Lieutenant Colonel BRANDON WESTLING

Lt Col Brandon M. Westling is the Commander, 7th Airlift Squadron, 62d Operations Group, 62d Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He leads 150 Airmen to provide responsive and professional global mobility for the United States and allies, overseeing the training and readiness of C-17A combat aircrews. The 7th Airlift Squadron is responsible to national leadership for securing U.S. interests through the effective employment of C-17A airland and airdrop capabilities across the full range of military operations, to include support to contingency, aeromedical and humanitarian missions. 

Lt Col Westling graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned into the Air Force in May 2006. He is a Distinguished Graduate of Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, TX. Following C-17 Initial Qualification Training at Altus AFB, OK he was assigned to the 10th Airlift Squadron at McChord AFB, WA. After upgrading to Airdrop Instructor Pilot and serving as Squadron Executive Officer and Chief of Tactics, he was assigned to the 14th Airlift Squadron at JB Charleston, SC. During his time at JB Charleston, Lt Col Westling graduated from the United States Air Force Weapons School as a Distinguished Graduate and served as a C-17 Special Operations Evaluator Pilot.

Lt Col Westling has completed six deployments to Southwest Asia and flown combat and humanitarian sorties in support of Operations ENDURING FREE-DOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, UNIFIED RESPONSE, NEW DAWN, INHER-ENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM’S SENTINAL. Additionally, he has served as Executive Officer, 437th Operations Group; Flight Commander,14th Airlift Squadron; Deputy Division Chief, Special Operations; Director of Operations, 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron; and Air Force Legislative Fellow in the office of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo.
 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,000; including 1100 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: C-17A
 

EDUCATION

2006 Bachelor of Science, Systems Engineering Management, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2006 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Masters of Business Administration and Management, American Military University, Va.
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2017 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Air Force Legislative Fellowship, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal


(Current as of June 2022)