Colonel Brian Diehl is the Deputy Commander, 153d Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard. The strength of the 153 AW resides in the more than 1290 personnel assigned across 20 squadrons. The Wing supports state and national interests in peacetime and during conflict. Operational mission sets include tactical airlift, aerial firefighting, aeromedical evacuation, command and control, and air traffic control enabled by dedicated guardsmen in medical, maintenance, support, and logistics roles.
Colonel Diehl graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and earned his commission in 1999. Throughout his continuum of service, he has served in a variety of roles at the squadron, group, wing, and headquarters level in the combat air forces, mobility air forces, and special operations forces. He has worked closely with multiple joint and interagency partners conducting special operations, personnel recovery, and defense support of civil authority missions.
Prior to his current position, he was the reserve advisor to the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. He advised the commander on management and utilization of Air Force Reserve personnel, including policies and mobilization guidance. Keeping the commander apprised on the status of Air Force Reserve unit conversions, basing actions, site activation visits, combat readiness exercise and inspection results. Enabling the command to access and leverage the highly experienced pool of trained, ready citizen air commandos anytime, anyplace. Col Diehl is a Command Pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in fixed wing, rotary wing, and remotely piloted aircraft, including over 1,000 combat hours.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2007 National Aerial Firefighting Academy, Tucson, Ariz.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Advanced Instrument School, Oklahoma City, Okla
2012 Reserve Component National Security Course, Fort McNair, Washington, DC
2014 Advanced National Aerial Firefighting Academy, Sacramento, Calif.
2015 Safety Board President Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2015 AFRICOM Theater Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2018 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 INDOPACOM Theater Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2021 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2000 - September 2001, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. September 2001 - March 2002, Student, C-130E Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. March 2002 - October 2005, C-130H Aircraft Commander, 187th Airlift Squadron, Cheyenne, Wyo.
4. October 2005 - June 2006, Executive Officer, 153d Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyo.
5. June 2006 - February 2009, C-130H Instructor Pilot, 187th Airlift Squadron, Cheyenne, Wyo.
6. February 2009 - February 2011, Chief of Aircrew Training, 153d Operations Support Squadron, Cheyenne, Wyo.
7. February 2011 - December 2011, Chief of Aerial Firefighting and Standardization and Evaluation, 153d Operations Group, Cheyenne, Wyo.
8. December 2011 - June 2014, Staff Officer, Air, Space, and Information Operations Directorate, National Guard Bureau, Washington DC
9. July 2014 - December 2014, Student, MQ-9 Initial Qualification, Holloman AFB, N.M.
10. June 2014 - September 2016, MQ-9 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander, 2d Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. September 2016 - September 2018, Operations Officer, 2d Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. September 2018 - September 2020, Commander, 2d Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. September 2020 – September 2022, Commander, 920th Operations Group, Patrick SFB, Fla.
14. September 2022 – September 2023, Reserve Advisor to Commander, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. September 2023 – Present, Deputy Commander, 153d Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 5,000
Aircraft Flown: HC-130J, HH-60G, MQ-9, C-130E/H, C-12, T-37, A-320
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with eleven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
Air Commando Association
Air Rescue Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant October 22, 1999
First Lieutenant October 22, 2001
Captain October 22, 2003
Major November 3, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel November 3, 2014
Colonel July 1, 2020
(Current as of October 2023)