Colonel Charles Safley graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in June 1973 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in armor. He attended armor officer basic course and began his military career in the Tennessee Army National Guard in November 1974, assigned to the 194th Engineer Brigade while pursuing his master’s degree in agricultural economics at UT Knoxville. He was reassigned to the Oklahoma Army National Guard in May of 1976, serving in command and staff positions in the 45th Infantry Brigade, while pursuing his Ph.D. in agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University.
Safley was reassigned to the 30th Infantry Brigade, North Carolina Army National Guard in May 1980 after assuming a position as associate professor in the Department of Agriculture of North Carolina State University. He commanded 1st Battalion, 252nd Armor, 30th Infantry Brigade, North Carolina Army National Guard from 1996 to 1998. Safley’s military career culminated as the deputy brigade commander, 30th Heavy Separate Brigade (Mechanized), North Carolina Army National Guard from 2001 to 2003.
Safley’s civilian career in academia at the North Carolina State University is exemplary, capped by serving as department head and department extension leader for the department of agricultural and resource economics from 2013-2016. His excellence in agricultural economics is evidenced by his numerous peer review journal articles, abstracts, extension publications, and book chapters.
Safley and his wife, Charly, reside in Durham, NC.
