United States Army Combined Arms Center.
As Flynn advanced through the general officer ranks, he served as the 82nd Airborne Division's deputy commander for operations and assistant operations officer for readiness (G-3/5/7) for United States Army Forces Command. He commanded the 25th Infantry Division from 2014 to 2016, then was assigned as deputy commander of United States Army Pacific. He next served as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations (G-3/5/7) at Headquarters Department of the Army. In June 2019, Flynn was assigned as deputy chief of staff for operations (G3/5/7).
On 30 November 2020, his nomination for promotion to general was submitted to the U.S. Senate and was confirmed by voice vote of the full Senate on 20 December 2020. On 25 January 2021, the Department of Defense named Flynn as the next commander of the United States Army Pacific at Fort Shafter in Honolulu. He assumed that command in a change of command ceremony at Fort Shafter, Hawaii on 4 June 2021.
In June 2024, Flynn was appointed an honorary Officer of the Order of Australia, for distinguished service in fostering and deepening the military relationship between Australia and the United States of America.

## U.S. Capitol attack

During the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, a conference call took place between Capitol police, D.C. officials, and Pentagon officials. In that call, the Chief of the Capitol police made "an urgent, urgent immediate request for National Guard assistance", telling them he needed "boots on the ground". However, Lieutenant General Walter E. Piatt, Director of the Army Staff, said he could not recommend the request be approved. Initially denying his involvement, the Army later confirmed that Flynn had participated in the phone call, although it claimed he cannot remember if he said anything on the critical call about deploying National Guard, but others on the call reported hearing his voice. In early December 2021, Colonel Earl G. Matthews released a memo that accused Flynn of making willful distortions of the events of 6 January, describing Flynn and Piatt as "absolute and unmitigated liars" and of giving “perjured testimony before Congress”. Charles Flynn's role drew scrutiny in light of his brother Michael's recent calls for martial law and a redo election overseen by the military.

## Awards and decorations

Left Side :
| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award) | Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award) | Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award) | Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award) | Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award) |
| 1st row | Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters | Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters | Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters |
| 2nd row | Bronze Star Medal with four oak leaf clusters | Bronze Star Medal with four oak leaf clusters | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters |
| 3rd row | Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters | Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters | Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster | Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster | National Defense Service Medal with service star | National Defense Service Medal with service star |
| 4th row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign star |
| 5th row | Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars | Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| 6th row | Humanitarian Service Medal with service star | Humanitarian Service Medal with service star | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3 | Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3 |
| 7th row | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
| Badges | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Air Assault Badge | Air Assault Badge | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab |
| Badges | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | United States Army Staff Identification Badge | United States Army Staff Identification Badge |
Right Side :
504th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia :
| Canadian Jump Wings |||||
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster | Army Meritorious Unit Commendation | Army Meritorious Unit Commendation | Army Meritorious Unit Commendation |
| 82nd Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge |||||

### Other awards

* Expert Infantryman Badge
* Overseas Service Bar (x7)

## Personal life

Flynn and his wife Kathleen have three children: Molly, Sean, and Tara.