Colonel Brian S. Hale is a Cyberspace Warfare Operator and the Commander of the 179th Cyberspace Operations Group where he leads 440 Airmen in the Air Forces new Cyber Enabled Air Superiority (CEAS) mission. Previously he served as the Deputy of the 179th Cyberspace Operations Group and prior to that, as the Commander of the 277th Cyberspace Operations Squadron. In this capacity he led 90 Airmen and was responsible for $16M annually. Prior to that he was the Commander, 57th Information Aggressor Squadron (IAS), Nellis AFB, Nevada. He led military, civilians, and contractors who developed and trained USAF, Joint, and Coalition personnel through instruction and replication of advanced, realistic, and credible adversary cyber and information operations.
Colonel Hale is a 2005 graduate of Kent State University, where he was commissioned through Air Force ROTC. Col Hale specialized as a Cyberspace Warfare Operator and certified in both offensive and defensive specialties. He has served in a variety of leadership positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels to include, Flight Commander, Standards and Evaluations Chief, Weapons School Instructor, and Combat Plans Chief, and Director of Cyber Forces for Air Force Special Operations Command. Additionally, Col Hale served as Director of Operations for the 39th Information Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida. In that capacity he directed the Air Force’s only Information Operations and Cyberspace formal training unit and was responsible for a $24 million training environment and oversaw initial qualification training for the Air Force’s cyberspace weapons system operators including the development and daily execution of the courseware for the 23 Information Operations and Cyberspace courses.
EDUCATION
2005 - Bachelor of Business: Computer Information Systems, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
2005 - Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 - Expeditionary Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2007 - Undergraduate Network Warfare Training, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2008 - Joint Network Attack Course, Corry Station, Fla.
2010 - Remote Operations Center Interactive Operator Training, Ft Meade, Md.
2011 - Master of Science: Computer Information Systems: Security, Boston University, Boston, Mass.
2012 - Squadron Officer School, Residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 - United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2017 - Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 - Cyberspace 300, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
2019 - Master of Arts: Defense and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Residence, Newport, R.I.
2019 - Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, Naval War College, Residence, Newport, R.I.
2021 - Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS or CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. July 2005 - August 2007, Crew Commander, 33rd Network Warfare Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. August 2007 - May 2009, Section Chief, 690th Intelligence Support Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas (June 2008 – December 2008, Planner, Joint Functional Component Command Network Warfare, Fort George G. Meade, Md)
3. May 2009 - August 2009, Executive Officer, 690th Network Support Group, Lackland AFB, Texas
4. August 2009 - April 2011, Flight Commander, 315th Network Warfare Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Md
5. April 2011 - January 2013, Chief of Stan/Eval, 315th Network Warfare Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Md
6. January 2013 - June 2014, Flight Commander/Instructor, later ADO Cyber Operations, 328th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. June 2014 - August 2015, Chief of Cyberspace Integration, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. January 2016 - July 2018, Chief of Combatant Command Plans, 24th Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland, Texas (May 2016 - Oct 2016, Operational Planning Team Lead, JTF-ARES, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md.)
9. July 2018 - September 2019, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, Newport, R.I.
10. September 2019 - June 2020, Director of Cyber Forces, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla
11. June 2020 - June 2021, Director of Operations, 39th Information Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla
12. July 2021 – June 2023, Commander, 57th Information Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev
13. July 2023 – March 2025, Commander, 277th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Mansfield OH
14. November 2024 - June 2026, Deputy Commander, 179th Cyberspace Operations Group, Mansfield OH
15. June 2026 - Present, Commander, 179th Cyberspace Operations Group, Mansfield OH
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jun 2008 - Dec 2008, Planner, Joint Functional Component Command Network Warfare, Fort George G. Meade, MD.
2. May 2016 - Oct 2016, Operational Planning Team Lead, JTF-ARES, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, MD.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal 4 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal with 4 service stars
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) 2011 - present
SANS GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) – 2007 - 2019 – not current
Certified Cyber Forensics Professional (CCFP) – 2014 – 2021 - not current
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 13, 2005
First Lieutenant June 12, 2007
Captain June 12, 2009
Major January 1, 2016
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2020
Colonel January 21, 2025
(Current as of June 2026)