Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles attended Armor Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and earned his commission as an armor officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, 28 February 1953. Kettles graduated from the Army Aviation School in 1954, before serving active duty tours in Korea, Japan and Thailand. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Army Reserve, 4th Battalion, 20th Field Artillery; Flight Commander, 176th Assault Helicopter Company, 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia; Vietnam tours from February 1967 to November 1967, Commander 121st Assault Helicopter Company, 13th Combat Aviation Battalion and Executive Officer, Command Aircraft Company, October 1969 to October 1979; Aviation Team Chief and Readiness Coordinator, Army Reserve, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. | His military awards include the Medal of Honor, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf Cluster, Air Medal with Numeral “27”, the Army Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star and one bronze service star, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass device, the Master Aviator Badge, Marksman Badge with carbine bar, the Valorous Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star, the United Nations Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with “60” Device, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/ Palm device.