Colonel Bryan Walter is the 2d Operations Group Commander at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. He leads daily operations for the USAF’s largest bomber group consisting of four operational squadrons with over 560 personnel supported by a $120M budget.
Colonel Walter is a 2001 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and a 2009 Graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a B-52H Evaluator Radar Navigator & T-1A.
Evaluator Combat Systems Officer with assignments at Scott AFB, RAF Lakenheath, Randolph AFB, Barksdale AFB, Offutt AFB, Naval Air Station Pensacola and has deployed multiple times in support of contingency operations to Andersen AFB in support of the PACAF Continuous Bomber Presence. He is married to the former Leslie Schulman of Austin Texas and has a daughter Cora and son Aiden.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Meteorology, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa.
2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Masters in Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, correspondence
2016 Joint Professional Military Education II, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
2017 Air War College, correspondence
2022 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
- 2002, Student, Weather Officer Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
- 2002 - 2004, Lead Meteorologist and Command Weather Briefer, Scott AFB, Ill.
- 2004, Student, Combat Weather Team Officer Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
- 2004 - 2006, Combat Weather Team Flight Commander, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K.
- 2006 - 2007, Student, Combat Systems Officer Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
- 2007 - 2014, Flight Commander, Chief of Squadron Safety, Chief of Wing Flight Safety, Executive Officer to the Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, Director of Operations, Barksdale AFB, La.
- 2014 - 2017, Executive Officer to Deputy Director, Nuclear Operations USSTRATCOM, National Airborne Operations Center Command Center Operations Chief Team 1, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- 2017 – 2021, Commander, 451 FTS & Deputy Commander, 479 FTG, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
- 2021 – 2022, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2022 – 2023, Director of Operations, Air Forces Strategic, Barksdale AFB, La.
- 2023 – 2024, Deputy Inspector General, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
- 2024 – Pres, 2d Operations Group Commander, Barksdale, AFB, La.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2014 – July 2017, Executive Officer to the Commander, US Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: senior combat systems officer
Flight hours: more than 2,525
Aircraft flown: T-6A, T-1A, T-43A, E-4B, E-6B, F-16D, B-52H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Combat Systems Officer Training, Class 07-06
2007 Ira J. Husik Award, Top USAF Graduate, Combat System Officer Training, Class 07-06
2008 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Class 08-07
2022 Commandant’s Award, Air War College, Class of 2022
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant December 27, 2001
First Lieutenant December 27, 2003
Captain December 27, 2005
Major December 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2011
Colonel November 1, 2022
(Current as of May 2024)