| Wil Charette, a native of Rhode Island was
recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1964
following 11 years of military service.
His first assignment was as a paramilitary Staff
Officer at CIA Headquarters and domestic training
facilities. He
then served in Laos and Thailand as a Paramilitary Case
Officer, Chief of Operations, and Chief of Laotian
irregular paramilitary unit.
Mr. Charette was a Foreign Intelligence Case
Officer in Ethiopia and served as Deputy Chief of Station
in Accra, Ghana
from 1974-1979. He
opened Swaziland Station in Southern Africa in late 1979
and remained as Chief of Station (COS) until 1982 when he
was posted to Kampala, Uganda as COS.
Following a two-year tour in Uganda, Mr. Charette
attended the US Naval War College in Newport, RI, where he
received a Master’s Degree in National Security and
Strategic Studies. In
1985, he was appointed Chief, CIA Counter Terrorist
Center, Foreign Liaison Training and Terrorist Incident
Response Team (IRT). From 1992-1994, Mr. Charette served as the Agency’s Deputy
Chief, Office of Field Deployment.
His last assignment was the DCI Representative at
U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB,
Florida. Mr.
Charette retired on November 29, 1996.
Mr. Charette has extensive military experience, having
served domestically and overseas with the 508th
Airborne Regimental Combat Team (ARCT), the 101st
Airborne Division, the 1st Calvary Division,
and Special Forces. Mr.
Charette is a Charter Member of the US Army Parachute Team
(Golden Knights). He
was the first Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC)
of the Special Forces Training Group High Altitude Low
Opening (HALO) Committee, which included Fulton Recovery
Systems (SKYHOOK) Operations.
In 1961, he was selected to train the 22nd
Special Air Service Regiment’s military free fall cadre
at Hereford, England.
Mr. Charette was a member of the Joint Army/USAF
HALO Test Team in the early 1960’s that established much
of the HALO training and operations doctrine still in use
today. He
also participated in the record breaking 43,500 foot jump
to establish a world record “FAI Class G-II-C, group of
nine with delayed fall”.
He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his
participation in the HALO Test Program and his subsequent
use of HALO insertion techniques.
He is the author of the United States Parachute
Association (USPA) Publication, “Jumping in the
Troposphere”, and is the recipient of the USPA Golden
Wings representing 1,000 free fall parachute jumps.
Mr.Charette’s last military assignment was with
the 5th Special Forces Group.
Mr. Charette’s training and management development
profile also includes:
- Commissioned as a Foreign Service Officer, Consular
Officer and Secretary in the Diplomatic Service
- Participant in the Levinson Institute Leadership
Seminar (1988)
- One year participant in the Director of Central
Intelligence Management Seminar designed to explore
selected management problems with senior CIA officials
- Director, Special Operations Memorial Foundation
He has received the following awards and commendations:
- (CIA) Donovan Award for Excellence
-
Career Intelligence Medal for Exceptional Achievement
- Two Director Of Central Intelligence awards for
exceptional service under conditions of hazard and
hardship
- Promoted into the Senior Intelligence Service
(SIS-1989)
- (DOD) Distinguished Flying Cross
- Secretary
of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service
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