Events

Lt Colonel Jerry W. Brandon currently serves as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor (SASI) at Mentorship Steam Academy, Baton Rouge, LA.  In this capacity, Colonel Brandon instructs AFJROTC cadets on Air Force heritage and traditions, applied flight science, military aerospace policies and space exploration.  Colonel Brandon also serves as the Director of Aviation for Helix Aviation Academy, Baton Rouge, LA.  In this capacity, Colonel Brandon will bring the world of aviation to a new K-12 school located at the Baton Rouge Airport, Baton Rouge, LA.  Prior to moving back to Louisiana, Colonel Brandon served as the SASI at Dudley High School in Greensboro, NC for two years, where he educated students on the civil, industrial, and military components of the aerospace age.  He enabled secondary school students to fully participate in society as true citizens by providing a framework that inculcated virtues, strong character and enhanced interpersonal skills.  Before retiring and teaching AFJROTC, Colonel Brandon served as the Director of Operations, Camp Atterbury IN.  In this capacity, he was in-charge of Air Force members that made up the Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs).  These teams were established as a result of the need to develop the infrastructure necessary for the Afghan people to succeed in a post-conflict environment. The teams were intended to improve stability in a given area by helping build host nation’s legitimacy and effectiveness in providing security to its citizens and delivering essential government services.  Before coming to Camp Atterbury, Colonel Brandon served as Commander of Air Combat Command’s force provision focal point for coordinating actions to source, task, deliver and track Air Combat Command (ACC) resources during maximum surge operations and exercises.  He served as an Operation Support Officer (OPSO) on the ACC Contingency Action Team (CAT) involved simultaneously in Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya and Operation Tomodachi in Japan, rendering search and rescue relief to earthquake/tsunami victims and providing radiological team support measuring fallout from damaged nuclear reactors.  Colonel Brandon was the Major Command lead for Air Force’s DEEPWATER HORIZON response.  He positioned vital assets for USNORTHCOM requirements within 24 hrs to support the Gulf Oil spill.  He also led ACC efforts in providing support to Operation Unified Response Haitian earthquake relief victims.  His leadership also helped ensure proper deployment and redeployment of our Forces in support of contingency wartime operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Homeland Security Operation Noble Eagle and exercise operations supporting U.S. Strategic, U.S. Joint Forces, U.S. Southern, U.S. Northern and U.S. Central Commands.

Colonel Brandon received his undergraduate degree in Automotive Technology and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through AFROTC at Grambling State University in 1991.  Upon completion of the AFROTC program he was sent to Missile Launch Officer School at Vandenberg AFB, CA.  While at missile launch officer school, Colonel Brandon’s crew was chosen for an evaluation by the IG team, in which his crew received an Outstanding Performance (OP) on the check ride.   As a 1^st Lieutenant, Colonel Brandon personally decoded the message and prepared his launch control center for launch code dissipation after receiving directions from President George H. W. Bush to remove the Minuteman II force from immediate alert.  Colonel Brandon later pulled the last alert at OSCAR Launch Control Facility (LCF), Whiteman AFB, Mo.  OSCAR LCF is now a museum on base for people to visit the Minuteman II Missile Silo.

Colonel Brandon has been married to his high school sweetheart for nearly 35 yrs.  They have three adult children.  Colonel Brandon (PopPop) love spending time with his granddaughters.

EDUCATION

1990-Bachelor of Science degree in Automotive Technology, Grambling State University, Grambling, La.

1996-Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

1997-Masters of Science degree in Criminal Justice, Grambling State University, Shreveport, La.

2007-Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., Master’s degree in military Operational Art/Science

ASSIGNMENTS

Aug 91-Mar 94, Missile Combat Crew Commander, Whiteman AFB, MO

Mar 94-Jun 96, Joint Tactical C4I Combat Plans Officer, 8^th AF, Barksdale AFB, LA

Jun 96-May 98, Chief, Surveillance Division, Langley AFB, VA

May 98-Aug 06, Communications Officer, Langley AFB, VA

Aug 06-Jul 07, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL

Aug 07-Oct 07, Deputy Branch Chief, Force Employment, USJFCOM, Suffolk VA

Feb 08-Apr 09, Deputy Branch Chief Operational Support (OS) Branch, Langley AFB VA

Apr 09- Apr 10, Chief, Force Provision Section, Langley AFB, VA

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant Sep 29, 1990

First Lieutenant Sep 29, 1992

Captain Sep 29, 1994

Major Jul 20, 2001

Lieutenant Col Oct 01, 2008