Eric T . Olson Eric Thor Olson ( born January 24 , 1952 ) is a retired United States Navy admiral who last served as the eighth Commander , U . S . Special Operations Command ( USSOCOM ) from July 2 , 2007 to August 8 , 2011 . He previously served as Deputy Commander , U . S . Special Operations Command from 2003 to July 2007 . Olson was the first Navy SEAL ever to be appointed to three - star and four - star flag rank , as well as the first naval officer to be USSOCOM ' s combatant commander . He took command from Army general Bryan D . Brown in 2007 . Brown and Olson had served together at the SOCOM headquarters in Tampa for four years . He retired from active duty on August 22 , 2011 after over 38 years of service . He relinquished command of SOCOM to Admiral William H . McRaven the same day . Military career . Olson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1973 and qualified as a Naval Special Warfare ( SEAL ) officer in 1974 . He graduated in BUD / S Class 76 . 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 ) . The commander in charge of all Navy SEALs during Desert Storm , Ray Smith , hand picked Olson to be on his staff . In 1993 , Olson participated in the Battle of Mogadishu , he was later awarded the Silver Star for his actions which was cited as " . . . during combat actions in Mogadishu , Somalia , in October 1993 . while under withering enemy fire during actions in support of UNOSOM II operations , Captain Olson demonstrated a complete disregard for his own personal safety in the accomplishment of his mission " . In 1994 , Olson 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 . 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 Navy Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star . In addition to being the first three and four star Navy SEAL , Admiral Olson was the Bull Frog , the longest serving Navy SEAL still on duty . At four - star flag rank , Olson is the highest - ranking Navy SEAL to hold the Bull Frog title . Olson was the first person to ever throw a ceremonial first pitch for a post - season game at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009 . Retirement and Personal Life . Admiral Olson retired in August 2011 . He has since joined the board of directors of Mission Essential Personnel and Iridium Communications . He is an honorary chairman of The OSS Society . Olson met his wife , Marilyn , a native of New York City , when he was serving as a U . N . military observer in Israel and she was a member of the United Nation ’ s staff . They have been married for 30 years and have two children , Dan and Ally .