Retired United States Army General Charles A. Flynn Named 2025 Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award Recipient

SHREVEPORT, La. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Each year, the Independence Bowl Foundation honors one of our country’s most outstanding and decorated citizens or groups with the Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award, and 2025 brings one of the award’s most decorated recipients – General (Ret.) Charles A. Flynn.

“I am honored to receive the Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award,” said General (Ret.) Flynn. “General Bradley’s legacy reminds us that freedom and service are inseparable. This award reflects the dedication of the Soldiers, civilians, and families I’ve been privileged to serve alongside and throughout my career, and I accept it on their behalf with deep gratitude and immense pride.”

General Flynn is a retired United States Army general who served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 2024. His most recent post was as the commanding general of United States Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii from 2021 to 2024. Throughout his illustrious career, he held a variety of command and leadership positions, and he has received numerous awards and honors.

General Flynn’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Legion of Merit (two oak leaf clusters), Bronze Star (four oak leaf clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Combat Infantryman’s Badge (with star), Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and Pathfinder Badge.

To begin his career, Flynn was an Infantry officer and completed Ranger, Airborne and Pathfinder courses. Early in his career, he was the commander of A Company, 4th Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment and A Company 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Later, he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment and deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He then deployed to Iraq again as commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. 

General Flynn continued to advance through the ranks and served as the Executive Assistant for the Director of the Joint Staff and Executive Officer of the Commander for the Commander of International Security Assistance Force, United States Forces –Afghanistan. He then served as the Director of the Mission Command Center of Excellence and acting Commander of the United States Army Combined Arms Center.

The 82nd Airborne Division was again his next stop, as he served as the Deputy Commander for Operations and Assistant Operations Officer for Readiness for United States Army Forces Command. General Flynn then served as the 25th Infantry Division Commander before becoming the Deputy Commanding General for the United States Army Pacific.

On November 30, 2020, Flynn’s nomination for promotion to general was submitted to the United States Senate and was confirmed on December 20, 2020. After serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Army operations, plans and training at the Pentagon, General Flynn assumed command of the United States Army’s largest Service Component Command, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), on June 4, 2021.

The Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award was established during the Independence Bowl’s second year in 1977 to honor an outstanding citizen or organization who symbolizes the spirit of freedom upon which the United States of America was founded. General Omar N. Bradley, the nation’s only living 5-star general at the time, was the first recipient of the Spirit of Independence Award in 1977.

Since the award’s inception, this honor has been bestowed upon outstanding American citizens and organizations. Some past recipients include John Wayne, Bob Hope, President Ronald Reagan, Vietnam and World War II Veterans, 9/11 Heroes, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and more recently – Brigadier General Jeannie M. Leavitt, retired Air Force General James M. Kowalski, retired Army Lieutenant General Joseph M. Cosumano, the Veterans of Operation Senior Surprise, the Women Airforce Service Pilots and General Bryan P. Fenton.

General Flynn will be honored at halftime of the 49th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Tuesday, December 30 at 1 p.m. CST. Tickets start at $20 and are on sale now at RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/Tickets. There is a variety of ticket packages available – including individual tickets, group tickets, Pizza Hut Family 4-Packs, Small Business Fan Packs and more. For ticketing questions, fans can email [email protected] or call the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at (318) 221-0712.

For information on Independence Stadium rules and the clear bag policy, please visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/stadium-rules. 

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most historic bowl game. The 49th edition will kick off on Tuesday, December 30 at 1 p.m. CST on ESPN. Radiance Technologies is the bowl’s title sponsor through at least the 2027 Bowl Season. The bowl’s conference and television agreements also run through the 2025 bowl game. 

The Independence Bowl Foundation is prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help enhance the economic impact and growth of our community. The Mission of the Independence Bowl is to attract and provide quality, nationally recognized football competition oriented to the Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com or follow the bowl on Facebook, X and Instagram at @IndyBowl.