Lt Col Brian T. Hobbins is the Commander, 479th Operations Support Squadron, 479th Flying Training Group, Naval Air Station Pensacola. As Commander, Lt Col Hobbins is responsible for the Air Force’s only Combat Systems Officer Instructor Training School, operations support to the 479th Flying Training Group and its two flying squadrons, and for the administration and execution of electronic warfare syllabi to Joint and Multinational military partners through Special Courses and Training Flight. Support activities specific to the unique Operations Support Squadron include Aircrew Flight Equipment, Host Aviation Resource Management, Current Operations, Intelligence, administration and support of the $37 million Academic Instruction Facility, contract support of 25 simulator devices across three different simulator types, and administration and support of Aerospace Physiology and Flight Medicine. Lt Col Hobbins performs flight duties as a T-1A Instructor and Evaluator Combat Systems Officer.
Lt Col Hobbins earned his commission from Officer Training School in 1999 after graduating from Northern Arizona University and later earned his wings at NAS Pensacola in 2001. He has served 17 years with multiple assignments as an instructor and evaluator weapons officer in the F-15E, as an Air Liaison Officer, and as Operations Branch Chief on the Air Combat Command Inspector General Team. Prior to his current assignment, Lieutenant Colonel Hobbins was Director of Operations, 479th Operations Support Squadron, 479th Flying Training Group, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.
Lt Col Hobbins is a Master Navigator with more than 2580 hours including 789 combat hours in the T-37, T-34C, T-1A, T-39N, T-38C and F-15E. He has deployed twice in direct support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff
1999 Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Master of Science in Administration, Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1999 – April 1999, Officer Candidate, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2. February 2000 – May 2001, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, VT-10 and
VT-86 Flying Training Squadrons, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
3. August 2001 – October 2001, Student Weapons Systems Officer, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, 49th Fighter Training Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
4. November 2001 – September 2002, Student WSO, F-15E Basic Course, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
5. September 2002 – May 2005, Squadron Scheduler and Chief of Plans, F-15E WSO, 90th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
6. May 2005 – July 2008, Scheduling Officer, Assistant and then Flight Commander, and Chief of Training, F-15E Instructor and Evaluator WSO, 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
7. August 2008 – August 2009, Assistant Director of Operations and Director of Operations, 607th Air Support Operations Group, 7th Air Force, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
8. August 2009 – July 2011, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, F-15E Evaluator WSO, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
9. August 2011 – June 2012, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2012 – June 2014, Operations Inspector, Operations Branch Chief and F-15E Instructor WSO, Office of the Inspector General, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
11. July 2014 – September 2014, Special Assistant to the Commander, 479th Flying Training Group, Pensacola NAS, Fla.
12. October 2014 – February 2016, Director of Operations, 479th Operations Support Squadron, 479th Flying Training Group, Pensacola NAS, Fla.
13. April 2016 – Present, Commander, 479th Operations Support Squadron, 479th Flying Training Group, Pensacola NAS, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight Hours: More than 2580 including 789 in combat
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-34C, T-1A, T-39N, T-38C, and F-15E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
NATO Medal International Security and Assistance Force – Afghanistan
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Lieutenant Colonel 1 Apr. 2014
Major 1 Oct. 2008
Captain 9 Apr. 2003
First Lieutenant 9 Apr. 2001
Second Lieutenant 9 Apr. 1999
(Current as of July 2016)