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Charles Tobin tapped to head Western Regional SNAP office

Retired Command Sergeant Major Charles Tobin (standing, right)
patty@samoanews.com

San Francisco, CA — The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced on Tuesday the selection of Mr. Charles M. Tobin as the SNAP Director for the Western Regional Office. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the program formerly known as food stamps. The Western Regional Office oversees the SNAP program in American Samoa

In a press statement, Regional Administrator, Jesus Mendoza Jr. said Mr. Tobin joins the FNS after retiring from the United States Army following a distinguished career spanning over 33 years.

During his years of both military and civilian service, Mr. Tobin gained extensive experience in every facet of strategic management, human capital, and force management programs such as subsistence and nutrition assistance, administrative and personnel services, and strategic operations planning. While supervising and leading organizations ranging in size and complexity from 250 to 26,000, Mr. Tobin’s military service was capped by his tenure as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) which included serving and advising the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) on the health and wellness programs for service members.

Mr. Tobin’s early assignments were with the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. He served tours abroad in South Korea, Germany, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as multiple domestic tours. His joint assignments included the United States European Command and Defense Logistics Agency, as well as contingencies in operations, Uphold Democracy, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. Along the way, he served at the tactical, operational, and strategic level and held every leadership position as a noncommissioned officer.

Born in Hawaii to Samoan parents – Michael and Barbara – Mr. Tobin grew up in Western Samoa. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from California Baptist University in Riverside, California, as well as a Master of Arts Degree in Management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Phoenix, in Phoenix, Arizona.

He is currently pursuing his third Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to Mr. Tobin's civilian education, he attended the Senior Executive Leader Course, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Inspector General Course (I.G.), Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and Force Management Course, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. 

Mr. Tobin told Samoa News, “I look forward to working with our SNAP representatives in American Samoa to streamline the processes.”

His starting date is Monday, November 25, 2019.

(Source: Media release, FNS)