Lieutenant Colonel Brian "20" L. Hardeman is the Commander of Detachment 1, 1st Air Force, Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Detachment 1 is assigned to the 1 Canadian Air Division and Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region Headquarters in support of the bi-national NORAD agreement between the governments of the United States and Canada. Lt Col Hardeman is responsible to provide 24/7 U.S. communications links, as well as Fighter, Logistics, Intelligence and Air Battle Management functional support to the Canadian NORAD Region mission as well as administrative personnel support to a USAF Brigadier General assigned as the Deputy Commander, Canadian NORAD Region. Additionally, he serves as the Division Chief to the 1 Canadian Air Division Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) Standards and Evaluation Division in support of NORAD and Canadian Joint Operations Command missions.
Lt Col Hardeman entered the Air Force in 1987 as an enlisted member. He served 13 years as a Loadmaster and Flight Engineer on the C-141B and C-17A aircraft amassing over 5,200 hours. He served as an instructor and evaluator, and held airdrop (heavy/personnel), Container Delivery System, Navy Seal Boat Drop, and Special Operations Low Level II qualifications. He received his commission in May 2000 from Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. In 2001, he graduated from Undergraduate Air Battle Manager training at Tyndall AFB, Florida. His first operational assignment was to the 611th Air Control Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, where he served in several positions. Lt Col Hardeman was then assigned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, where he filled positions such as Weapons and Tactics Officer, Formal Training Unit Instructor, Assistant Flight Commander, Flight Commander, Executive Officer, and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation. Additionally, he served as an Exchange Officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force as Director of Operations and Deputy Commander of a Radar Squadron, and as a staff officer at Headquarters Air Combat Command. As a Senior Enlisted Aircrew member and Senior Air Battle Manager, Lt Col Hardeman has flown in numerous wartime, contingency, and joint staff directed operations to include the invasion of Panama, Operations DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, PROVIDE COMFORT, RESTORE HOPE, NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, NOBLE EAGLE, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, to name a few, and commanded combat sorties during Operation INHERENT RESOLVE as a Mission Crew Commander. Prior to his current position, Lt Col Hardeman was an Assistant Director of Operations for the 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Professional Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2003 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2006 Joint Air Operations Planning Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Air Command and Staff College
2010 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
2011 Naval Command and Staff College, Distinguished Graduate
2012 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Distinguished Graduate
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1987 – March 2000, Loadmaster/Flight Engineer, various bases/squadrons
2. August 2000 – May 2001, Student, Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
3. May 2001 – May 2002, Air Weapons Officer, 611th Air Control Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. May 2002 – September 2003, Senior Director, 611th Air Control Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. September 2003 – Jun 2005, E-3 Air Weapons Officer, 552d Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
6. June 2005 – July 2007, Instructor Senior Director, Deputy Chief, Squadron Training, Assistant Flight Commander, Flight Commander, Executive Officer, 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
7. July 2007 – May 2008, Evaluator Senior Director, Deputy Chief, SQ Current Operations, 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
8. May 2008 – August 2009, Chief, Operations Group Standardization and Evaluation, Weapons Branch, 552d Operations Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
9. August 2009 – August 2010, Director of Operations, 42 Radar Squadron, CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
10. August 2010 – August 2012, Deputy Commander, 42 Radar Squadron, CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
11. August 2012 – June 2013, Deputy Chief, Air Defense, Ground Battle Management Branch, Langley AFB, Va.
12. June 2013 – August 2015, Deputy Chief, Air Defense, Combat Integration Branch, Langley AFB, Va.
13. August 2015 – January 2016, Student Mission Crew Commander, Operations Supervisor, 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
14. January 2016 – January 2017, Instructor Mission Crew Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
15. January 2017 – June 2018, Deputy Commander, 552d Operations Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
16. June 2018 – Present, Commander, Detachment 1, First Air Force, CFB Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Air Battle Manager
Flight Hours: More than 7,600 including more than 1,670 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: C-141B, C-17A, KC-135R, and E-3 B/C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 2000
First Lieutenant May 2002
Captain May 2004
Major December 2009
Lieutenant Colonel May 2015
(Current as of July 2018)