Col. Joel N. Brown is the Director, Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD) at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. He directs the center’s mission to advance the understanding, scholarship, practice, and integration of character and leadership development for 4,000 cadets and permanent party in service to the Nation. CCLD hosts several large forums each year, including the annual National Character and Leadership Symposium, and conducts leading-edge research, instruction, and assessment to advance understanding of the Profession of Arms into the 21st century.
Col. Brown earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2000. His assignments include serving as an Operations Analyst, leading the modeling and simulation efforts for the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile, serving as the Executive Officer to the Director at Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate, where he played a key role in developing AFRL’s research and development roadmap, in Kosovo as KFOR J5’s Lead Planner, and in U.S. Air Force Europe’s A9 as its Analysis, Red Teaming, and Lessons Learned Branch Chief.
Col. Brown has also taught Philosophy and Professional Military Ethics at the U.S. Air Force Academy, commanded the 345th Recruiting Squadron, and prior to his current assignment served as the Vice Commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, overseeing 1,800 military and civilian employees across 18 locations ensuring the safety, security, availability, and effectiveness of two-thirds of the nation’s nuclear triad.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science in Operations Research, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Master of Arts in Philosophy, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2012 Doctor of Philosophy, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2013 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Arts in Military Operational Art, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2000 – August 2003, Test & Evaluation Analyst, Det. 1, 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2. August 2003 – December 2006, Program Manager, C2 Systems, Executive Officer, Air Force Research Laboratories/Information Directorate, Rome, N.Y.
3. December 2006 – February 2010, Flight Commander, Support and Operations Flights, 313th RCS, North Syracuse, N.Y.
4. February 2010 – June 2012, J5 Plans Officer, Operation Joint Enterprise, Kosovo Force, NATO, Pristina, Kosovo
5. February 2011 – August 2011, Red Team & Lessons Learned Branch Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe/A9AL, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
6. June 2012 – July 2013, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 2013 – June 2016, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
8. June 2016 – July 2018, Commander, 345th Recruiting Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. July 2018 – July 2021, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Senior Military Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
10. July 2021 – February 2022, Deputy Director, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Technology & Integration Directorate, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
11. February 2022 – June 2022, Vice Commander, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
12. June 2022 – July 2024, Commander, 360th Recruiting Group, New Cumberland, Pa.
13. July 2024 – Present, Director, Center for Character and Leadership Development, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Medal
Air Force Recruiter Ribbon
(Current as of February 2025)