Col Brandon Cieloha is the Commander, 319th Operations Group, 319th Reconnaissance Wing, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. He is responsible for the operations, maintenance, and training of the Air Force’s worldwide RQ-4B Global Hawk and E-11A aircraft and personnel. The Group consists of five operational squadrons and one maintenance squadron to train, maintain, and employ the RQ-4B (Block 40) Radar Technology Insertion Program (RTIP) and E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communication Node (BACN) aircraft in support of President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, and global Combatant Commander national security requirements.
Col Cieloha is from Oregon and earned his commission from the University of Portland. A command pilot with multiple operational assignments, he has served as an Instructor Pilot in the KC-135, and as an Evaluator Pilot in the RQ-4. He is also the Air Force’s most senior E-11A pilot. Col Cieloha has deployed in support of worldwide contingency operations, and has supported humanitarian assistance operations in Haiti, Japan, and Northern Africa. Col Cieloha served at the Headquarters United States Air Force, as Chief, Unmanned Operations and Sensors Branch. He also served as Chief, Flight Safety Division at Headquarters, Air Combat Command. Col Cieloha also commanded the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron, leading the Nation’s only squadron employing the RQ-4B Block 40 Global Hawk. In addition to his aviation expertise, Col Cieloha is also a political-military affairs strategist and served as Chief, New START Escort Division at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Arts, History, University of Portland, Portland, Ore.
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Arts, Homeland Security, American Military University, Charlestown, WV, by correspondence
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science (Political-Military Affairs Strategist), Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Advanced Nuclear Weapons Certificate, Surety, Defense Nuclear Weapons School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2024 Master of Arts, Strategic Studies (Concentration in Airpower Strategy), with Academic Distinction, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2004 – May 2004, Assistant Wing Scheduler, 9th Operations Support Squadron (Sq), Beale AFB, Calif.
2. May 2004 – September 2005, Student Pilot, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. September 2005 – February 2006, Student Pilot, KC-135 Initial Qualification Course, Altus AFB, Okla.
4 February 2006 – May 2010, KC-135 Instructor Pilot/Flight Commander (multiple overseas deployments), 93d Air Refueling Sq, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
5. May 2010 – November 2010, RQ-4 Student Pilot, 1st Reconnaissance Sq, Beale AFB, Calif.
6. November 2010 – August 2012, RQ-4B Instructor Pilot/Operations Group Executive Officer, 9th Operations Group, Beale AFB, Calif.
7. August 2012 – November 2013, RQ-4B Instructor Pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 9th Operations Support Sq, Beale AFB, Calif.
8. November 2013 – July 15, RQ-4B Evaluator Pilot/Director of Operations, 7th Reconnaissance Sq, Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy
9. July 2015 – June 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2016 – July 2018, Chief, Unmanned Operations and Sensors Branch/RQ-4 Functional Area Manager, ISR Operations and Collections Division, HQ Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. July 2018 – June 2019, Chief of Safety and Director of Wing Staff, 319th Air Base Wing, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
12. June 2019 – June 2021, Commander, 348th Reconnaissance Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
13. June 2021 – July 2023, Chief, New START Escort Division, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Travis AFB, Calif.
14. July 2023 – June 2024, Student, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2024 – June 2025, Chief, Flight Safety Division, HQ Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virg.
16. June 25 – PRESENT, Commander, 319th Operations Group, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 21 – July 23, Chief, New START Escort Division, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Travis AFB, Calif., as a Lieutenant Colonel.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Ratings/Quals: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 2,400 (1,217 Combat Hours)
Aircraft Flown: T-6A, T-1, KC-135R/T, RQ-4A/B, EQ-4B, E-11A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 28 December 2003
First Lieutenant 28 December 2005
Captain 28 December 2007
Major 1 December 2013
Lieutenant Colonel 1 September 2018
Colonel 1 November 2024
(CURRENT AS OF JULY 2025)