Major Norm Holcombe attended Officer Candidates School through the NROTC program and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York) in May 2010. He completed flight training with VT-6 and HT-18 in Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator in June 2013. After completing initial AH-1W training with HMLAT-303 at Camp Pendleton, California, he was assigned to HMLA-167 at MCAS New River, North Carolina. As a company-grade officer at HMLA-167 from January 2014 to July 2018, Major Holcombe held several key billets, including Pilot Training Officer, Future Operations Officer, and Aviation Safety Officer. His flight designations included Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI), FAC(A) Instructor, Air Mission Commander, Flight Leader, and FW/RW DACM Instructor. He deployed with the squadron to Okinawa, Japan from October 2015 to May 2016 as part of the Unit Deployment Program, during which time he supported multi-national exercises in Thailand and the Philippines.
From July 2018 to May 2019, Major Holcombe attended the Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia, where he graduated with distinction and was named the outstanding aviation student in the class of 2019. After graduation, he reported to Manpower and Reserve Affairs for duty as the Rotary Wing Company Grade Monitor, where he served from May 2019 to May 2021. As the Monitor, he was responsible for managing the careers and assignments of over 2,500 company-grade H-1, CH-53, and MV-22 pilots. Upon completion of this assignment, Major Holcombe reported to Marine Special Operations Company Mike (MSOC M), 3d Marine Raider Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to serve as the MSOC Air/Fires Officer. He deployed to Iraq with MSOC M in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE from July 2022 to January 2023.
From March to April 2023, Major Holcombe completed AH-1Z Series Conversion and Refresher training at HMLAT-303. He reported to MAG-29 Headquarters in June 2023, where he served as the MAG Assistant Operations Officer until January 2024. Maj Holcombe assumed responsibilities as the HMLA-167 Executive Officer in February 2024.
Major Holcombe holds a dual-major Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a graduate of the MAWTS-1 WTI Course (Yuma, AZ), the EWTGLANT TACP Course (Virginia Beach, VA), the U.S. Navy Aviation Safety Officer Course (Pensacola, FL), the Expeditionary Warfare School (Quantico, VA), and the U.S. Air Force Command and Staff College Distance Learning Program.
Major Holcombe’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one Gold Star.