Brigadier General Charles S. Patton - Retired
 
Brigadier General Patton is currently assigned as the J-5 United States Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, VA. Brigadier General Patton entered the Marine Corps through the PLC program in 1976 following graduation from Missouri State University. He began his military career with enlistment in the Army in 1968 and was selected for the Warrant Officer Helicopter Program in 1969. Receiving Army aviator wings in 1970, he served 13 months combat duty in Southeast Asia. 

Brigadier General Patton was designated a Naval Aviator in 1979 and transferred to MCAS Cherry Point, NC where he completed the AV-8A transition course and was subsequently assigned to VMA-542 for operations throughout the Mediterranean and Western Pacific.

In May 1984, Captain Patton graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and was assigned to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate. He was a member of the test team during the AV-8B Harrier high angle of attack and spin testing, the project officer/test pilot on five AV-8B sea trials, and conducted extensive Harrier weapon separation testing and envelope expansion.

In February 1987, Captain Patton was transferred to VMA-331 where he served as the Squadron's operations and maintenance officer. In November 1988 he was assigned as the Officer-in-Charge of VMA-223 Detachment Bravo and served as the operations officer for HMM-264 (Rein) during their six month Mediterranean deployment with the 26th MEU (SOC). During this tour he was awarded the Marine Corps Aviation Association "Bud Baker" Trophy for his contributions to Marine VSTOL flight.

In April 1990, Major Patton was transferred to MAWTS-1 for duty as the AV-8B branch head. While assigned to MAWTS-1, he deployed with VMA-331 for Operation Desert Shield. Returning to the United States, Major Patton assumed command of VMA-513 on 10 October 1990. As the commanding officer of VMA-513, Major Patton was deployed from November 1990 until December 1991 to Iwakuni, Japan. Major Patton relinquished command of VMA-513 on 7 July 1992.

Reassigned to Headquarters Marine Corps as an action officer in Aviation Plans and Policy, Major Patton was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in November of 1992. Selected for top-level school, Lieutenant Colonel Patton graduated from the National War College with a Masters in National Security Strategy in 1994. After graduation, Lieutenant Colonel Patton was reassigned to United States Central Command, United Arab Emirates where he completed his joint tour in August 1996. Following his tour in the Arabian Gulf, he was reassigned as the Executive Officer, Marine Aircraft Group-14. 

Lieutenant Colonel Patton was promoted to Colonel on 1 July 1998 and reassigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing where he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3. In July 1999, Colonel Patton transferred to I Marine Expeditionary Force where he served as the Future Operations Officer, Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3. Colonel Patton then took command of 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit on 13 January 2000, completing an Arabian Gulf deployment and a humanitarian assistance mission in East Timor. He relinquished command on 6 March 2002. Selected for Brigadier General and reassigned to HQMC, Washington, DC, Brigadier General Patton was temporarily assigned to HQ, Central Command where he served six months as the Deputy J3. Brigadier General Patton then served as Deputy Director, Warfare Integration and Assessment, Chief of Naval Operations, Pentagon, Washington, DC. Brigadier General Patton assumed command of Marine Corps Air Bases East and Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina on 6 August 2004, until the MCABE was consolidated within Marine Corps Installations East on 4 October 2005. He was assigned temporary duty as the Deputy Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) October 2004 - February 2006 and deployed to Camp Fallujah, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2005 - February 2006. He was reassigned to USJFCOM on 24 July 2006.