Colonel Brian T. Cooper is the 177th Fighter Wing Deputy Commander. In conjunction with the Wing Commander, he oversees 1,200 airmen and 20 F-16; responsible for 24/7, 365 alert response in Eastern Air Defense Sector for NORAD / NORTHCOM. Additionally, they provide combat effective airmen to ACC, enabling the DoW to meet its worldwide missions advancing US interests; and, through 15 subordinate commands multi-capable airmen to the Gov of NJ to respond to domestic operations, natural disasters, or contingency requirements.
Col. Cooper was commissioned in the Air Force 2003 as a Distinguished Graduate of AFROTC Det. 490. He is a fully qualified Master Aircraft Maintenance Officer and has a diverse resume of aerospace logistics assignments and deployments. Col. Cooper led the United States’ first deployment in support of NATO Op: CONSTANT EFFORT, Zokniai Air Base, Siauliai, Lithuania, providing 24/7 air policing coverage over the Baltic States. Next, Col. Cooper spent a year in Iraq as a Combat Air Advisor, as part of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team in support of Op: IRAQI FREEDOM training Iraqi Air Force maintainers and pilots. Following that, Col. Cooper led combat and humanitarian missions, as the first non-rated Contingency Response Element Commander Instructor/Evaluator, including opening a bare-base in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, enabling the President’s 30K troop surge for Op: ENDURING FREEDOM and to Mali, Africa in support of Op: JUNIPER MICRON, moving more than 1K allied troops and 1.3K tons of cargo.
In 2013, Col. Cooper transitioned into the New Jersey Air National Guard. As a Jersey Devil, he stood up the 466th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, leading the first ANG unit to mobilize on a CONUS AEF tasking in support of Op: NOBLE EAGLE; providing 24/7 air coverage for the President of the United States. He later deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan in support of Ops: SPARTAN SHIELD, FREEDOM'S SENTINEL, and the RESOLUTE SUPPORT Mission, where he volunteered for the base retrograde and closure mission, facilitating the President’s 45-day Afghanistan withdrawal. Col. Cooper most recently deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait as the 386th Expeditionary Air Base Group Commander where he generated 2.3K combat sorties, moving 20K passengers and 4.8K cargo tons in support of Ops: INHERENT RESOLVE, SPARTAN SHIELD and HAWKEYE STRIKE. In response to Iranian aggression, Col. Cooper was hand-picked to stand-up King Faisal Air Base, Jordan; masterfully transforming the desolate airfield into CENTCOM's largest joint forward operating location, supporting the first offensive strike packages into Iran for Op: EPIC FURY. Col. Cooper has earned the Army Parachutist’s Badge and the Army Pathfinder Badge both at Fort Benning, Georgia. Prior to his current position, Col. Cooper served as Commander, 177th Maintenance Group.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Ala.
2005 Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Touro University, Calif.
2010 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Ala.
2016 All-But-Dissertation, Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Business Administration, Trident University, Calif.
2017 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Ala., by Correspondence
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Ala., by Correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS or CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 2003 - September 2003, Student, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas
2. September 2003 - June 3 2004, Programs and Resources Flight Commander, 52d Maintenance Operations Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
3. June 2004 - January 2006, Assistant Officer In Charge, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 52d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (September 2005 – December 2005, Aircraft Maintenance Officer In Charge, 23d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Zokniai AB, Siauliai, Lithuania)
4. January 2006 - July 2007, Maintenance Flight Commander, 52d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
5. July 2007 - December 2007, Chief of Quality Assurance, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
6. December 2007 - October 2008, Officer In Charge, 80th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. October 2008 - October 2009, Director of Maintenance / Combat Air Advisor, 521st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, Coalition Air Force Transition Team, Iraq
8. October 2009 - October 2012, Contingency Maintenance Officer In Charge/Assist Director of Ops, 818th Global Mobility Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (June 2010 – Sept 2010, Contingency Response Element Director of Operations, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan; along with numerous contingency deployments to AFRICOM /EUCOM)
9. October 2012 - November 2013, Director of Operations, 818th Global Mobility Readiness Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (January 2013 – March 2013, Contingency Response Element Commander, Bamako, Mali / N’Djamena, Chad)
10. November 2013 - June 2014, Air Liaison Officer, 227th Air Support Operations Squadron, Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
11. June 2014 - March 2015, Maintenance Operations Officer, 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
12. March 2015 - August 2020, Commander, 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (April 2019 - July 2019, Commander, 466th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Homestead, Fla.)
13. August 2020 – June 2022, Commander, THE 177th Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (March 2021 – September 2021, Director of Maintenance, 405th Air Expeditionary Group, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan)
14. June 2022 – June 2026, Commander, 177th Maintenance Group, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (Sept 2025 – May 2026, Commander, 386th Expeditionary Air Base Group, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait)
15. June 2026 – Present, Deputy Commander, 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 United States Air Forces Europe’s HG Program Manager of the Year
2011 Mobility Air Force’s Command and Control Officer of the Year
2019 National Guard Bureau’s Lt Gen Leo Marquez Field Grade Aircraft Maintenance Manager of the Year
2019 National Guard Bureau’s Maintenance Effectiveness Award – Category 1: Small Aircraft Maintenance Unit of the Year
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES AND TABS
Air Force Master Aircraft Maintenance Badge
Army Parachutist Badge
Army Pathfinder Badge
Air Force Advanced Air Advisor Tab
Air Force Arctic Tab
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 24, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major October 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2017
Colonel July 27, 2023
(Current as of May 2026)