COL Floyd E. Hudson Jr.
Overview
COL Floyd Hudson graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education from Virginia State University in 1979, where he was inducted into the VSU ROTC Hall of Fame. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in Ordnance in 1980 and his first assignment was as the Armament Maintenance Officer with the 782d Maintenance Battalion, 82d Airborne Division at Ft Bragg, NC. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
COL Hudson’s exemplary career includes a number of firsts: the first minority officer to have back-to-back company commands in the history of the 82d Airborne Division; the first minority to serve as a battalion commander in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment; and the only Ordnance Colonel in the Army with a combat star affixed to his jump wings as a result of combat action in Panama.
As the Senior Logistics Trainer (Goldminer 7) at the National Training Center, he excelled because of his incredible ability to understand complex environments and to motivate the men and women under his command with steadfast determination and unflagging resolve. Colonel Hudson’s superior professionalism, dynamic leadership, and demonstrated commitment contributed immeasurably to the Ordnance Corps and the Army in demanding assignments as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, 8th United States Army, Commander, 507th Corps Support Group, Ft Bragg, NC, and finally as the Deputy Commander, 1st Sustainment Command, Ft Bragg, NC.
COL Hudson retired in October 2007.
Extensive Background Information
Colonel Floyd E. Hudson, Jr. was born in Bolivar, TN. He was commissioned through the Army ROTC Program at Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA in May 1979. Colonel Hudson began his career as a Platoon Leader, Shop Officer, and Executive Officer assigned to the 546th Maintenance Company, Pirmasens, Germany, from April 1980 to April 1983. Subsequent assignments include Brigade Maintenance Officer, 16th Military Police Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg; Armament Maintenance Officer, 782d Maintenance Battalion, 82d Airborne Division; Commander, Delta Company (Direct Support Forward Maintenance), 782d Maintenance Battalion, 82d Airborne Division; Commander, Echo Company (Missile Maintenance), 782d Maintenance Battalion, 82d Airborne Division; S-3, 194th Maintenance Battalion, 19th Support Command, Camp Humphreys, Korea; Forward Area Support Coordination Officer (FASCO), 1st Brigade, 82d Airborne Division; Materiel Operations Officer, 782d Maintenance Battalion, 82d Airborne Division; Battalion Executive Officer, 177th Support Battalion, 177th Separate Armored Brigade (OPFOR), Fort Irwin, CA; Support Operations Officer for the National Training Center (NTC); Staff Officer Team Chief for Strategic Mobility, Force Readiness, and Mobilization Division, Department of the Army, DCSOPS; Squadron Commander, Support Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (OPFOR), Fort Irwin, CA; Senior Logistics Trainer, Operations Group, NTC, Fort Irwin, CA; Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, 8th US Army Korea; Director, Readiness Business Center, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg; Commander, 507th Corps Support Group (ABN), Fort Bragg; and Deputy Commander, 1st Sustainment Command (Theater), Fort Bragg, NC. Colonel Hudson’s military education includes the Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Combined Arms Staff Service School, Air Command and Staff College, and the US Army War College. He holds a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College. Included among Colonel Hudson’s decorations are the Legion of Merit with 3d Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with 2d Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with 3d Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with 2d Bronze Star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead, the Southwest Asia Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, the Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Parachutist Badge with Combat Star, the Army Staff Identification Badge, two Superior Civilian Service Awards, and a Meritorious Civilian Service Award. He is a recipient of the US Army Armor Association's Noble Patron of Armor and the US Army Ordnance Corps Association's Samuel A. Sharpe Award. He is a Life Member of the US Army Ordnance Corps Association; Life Member of the Association of Quartermasters; Life Member of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Black Horse Association; Life Member of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association; Life Member of the 82d Airborne Division Association; Life Member of the Alumni Association of the US Army War
College; and Life Member of the Association of the United States Army. On 14 June 2003 COL Hudson was inducted into the Virginia State University Sports Hall of Fame; and on 5 December 2009, he was inducted into the Virginia State University Class of 1979, ROTC Hall of Fame and in May of 2019 he was inducted into the US Army Ordnance Corp Hall of Fame. Colonel Hudson has a number of firsts: he was the first minority officer to command at the 05/LTC level in the history of the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment; he was the first minority officer to be assigned as Senior Logistics Trainer/Goldminer 07 at the National Training Center Fort Irwin CA; and until the time of his retirement on 1 October 2007, he was the only minority Colonel and Ordnance Corps Colonel in the US Army with a Combat Star affixed to his Jump Wings, awarded to him for a Combat Jump into Panama during “Operation Just Cause.” He retired on 1 October 2007 and assumed the duties as Deputy Director of Logistics for the US Army Garrison Fort Bragg; on 26 January 2014 he was selected and assigned in the position of Director of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security for the US Army Garrison Fort Bragg North Carolina.