Brigadier General Blaine D. Holt (Ret.)

Brigadier General Blaine “Blaino” Holt has over 28 years of experience in aerospace, logistics, supply chain management, strategic planning, international business, sales development, government and military operations, foreign affairs, defense procurement, and emerging technology integration. As U.S. Deputy Military Representative to NATO, he was the second highest-ranking military officer in the U.S. delegation to the alliance, supporting the execution of U.S. foreign and defense policy and providing guidance and advocacy on behalf of the Military Representative and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

As Director of Logistics for the U.S. European Command (EUCOM), General Holt was charged with implementing U.S. political-military strategy and directing logistical operations within the European Theater for the Department of Defense, which included coordinating the movement of U.S. forces, equipment, and supplies throughout the region. He was unanimously voted as Chairman of the NATO Multinational Logistics Coordination Center (MLCC) for NATO members and all partnership nations, the first U.S. General to hold the two-year post in the history of NATO and was designated by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe as his “#1 strategist,” becoming one of the top ten logistics leaders in the Department of Defense. At the Pentagon, he was Director of the Commander’s Action Group (CAG) to the Air Force Secretary and Air Force Chief of Staff, leading a senior executive team across multiple disciplines to develop, plan, and coordinate events and communications.

His command experience includes the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed in Kyrgyz Republic, and the 16th Airlift and 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadrons. As a command pilot, he logged over 3,900 flight hours, more than 300 in combat, on the Boeing C-17A, the Lockheed C-141B Starlifter, the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker, the Northrop T-38A Talon, and the Cessna T-37, receiving two air medals. His major awards and decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Superior Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with Gold Border, the Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and seven oak leaf clusters.

After retiring from the Air Force, he became President of Million Air and American Jet International, a privately held aerospace organization with 30 locations across the globe, where he crafted and implemented an action plan to stabilize the company and drive future growth, raising $150M. Currently, he is CEO of Alchemai, a leading-edge software company that uses AI technology and predictive analytics to manage supply chain risk in the defense, commercial, and non-profit sectors.

He is also the CEO and Founder of Irascible Strategic Advisors, where he provides consulting for seed-stage startup companies focused on bringing emerging and disruptive technologies to market. A Military Fellow and life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he has published numerous articles on foreign policy and defense issues. He has been a keynote speaker at various conferences, events, and international committees, and is a contributor and writer for Newsmax, where he regularly appears. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia, Athens, a Master of Education in Education Technology from Georgetown University, and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the Air War College.