Lieutenant Colonel Brian E. McKay is the commander, 12th Training Squadron. He leads over 1000 students annually as they complete Undergraduate RPA, Basic Sensor Operator, and Pilot Instructor training. In addition, he is a T-6 Evaluator Pilot training the Air Force’s finest instructor pilots.
Lt Col McKay graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2000 with a degree in Engineering Sciences. After completing pilot training, he served as a C-5 pilot flying over 50 combat hours during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Following his assignment in the C-5, Lt Col McKay was selected to fly the B-2 at Whiteman AFB, MO. There, he completed one tour, culminating as Assistant Director of Operations and Evaluator Pilot, 393d Bomb Squadron. Lt Col McKay then served as Chief, Nuclear Aircraft Employment working for the Assistant Chief of Staff, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, at the Pentagon.
Lt Col McKay was the Air Officer Commanding for Cadet Squadron 23 at the United States Air Force Academy where he commanded over 100 Air Force cadets and two non-commissioned officers in support of the Academy’s mission to educate, train, and inspire lieutenants and future leaders of character for the Air Force and our nation.
Lt Col McKay was the Director of Operations for the 89th Flying Training Squadron at Sheppard AFB in NATO’s only joint flying training wing, Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training. He oversaw operations for over 100 students yearly consisting of instructor pilots from 13 allied nations while developing and instructing NATO’s newest pilots as they train to become the world’s finest fighter pilots.
Prior to his current assignment, Lt Col McKay was the Deputy Commander, 12th Operations Group, where he helped lead 6 squadrons developing the Air Force’s best instructor pilots, fighter pilot candidates, RPA pilots and sensor operators, and overseeing the AETC’s busiest airfield.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences, United States Air Force Academy, CO.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2007 Master of Business Administration, Webster University, MO.
2010 Air Command and Staff College (Non-Resident)
2012 Intermediate Developmental Education, United States Air Force Academy, CO
2012 Master of Arts, Counseling and Leadership, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, CO
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Sep 2000 – Feb 2002, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK.
2. Mar 2002 – May 2004, C-5 Pilot and Mobility Officer, 22nd Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, CA.
3. Jun 2004 – May 2009, B-2 Evaluator Pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 393rd Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO.
4. Jun 2009 – May 2011, Chief, Nuclear Aircraft Employment, Assistant Chief of Staff, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
5. May 2011 – May 2012, Student, Intermediate Developmental Education, United States Air Force Academy, CO.
6. May 2012 – May 2014, Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron 23, United States Air Force Academy, CO.
7. Jun 2014 – Dec 2014, T-6 trainee, Pilot Instructor Training, Sheppard AFB, TX
8. Dec 2014 – Apr 2015, T-6 Instructor and Standardization/Evaluation Liaison Officer, 89th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX
9. Apr 2015 – June 2016, Director of Operations, 89th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX
10. Oct 2015 – Apr 2016, Fighter-Attack Foreign Military Sales Case Manager, Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, US Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq (Deployed)
11. Jun 2016 – Jun 2017, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 12th Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, TX
12. Jun 2017 – Aug 2017, Student Section Commander, 12th Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, TX
13. Aug 2017 – Present, Commander, 12th Training Squadron, 12th Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, TX
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 3200
Aircraft Flown: C-5A/B/C, B-2A, T-38A, T-53, T-6A
AWARDS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
AF Outstanding Unit Award with six oak leaf clusters
AF Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Operation Inherent Resolve Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 31 May, 2000
First Lieutenant 31 May, 2002
Captain 31 May, 2004
Major 1 January, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel 1 June, 2015
(Current as of Oct 2017)