Eric T. Olson

Infobox Military Person
name= Eric Thor Olson
born= 1952
died=
placeofbirth= Tacoma, Washington
placeofdeath=


caption= Admiral Eric T. Olson, USN Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
nickname=
allegiance=flag|United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears= 1973 - present
rank= Admiral
commands=United States Special Operations Command Deputy, United States Special Operations Command Naval Special Warfare Command Naval Special Warfare Development Group
unit=
battles=Battle of Mogadishu
awards= Navy Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit Bronze Star (w/Combat V) Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (not on the photo)...
laterwork=
portrayedby=
Admiral Eric Thor Olson, USN, (born 1951 or 1952 in Tacoma, WashingtonCitation |last =Lardner |first =Richard|last2 =Flaherty |first2 =Anne|title =Admiral: Bureaucracy hampers terror war |newspaper =USA Today |year =2007 |date =12 June |url =http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-06-12-3301463368_x.htm] ) is the 8^th 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 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. [Citation |title =SOF Transformer |journal =Special Operations Technology |volume =2 |issue =4 |date =13 July |year =2004 |url =http://www.special-operations-technology.com/article.cfm?DocID=531]

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.

Major Awards and decorations

ee also

References