Lt. Col. Bradley R. Wills is the Commander, 4th Airlift Squadron, Joint‑Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. In this role, he is responsible for training, developing, and equipping over 150 assigned Airmen to perform global airlift operations in the C-17 Globemaster III. The 4th Airlift Squadron is also tasked by Air Mobility Command to safely, securely, and reliably transport nuclear weapons and nuclear-related cargo in support of the Department of Defense’s nuclear enterprise.
Lt. Col. Wills received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2008. He is a senior pilot with more than 3,300 hours flying T‑6, T‑38, KC‑135, and C‑17 aircraft, and flew combat missions in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Lt. Col. Wills previously served as an Air Force legislative liaison, Aide‑de‑Camp to the Commander of the Air Force District of Washington, and held various positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He is a Phoenix Horizon-Reach graduate, Air Mobility Command’s leadership development program.
EDUCATION
2008 Bachelor of Science degree in management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2008 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB Ala.
2013 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB Ala.
2014 Master of Business Administration, Oklahoma State University, Okla.
2019 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2020 Capitol Hill Legislative Fellowship, The Government Affairs Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
- April 2009 - May 2010, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
- July 2010 - November 2010, Student, KC-135R/T Initial Qualification, Altus AFB, Okla.
- March 2011 - November 2015, KC-135R/T Evaluator Pilot and Executive Officer, 22d Operations Group, McConnell AFB, Kan.
- November 2015 - March 2016, Student, C-17A Initial Qualification, Altus AFB, Okla.
- April 2016 - May 2018, C-17A Instructor Pilot and Chief, Aircrew Training, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
- May 2018 - July 2019, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
- July 2019 - December 2019, Legislative Fellow with U.S. Transportation Command, Washington, D.C.
- January 2020 - December 2020, Legislative Fellow with the U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader, Washington, D.C.
- January 2021 - May 2023, Air Force Legislative Liaison, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- June 2023 - July 2024, Chief of Safety, 62d Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
- August 2024 - March 2025, Operations Officer, 4th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
- April 2025 - Present, Commander, 4th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: senior pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,300
Aircraft flown: T-6, T-38C, KC-135R/T, C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters.
Air Force Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2008
First Lieutenant May 28, 2010
Captain May 28, 2012
Major March 1, 2018
Lt Colonel October 1, 2022
(Current as of April 2025)