Colonel BRETT J. COOPER Colonel Brett J. Cooper serves as the Deputy Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He aides the commander in leading more than 12,500 people to execute an 8-billion-dollar budget to discover, develop, and integrate warfighting technologies for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. He oversees the 219-million-dollar AFRL Headquarters Budget, a 127-million-dollar budget to upgrade state-of-the-art research facilities distributed globally across 21 sites and directs the AFRL Headquarters' daily operations. Colonel Cooper was commissioned in 2003 from Officer Training School and has served in numerous acquisition positions in aircraft, space, intelligence, and nuclear programs. Previously, he served as the Senior Materiel Leader for the Future Tankers System Program Office as well as the Deputy Program Manager for the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program. During his time on Air Staff, he served as Deputy of the Science & Technology Management Division, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisitions) Science, Technology, and Engineering Directorate, where he supported the Air Force’s major prototyping programs, including the adaptive turbine engine, hypersonic strike, and directed energy weapons. He also served as an engineer in the Space Based Infrared and Imagery Intelligence Directorates. During Operation Enduring Freedom, Colonel Cooper deployed as a watch officer in the International Security Assistance Force Headquarters Situational Awareness Room, leading daily reporting of commander’s critical information and generating the daily operational summary on behalf of the Commander, US Forces-Afghanistan. EDUCATION 2003 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2007 Master of Science, Astronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio 2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2015 Master of Science, Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University. Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C. ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY 1. Sep 2003-Aug 2006, Test and Evaluation Manager, Space Based Infrared Systems Program Office, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Cal. 2. Aug 2006-Aug 2007, Chief, Technical Intelligence & Battlespace Awareness Integration, Space Based Infrared Systems Program Office, Los Angeles AFB, Cal. 3. Aug 2007-Mar 2009, Masters Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio 4. Mar 2009-Jul 2011, Chief, Spacecraft Integration & Test, Reconnaissance Systems Program Office, National Reconnaissance Office, Va. 5. Jul 2011-Jul 2012, Executive Officer, Imagery Intelligence Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Va. 6. Jul 2012-Jul 2014, Chief, Engineering Officer Assignments, Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas (Deployed Nov 2013-May 2014, Watch Officer, Headquarters International Security Assistance Force) 7. Jul 2014-Jun 2015, Intermediate Developmental Education Graduate Student, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Ala. 8. Jun 2015-Jul 2016, Deputy Division Chief, Acquisition Force Development, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 9. Jul 2016-Aug 2018, Deputy Division Chief, Science & Technology Management, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 10. Aug 2018-Mar 2021, Materiel Leader, Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Reentry Systems, Hill AFB, Utah 11. Mar 2021-Nov 2021, Chief, Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Program Execution Division, Hill AFB, Utah 12. Nov 2021-Jun 2022, Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Program Deputy Program Manager, Hill AFB, Utah 13. Jun 2022-Jun 2023, Senior Developmental Education, National Laboratory Technical Fellow – Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Air Force Fellows Program, Oak Ridge, Ten. 14. Jun 2023-Jan 2025, Chief, Future Tankers, Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio 15. Jan 2025-Jun 2026, Senior Materiel Leader, NGAS & Tanker Recap SPM, Mobility Aircraft Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 16. June 2026-Present, Deputy Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal (Current as of June 2026)