Charles Walter "Chuck" Holbrook

1963 - 2017

Charles Walter "Chuck" Holbrook, 53

July 23, 1963 - January 31, 2017

Charles Walter "Chuck" Holbrook, 53, of Navarre, Florida, went home to be with the Lord as a result of a military training accident on Tuesday, January 31, 2017. Chuck was a great man and more importantly, a husband to an amazing wife, father to an amazing daughter, brother to his family and brother-in-arms. Chuck was a friend-to-all, and will be greatly missed.

He was the eighth of fourteen children born to the late Reaves and Illene (Moore) Holbrook in Iowa City, Iowa. He is preceded in death by his parents, Reaves and Illene Holbrook, one brother, James "Bo" Holbrook, and one brother-in-law, Robert "Bobby" Avina.

He is survived by his wife, Belen Angelina Avina Holbrook, daughter, Alyssa Illene Holbrook, mother-in-law, Alicia Valencia Avina, father-in-law, Robert L. Avina, brother-in-law Oscar Avina, his siblings and their families--(Marty) and Jeri Holbrook; niece Caullie Murphy; (Juanita), Joe, Norma, and Janie Tanner; Jon, (Tammy) and Paul Obe; (Tom), Kathy, Olivia, and Clayten Holbrook; Lindy Holbrook; (Paul), Rachel, and Elissa Holbrook; (Cyndi), David and Sean Neal; (Chris) and Rosie Holbrook; (Nick), Macy, and Kinzee Holbrook; (John) Holbrook; (Missy) Holbrook and Charles, Collin, Caleb, and Carter Clark; (Amy), Bob, Zane, Blain, and Lane Jensen; (Rachel), Tatum, McKenzie, and Pam Hills; (Mildred), Whitey, Greg and Brandon Feldman; (Aaron), Hayden and Fallon Breckner.

After graduating from City High School in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1982, Chuck began his service to his nation in July. Chuck is a highly-decorated United States Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer and served as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) as part of a Tactical Air Controller Party (TACP).

His first assignment after completing Basic Training and Technical School was as a telecommunications specialist at Lajes Field, Portugal in 1984. Here, Chuck mastered the art of telecommunications principals, scoring an impressive 99.5% test average on his communication apprentice tests.

From 1984-1987, Chuck moved to Madrid, Spain and operated highly specialized telecommunications equipment in the communications center. In 1987, Chuck developed his joint tactical experience as a member of the 602nd Tactical Air Control Wing in Fort Hood, Texas. It is here he became qualified as JTAC and began his passion for Joint Terminal Attack Control Operations.

As a newly promoted Staff Sergeant, Chuck moved to Achaffenburg, Germany in 1987 as the Battalion Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC)/Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller (ETAC). Chuck deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation DESERT STORM during the liberation of Kuwait from a hostile Iraqi Regime. During combat operations, Chuck minimized friendly casualties by ensuring zero communication delays and by personally directing timely and accurate close air support attacks. For his combat service in Iraq, Chuck was awarded the United States Air Force Bronze Star Medal.

In 1991, Chuck moved again to Fort Ord, California to become the Battalion NCOIC/ETAC. After being promoted to Technical Sergeant, Chuck served a one-year remote assignment to Camp Red Cloud, Korea. Here, Chuck trained host-nation South Korean counterparts on tactical air command and control procedures to deter North Korean aggression. Completing his remote short-tour, Chuck moved to Fort Irwin, California where he trained British Special Forces (SAS), US Army Rangers, and US Navy Seals on emergency tactical air control procedures in preparation for their Bosnian deployment. On July 2nd, 1994 Chuck married Belen Angelina Avina in Salinas, California.

In 1997, Chuck again found himself in Germany while stationed at Friedberg, Germany as the Detachment Superintendent. During this period, Chuck selflessly volunteered for deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina during Operation JOINT GUARD. During this combat deployment, he was embedded with the US Army 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division and ensured the establishment of critical secure communications and the coordination of close air support assets and requests. He was the only TACP in Bosnia that was mission ready and trained on the newly adapted Close Air Support Integrated Targeting System (CITS). For his actions and in recognition of his advanced skill and professionalism, Chuck was awarded the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award (1998) and was the Tactical Air Command and Control Specialist of the Year Award winner (1999).

Finally, as a Master Sergeant, Chuck moved to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida in 2000 where he served as a highly knowledgeable military test manager for Joint Close Air Support (JCAS) and developed testing criteria and procedures for JCAS operations.

Chuck served in the United States Air Force for 22 years and 8 months and upon his retirement in 2005, Chuck once again found himself in the close air support arena as a civilian contractor to the Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team (JFITT) at Eglin Air Force Base. During this transitional time, Chuck and Belen were blessed with the birth of their daughter Alyssa Illene Holbrook, on September 26th, 2005 at Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Chuck got straight to work and expertly created and executed the most noted and detailed large- scale close air support exercises in the world, preparing all services for combat operations and the associated employment of joint fires in support of ground combat operations. Chuck, looking to expand his influence and unmatched knowledge of close air support and associated equipment, formed his own company, Joint Fires Applications and Solutions (JFASS), LLC in 2010.

Chuck leveraged his new company to reach a broader audience of United States military, foreign allies and industry partners to ensure that the warfighters operated with the best technology, the best training and the best advisement to support the continued modernization and expansion of close air support in support of ground combat operations around the world.

In 2013, following several years of leading the charge across industry and providing critical insight and development for the world's foremost developers of JTAC equipment, Chuck decided to partner with United Technologies Corporation Aerospace (UTAS). In this new role, Chuck was looking to develop cutting-edge technologies to support the close air support mission. Chuck was critical in the development of new systems and technologies that will continue to impact the close air support community for years to come and will certainly provide added control measures for close air support in support of ground combat operations for our nation's warfighters.

Chuck's military awards and decorations include:

• Bronze Star

• Defense Meritorious Service Medal

• Meritorious Service Medal

• Air Force Commendation Medal (w/ 4 Oak Leaf Clusters)

• Army Commendation Medal

• Joint Service Achievement Medal

• Air Force Achievement Medal (w/ 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)

• Army Achievement Medal (w/ 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)

• Joint Meritorious Unit Award

• Army Valorous Unit Award

• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (w/ 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)

• Air Force Combat Readiness Medal (w/ 6 Oak Leaf Clusters)

• Air Force Good Conduct Medal (w/ 7 Oak Leaf Clusters)

• Air Force Recognition Award

• National Defense Service Medal (w/ 1 Bronze Star)

• Armed Force Expeditionary Medal

• Southwest Asia Service Medal (w/ 2 Bronze Stars)

• Korea Defense Service Medal

• Armed Forces Service Medal

• Small Arms Expert Marksman (w/ 1 Bronze Star)

• Kuwait Liberation Medal

• USAFE Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award (1998)

• Tactical Air Command and Control Specialist of the Year Award (1999)

The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 9, 2017, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Navarre, 9302 Navarre Parkway.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 10, 2017, with a processional to follow. Interment will be at Fort Barrancas, located within the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, FL.