CMSgt Brandon L. Vath is the Senior Enlisted Leader, 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. He serves as the Commander’s senior enlisted advisor on enlisted welfare, readiness, morale, training, utilization and career progression matters for roughly 950 Airmen across 27 Air Force specialties. The group’s 5 squadrons include a formal training unit
and provide combat ready aircrew, maintenance, support, and airborne assets for global response contingencies to employ the uniquely modified EC-130H COMPASS CALL electronic attack aircraft in support of worldwide expeditionary deployments and unified combatant commanders.
CMSgt Vath, a native of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, entered the Air Force in September 1999 as a Communication and Navigation Systems Apprentice. His background includes various duties at the tactical and operational levels of aircraft maintenance to include flight line operations, sortie support, and Quality Assurance on multiple variants of the C-130 and the C-17A. Additionally, he has filled a number of positions within the 618th Air Operations Center to include Senior Logistics Readiness Controller and Superintendent of the Commander’s Action Group. His CONUS assignments include installations in Arizona and Illinois. CMSgt Vath has also served overseas in Germany, Uzbekistan, and Djibouti in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Senior Enlisted Leader, 730th Air Mobility Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
EDUCATION
2004 Airman Leadership School, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, (Correspondence) Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
2011 USAFE Noncommisioned Officer Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2012 Associate of Applied Science, Avionics Systems Technology, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Global Mobility Air Operations Course, Scott AFB, IL
2014 Professional Manager Certification, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, AL
2014 Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments Course, Scott AFB, IL
2015 Advanced Air Mobility Operations Course, Scott AFB, IL
2016 Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics, Summa Cum Laude, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, FL
2016 Air Force Senior Noncommisioned Officer Academy, Gunter Annex, AL (Distinguished Graduate)
2017 USTRANSCOM Advanced Management Analysis Course, Scott AFB, IL
2019 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2019 Continuous Process Improvement Senior Leaders Course, Air University, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
2020 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2022 Masters of Science in Strategic Leadership (w/ Honors), University of Charleston, West Virginia
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1999 – October 1999, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2. October 1999 – April 2000, Student, Communication & Navigation Systems Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS
3. April 2000 – November 2002, EC-130E Communication and Navigation Systems Journeyman, 42nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ
4. November 2002 – June 2009, HC-130P Communication and Navigation Systems Craftsman, 563rd Maintenance
Squadron, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ
5. June 2009 – June 2012, Noncommisioned Officer in Charge, Compliance Cell, 86th Maintenance Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
6. June 2012 – July 2013, Sortie Support Flight Chief, 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
7. July 2013 – November 2015, Senior Logistics Readiness Controller, 618th Air Operations Center, Scott AFB, IL
8. November 2015 - April 2016, Superintendent, Commander’s Action Group, 618th Air Operations Center, Scott AFB, IL
9. April 2016 – July 2017, Superintendent, Logistics Readiness, 618th Air Operations Center, Scott AFB, IL
10. July 2017 – August 2018, Manager, Maintenance Compliance, Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection Directorate, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
11. August 2017 – July 2018, Maintenance Superintendent, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam, HI
12. July 2018 – July 2020, Superintendent, Quality Assurance, 15th Maintenance Group, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
13. July 2020 – June 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 730th Air Mobility Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan
14. June 2023 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1999 Basic Military Training Honor Graduate, Lackland AFB, TX
2001 355th Maintenance Group Airman of the Year, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
2004 Commandant’s Leadership Award, Airmen Leadership School, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
2012 86th Maintenance Group Maintenance Support Professional of the Year, Ramstein AB, Germany
2016 Distinguished Graduate, USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL
2019 15th Maintenance Group Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
(Current as of June 2023)