Bio
Colonel Brian S. Hartless is the Installation Commander, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. He commands a team of more than 3,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel who conduct base-level activities for the entire installation, including security, civil engineering, communications, logistics, finance, contracting, chaplaincy, legal, lodging, medical, military and civilian personnel and force support programs. The 10th Air Base Wing supports more than 4,000 cadets and a total military community of more than 25,000 personnel. He is responsible for a $150 million annual operating budget and serves as the Crisis Action Team Commander during all Air Force Academy installation contingency operations.
Prior to his current position, Col. Hartless was Senior Military Assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Installations, Environment, and Energy, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Col. Hartless’ expeditionary experience includes six deployments in support of Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. His staff experience includes headquarters tours at both the Air Force and major command levels.
Col. Hartless entered the Air Force in 1996 as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the Virginia Military Institute. He has served in a variety of acquisition and installation engineer positions.
Education
Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington, D.C. (20162016)
Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence (2012)
Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala. (2010)
Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence (2008)
Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala. (2002)
Master of Science degree in civil engineering, University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas (2000)
Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, distinguished graduate, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va. (1996)
Professional Experience
Installation Commander, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 2019-Present)
Senior Military Assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Installations, Environment, and Energy, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va. (July 2018-June 2019)
Commander, 86th Civil Engineer Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Aug. 2015-July 2018)
Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. (July 2015-June 2016)
Commander, 99th Civil Engineer Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev. (July 2013-June 2015)
Commander, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (May 2012-May 2013)
Executive Officer, Deputy Chief of Energy Management Branch, Office of the Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va. (June 2010-May 2012)
Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala. (July 2009-June 2010)
Deputy Base Civil Engineer, Operations Flight Commander, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom (Deployed Sept. 2006-Jan. 2007), Commander, 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Sather Air Base, Iraq; (Nov. 2007-Nov. 2008), Iraq Defense Affairs Program Manager, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (J7), Baghdad, Iraq (June 2006-July 2009)
Deputy Chief, Director’s Action Group, Assistant Executive Officer, Housing Program Manager, Pavement Engineer, Civil Engineer Directorate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. (Deployed Feb.-June 2004), Civil Engineer Staff Officer, Combined Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; (Sept. 2005-Jan. 2006), Construction Engineer Staff Officer, Office of Security Cooperation, Kabul, Afghanistan (Jan. 2003-June 2006)
Chief of Maintenance Engineering, 347th Civil Engineer Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, Ga. (Deployed June-Sept. 2001), Chief of Maintenance Engineering, 363d Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Feb. 2000-Jan. 2003)
Systems Engineer, Test and Evaluation Engineer, 311th Human Systems Wing, Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas (July 1996-Feb. 2000)
Honors & Awards
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal