Kent Solheim

Colonel Kent G. Solheim was born on 30 November 1972 in Oregon City, Oregon. He enlisted in the United
States Army on 28 December 1994, as a Cavalry Scout, and was later commissioned an Armor Second
Lieutenant upon graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1999. His first assignment was to 1-72 Armor,
2nd Infantry Division in Korea. There he served as a Tank Platoon Leader and then a Scout Platoon Leader.
Following this assignment, Colonel Solheim attended the University of Louisville, and graduated with a
Master of Education degree in Human Resource Education. Upon completion of the Special Forces
Qualification Course, Colonel Solheim served as a Detachment Commander on ODA 3232, deploying to
Afghanistan two times in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (2004-2005). Upon returning from his
second deployment, Colonel Solheim was assigned as the Detachment Commander in the 3rd Special Forces
Group’s Crisis Response Force and later the Company Executive Officer for Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion,
deploying to Iraq two times in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2006-2007). Colonel Solheim was very
seriously wounded in Iraq 27 July 2007, losing his right leg to multiple gunshot wounds sustained in a firefight
in Karbala, Iraq. He underwent rehabilitation until July 2008. Upon returning to full duty, Colonel Solheim was
assigned as the Company Commander for Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training
Group, and then as the Battalion Executive Officer in the same Battalion. In September 2010, upon
completion of Intermediate Level Education, Colonel Solheim returned to 3rd Special Forces Group and
deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the Deputy Director for the Afghan
National Army Special Operations Advisory Group. On 06 May 2011, Colonel Solheim took command of
Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. His company deployed for nine months in support
of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM XVIII to eastern Afghanistan. In June of 2013, Colonel Solheim was
assigned to the United States Special Forces Command as the Chief of Plans and Operations and in February
2014 Colonel Solheim took command of the Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and
Exploitation Course and the Special Forces Sniper Course. Following command, Colonel Solheim was assigned
to the United States Military Academy as the Military Assistant to the Distinguished Chair of the Combating
Terrorism Center, Ambassador Michael Sheehan. On July 20, 2016, Colonel Solheim took command of 3rd
Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and deployed the Battalion to the continent of Africa in 2017.
Colonel Solheim Relinquished command of 3/3 in June of 2018, he was assigned to the Office of the Secretary
of Defense Legislative Affairs. In 2020, Colonel Solheim was assigned as a United States Army War College
JSOC Fellow, with duty in the Pentagon. Following his assignment at the Pentagon, COL Solheim commanded
of the 165th Infantry Brigade. COL Solheim last Army assignment was as the Commander for the Joint Special
Operations Medical Training Center.
Colonel Solheim's awards and deco

Colonel Solheim is married to the former Trina Leard of Woods Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada. They have two
children: Son Brook (29), and daughter Summer (27), and four grandchildren. Trina is the Executive Director of the
non-profit, Gold Star Teen Adventures. Brook is serving in the military , and Summer is a Nurse Practitioner.