Col. Brian R. Montgomery is the Vice Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, N.C. As the vice commander, he assists the wing commander in the organization, training and deployment of one of the largest fighter wings in the United States Air Force, consisting of nearly 6,000 Airmen and civilians. The wing is also home to the multi-role, all-weather F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft which is assigned to two operational and two training fighter squadrons, flying more than 15,000 sorties and 24,000 hours a year. The 4th FW teams with and provides overall host support for the 916th Air Refueling Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command KC-135R wing with an active duty squadron. The wing's assets total $5.2 billion with an annual operating and maintenance budget of $240 million.
Col. Montgomery is a graduate with Honors from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Colonel Montgomery entered the Air Force in 1996 through Officer Training School (OTS). He initially served as a financial officer at Wright Patterson AFB, working in the F-15 System Program Office. During this tour, Col. Montgomery was selected to attend Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training at Pensacola Naval Air Station. As an F-15E Weapons System Officer (WSO), he has served as an Instructor WSO, Mission Commander, and Flight Examiner. He has multiple deployments in support of OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Col. Montgomery also served as Command Strategist for NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan, Director of 4th Fighter Wing Inspections, Director of Operations for the 18th Air Support Operations Group, Commander, 20th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Drum AIN, New York, and Director, NATO Deployable Air Operations Center, Poggio-Renatico, Italy.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, N.C.
1999 Master of Science in Business Administration, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
2002 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth AIN, Kansas
2010 School for Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Military Arts in Air Power Studies, School for Advanced Air & Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air War College by correspondence, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort McNair AIN, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1996 - February 1999, Financial Manager, F-15 System Program Office, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
2. February 1999 - October 2000, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola NAS, Flor.
3. October 2000 - September 2001, Student, F-15E Basic Qualification Course, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC..
4. September 2001 - February 2005, Flight Commander, 90FS, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. February 2005 - June 2008, Assistant Director of Operations, 422 TES, Nellis AFB, Alaska
6. June 2008 - June 2009, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
7. June 2009 - June 2010, Student, School for Advanced Air & Space Studies, Air Univ, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2010 - September 2011, Command Strategist, NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan
9. September 2011 - June 2013, Director of Wing Inspections, 4 Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
10. June 2013 - June 2014, Director of Operations, 18 Air Support Operations Group, Pope AAF, N.C.
11. July 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 20th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Drum AIN, N.Y.
12. June 2016 – July 2017, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort McNair AIN, Washington D.C.
13. August 2017 – June 2019, Director, NATO Deployable Air Operations Center, Poggio Renatico, Italy
14. June 2019 – Present, Vice Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Navigator
Total Flight hours: 1,600
Aircraft flown: F-15E, T-38, T-39, T-1, and T-34
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal (4 oak leaf clusters)
Joint Meritorious United Award
Air Force Commendation Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 oak leaf cluster)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air Force Achievement Medal
NATO Non-Article 5 Medal
Commandant’s Trophy, Squadron Officer School
Edward H. Koppel CGO Award
Benjamin O. Davis FGO Leadership Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1996
First Lieutenant June 1, 1998
Captain June 1, 2000
Major June 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2011
Colonel December 1, 2017
(Current as of September 2019)