Colonel Bradley W. McDonald is Vice Commander of the 10th Air Base Wing, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He directs a team of more than 3,000 military, civilian, and contract personnel who conduct all base-level support activities for the entire installation including security, civil engineering, communications, logistics, finance, contracting, chaplaincy, legal, lodging, medical, military and civilian personnel and force support programs. The 10th ABW supports over 4,000 cadets, a total military community of over 25,000 personnel, and executes a $150 million operating budget.
Colonel McDonald was born and raised in Kimberly, Idaho. He entered the Air Force after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1994. He has held a variety of leadership, staff, and command positions with experience at the squadron, wing, major command, and Air Staff levels as well as in the deployed environment. Additionally, he served as a wing executive officer, speechwriter to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, and as a Capitol Hill military fellow to the United States Senate Majority Whip. He served as the Deputy Commander, 82d Mission Support Group, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. Prior to his current position, Colonel McDonald served as the Chief, Financial Analysis Division, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
EDUCATION:
1994: Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
1998: Master of Science degree in Cost Analysis, U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
1999: Squadron Officer School (Distinguished Graduate), Maxwell AFB, AL
2004: Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008: Air Force Legislative Fellowship (IDE in-residence), Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
2008: Air War College, by correspondence
2013: Master of Science degree in Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2015: Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Aug 1994 – Nov 1994: Deputy Financial Services Officer, 366th Comptroller Squadron, 366th Wing (Composite), Mountain Home AFB, ID
2. Dec 1994 – Jun 1996: Financial Services Officer, 366th Comptroller Squadron, 366th Wing
(Composite), Mountain Home AFB, ID
3. July 1996 – Apr 1997: Deputy Budget Officer, 366th Comptroller Squadron, 366th Wing (Composite), Mountain Home AFB, ID
4. May 1997 – Sep 1998: Graduate Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
5. Oct 1998 – Sep 1999: Weapons System Cost Analyst, Global Air Traffic Operations/Mobility Command and Control System Program Office, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA
6. Oct 1999 – Dec 2000: Deputy Chief, Cost Analysis, Global Air Traffic Operations/Mobility Command and Control Systems Program Office, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA
7. Dec 2000 – Mar 2001: Joint Task Force Southwest Asia Budget Officer, Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia
8. Mar 2001 – Apr 2001: Deputy Chief, Cost Analysis, Global Air Traffic Operations/Mobility Command and Control Systems Program Office, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA
9. May 2001 – Jun 2002: Financial Analysis Flight Commander, 341st Comptroller Squadron,
341st Space Wing, Malmstrom AFB, MT
10. Jul 2002 – Jul 2003: Wing Executive Officer, 341st Space Wing, Malmstrom AFB, MT
11. Aug 2003 – Apr 2004: Command Budget Analyst, Directorate of Financial Management, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HI
12. May 2004 – Feb 2005: Speechwriter to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, COMPACAF Action Group, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HI
13. Mar 2005 – Jan 2007: Commander, 377th Comptroller Squadron, 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, NM
14. Feb 2007 – Jun 2007: Comptroller, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq
15. Jul 2007 – Dec 2008: Capitol Hill Fellowship Program, the Government Affairs Institute, Georgetown University, and office of Senator Richard Durbin, U.S. Senate Majority Whip, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
16. Jan 2009 – Jul 2009: Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison, Budget & Appropriations Liaison Directorate (SAF/FMBL), Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. Aug 2009 – May 2010: Executive Officer, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Budget) (SAF/FMB), Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2010 – June 2012: Deputy Commander, 82nd Mission Support Group, 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, TX
19. July 2012 – June 2013: Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
20. July 2013- June 2014: Chief, Financial Analysis Division, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
21. July 2014 – Present: Vice Commander, 10th Air Base Wing, US Air Force Academy, CO
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
1999 - Acquisition Professional Development Program, Level II Certification – Fin Mgt, Oct 99
2001 - United States Air Force Budget Officer of the Year, Runner-up, Fiscal Year 01
2001 - Malmstrom Air Force Base Company Grade Officer of the Year
2004 - Certified Defense Financial Manager, American Society of Military Comptrollers, May 04
2015 - Department of Defense, Financial Management Level III Certification, Oct 15
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant June 1, 1996
Captain June 1, 1998
Major July 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2009
Colonel October 1, 2014
(Current as of Nov 2015)