COLONEL BRIAN K. LEHEW
Colonel Brian K. Lehew is Commander, 171st Mission Support Group, 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pittsburgh, International Airport, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. As Commander, he oversees the Logistics Readiness Squadron, Force Support Squadron, Civil Engineering Squadron, Security Forces Squadron and Communications Flight as well as the Office of Contracting. The 171st Mission Support Group also provides operational support to maintain and sustain base infrastructure.
Col. Lehew began his military career by enlisting as an Aerospace Control and Warning Systems Operator in 1986. He was commissioned at the top of his class at the Academy of Military Science in 1994. Col. Lehew is a Joint Qualified Officer and has supported stateside and overseas deployments including significant Operation Noble Eagle service within the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region. He established and commanded the 24th Expeditionary Air Defense Squadron to provide joint ground-based air defense of the National Capital Region. Col. Lehew has served as Division Chief within the National Guard Bureau (NGB) A2/3/6/10 Operations Directorate, within the 1AF/A3 Operations Directorate as Numbered Air Force Joint Interface Control Officer, within the NGB Joint Staff J3/7 as Chief, Joint Collective Training, and as Strategist within the Chief, NGB’s Chief’s Action Group. Prior to assuming his current position,
Col. Lehew served as advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Arts in English Writing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.
2001 Master of Fine Arts in English Writing, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa. 2002 Squadron Officers School, by correspondence
2004 Joint Interface Control Officer Course, Fort MacPherson, Ga. 2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2006 Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 2013 Air War College, Master of Strategic Studies, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1987–March 1990, Standardization/Evaluation Examiner, 507th Tactical Air Control Center Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base (AFB), S.C. (January–April 1988, Interface Control Technician, Elf-One, Riyadh, SaudiArabia)
2. March 1990–August 1994, Standardization/Evaluation Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, 112th Air Control Squadron, State College, Pa. (1992, 1993,Weapons Director Technician, USSOUTHCOM counterdrug support)
3. July 1994–September 1994, Student, Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.
4. November 1994–April 1995, Student, Undergraduate Weapons Controller, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
5. April 1995–July 1996,Weapons Director, 112th Air Control Squadron, State College, Pa. (July 1996–August 1996, Weapons Director, Operation Joint Endeavor, Jacotenente, Italy)
6. August 1996–January 2002, Mission Crew Commander, Chief, Standardization/Evaluation, 112th Air Control Squadron, State College, Pa. (October 2001–January 2002, Joint Interface Control Officer, Northeast Air Defense Sector, Rome, N.Y.)
7. January 2002–January 2005, Chief Combat Plans and Chief, Standardization/Evaluation, 112th Air Operations Squadron, State College, Pa. (May 2002–August 2002, Aerospace Control andWarning Officer, Southeast Air Defense Sector, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; April 2003–June 2003, Senior Air Defense Officer, First Air Force Air Operations Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.)
8. January 2005–May 2008, Numbered Air Force Joint Interface Control Officer and Chief, Joint Integrated Air Defense, First Air Force A3, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (July 2006–July 2006, Joint Task Force Commander, Deployable Homeland Air and Cruise Missile Defenses, Point Mugu, Calif.)
9. May 2008–July 2011, Commander, 24th Expeditionary Air Defense Squadron, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
10. July 2011–July 2012, Chief, Joint Collective Training Branch, National Guard Bureau J3, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2012–May 2013, Student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
12. June 2013–February 2014, Strategic Planner, Chief’s Action Group, Office of the Chief, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. March 2014–December 2015, Chief, Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
14. December 2015–July 2017, Chief, Airfields, Ranges and Command & Control Forces Division, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
15. August 2017–May 2019, Military Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Reserve Affairs and Airman Readiness, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. June 2019–Present, Commander, 171 Mission Support Group, Pittsburgh International Airport, Coraopolis, Pa.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2008–July 2011, Commander, 24th Expeditionary Air Defense Squadron, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, DC, as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2011–July 2012, Chief, Joint Collective Training Branch, NGB/J3-7, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
3. June 2013–February 2014, Strategic Planner, Chief’s Action Group, Office of the Chief, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
PUBLICATIONS
Sacred Cows and Stubborn Mules: The Imperative to Reform the US Code, Air University, February 2013
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States Military Officers Association of America
The Veterans of Foreign Wars, life member The American Legion
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sept. 29, 1994
First Lieutenant Nov. 16, 1996
Captain Dec. 5, 1998
Major Jan. 11, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel June 23, 2008
Colonel May 22, 2014
(Current as of June 2019)