Charles Marvin Perkins – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force

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Charles Marvin Perkins, 73, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and security firm owner, died July 7, 2004, at the Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home in Washington. He had Parkinson’s disease.

Colonel Perkins, a Rockville resident, was born in Union County, Ohio.

He was a graduate of George Washington University, where he also did graduate work in international affairs. He received a law degree from Newport University in California in the 1980s.

He joined the Air Force in 1955. His first assignment was at Langley Air Force Base, where he was commander of the confinement center, which held prisoners.

He was then selected for the Office of Special Investigations and was assigned to the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. He later became chief of OSI’s investigative division in Athens and then chief of OSI’s operations division in Athens.

He returned to the United States to be assistant professor of aerospace studies at Denison University in Ohio in the late 1960s. From Denison, he led an OSI training team to Vietnam. He was commander of an OSI detachment at Osan Air Force Base, Korea, in 1971 and 1972.

In the mid-1970s, Colonel Perkins became vice commandant of the Air Force OSI School of Special Investigations in Washington. He was chief of counterterrorism and attache security with the Defense Intelligence Agency from 1976 to 1981, when he retired from the Air Force.

In 1985, Colonel Perkins joined the Washington Metropolitan Police Reserves. He became a captain and reserve commander of the 2nd District, where he served until 1993.

After retiring, he formed Perkins Protective Services Inc., a private security firm. He handled more than 1,000 cases, including an investigation into a generic drug scandal at the Federal Drug Administration. He consequently appeared on the television program “20/20.”

He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

He formerly taught criminal investigative courses at the University of the District of Columbia and Montgomery College.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Sarah Georgene Finkbone Perkins of Rockville; two children, Charles Brian Perkins of Gaithersburg and Catherine Perkins of Rockville; two brothers, Dorance Duane Perkins and Luther Gale Perkins, both of Richwood, Ohio; a sister, Harriet Ann Perkins of Hagerstown; and two grandchildren.

Charles Marvin Perkins

 Colonel Perkins was commissioned in the Air Force in 1953 and served until 1981.

He died on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 of complications of Parkinson’s disease in Washington, D.C.

Colonel Perkins was born in Union County, Ohio on February 26, 1931. His parents were the late Charles Harden Perkins and Gertrude Goldie Hickok Perkins. He graduated from Richwood High School in Richwood, Ohio in 1949.

Colonel Perkins attended Ohio State University where he was Colonel/Wing Commander in Air Force ROTC. While at OSU, he majored in law. He received his BA from George Washington University and also did graduate work in International affairs there. He did additional graduate study at American University, Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. He has been a full time and adjunct assistant and associate professor at five universities and colleges. He received his law degree from Newport University.

Colonel Perkins’ first Air Force assignment was Commander of the Confinement Center at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. He was selected for OSI (Office of Special Investigations) and went to OSI School in Washington, D.C. From there he was assigned to the island of Crete in Greece as the OSI Resident Agent. Then Colonel Perkins was assigned as Chief of the Investigative Division of OSI in Athens, Greece. After Greece, Colonel Perkins was assigned to Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. While there, he was selected for Greek language school and returned to Washington.

He went back to Greece in 1964 as Chief of Operations Division of OSI in Athens. Colonel Perkins came back to the United States to be Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. From Denison, he went back to the OSI School in Washington, D.C., where he led a training team to Viet Nam.

He was Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigation’s Detachment 4506, Osan Air Force Base, Korea, 1971-1972. From 1973-1976, Colonel Perkins was Vice Commandant of the Air Force OSI School of Special Investigations. He was Chief of Counterterrorism and Attache Security with the Defense Intelligence Agency from 1976-1981 when he retired from the Air Force.

In 1985, Charles was proud to join the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Reserves. He became a Captain and Reserve Commander of the 2nd District where he served until 1993.

After retirement, he formed the Perkins Protective Services, Inc., a private security firm. He processed over a thousand cases, including a generic drug investigation in the Federal Drug Administration and consequently appeared on the TV program, 20/20.

Colonel Perkins is survived by his wife of fifty years, Sarah Georgene Finkbone Perkins, a son, Charles Brian Perkins, a daughter, Catherine Elizabeth Perkins, a granddaughter, Elizabeth Marie Merrill, a grandson, March Renick, brothers, Dorance Duane Perkins and Luther Gale (Marilyn) Perkins, and a sister, Harriet Ann Perkins.

A Military Funeral Service will be held at The Old Post chapel at Fort Myer, Virginia, on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 at 1 p.m. Any one wishing to attend is asked to assemble at The Old Post Chapel by 12:30 p.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinsons Disease Foundation. P.O. Box 96268, Washington, D.C. 20077.

PERKINS, CHARLES MARVIN
LTCOL   US AIR FORCE
KOREA, VIETNAM

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 02/26/1931
  • DATE OF DEATH: 07/07/2004
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 25  SITE 3104
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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