U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. -- Col. Brandon J. Tellez officially assumed command as the U.S. Air Force Academy’s 32nd Commandant of Cadets during a ceremony May 22 on Stillman Field.
Col. Tellez, who was recently nominated by the President for promotion to brigadier general, now leads the Academy’s 4,300-member Cadet Wing and oversees cadet military training, character and leadership development.
“Colonel Tellez brings combat-tested leadership and operational expertise to our Cadet Wing as a 2001 graduate of this institution,” said Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind. “As a weapons officer, command pilot with more than 300 combat hours and former commander of the 1st Fighter Wing, he understands exactly what our Air Force and Space Force need in our warrior leaders.”
A command pilot and graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Col. Tellez has approximately 2,500 flight hours in the T-38 Talon, F-15C/D Eagle and F-22A Raptor. He has completed four flying tours and multiple deployments worldwide and has led at the squadron, group and wing levels.
“This institution exists to take the very best our country has to offer and, through 47 months of development, prepare them to preserve that delicate thing, that peace,” Col. Tellez said. “Cadets should expect to be pushed, expect to fail and learn, and most importantly, expect to be supported and directed to win. Our country demands it, and it is my honor to join you in that sacred task.”
Tellez assumed command from Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks, a 1996 Academy graduate who served as commandant since June 2023.
During his tenure, Brig. Gen. Marks emphasized aligning cadet training with operational demands facing today’s Air Force and Space Force, expanding year-round adversary-focused training and integrating expeditionary skills and realistic tactical scenarios into Basic Cadet Training and cadet development programs.
“Brigadier General Marks’ work over the last three years at the Academy, and throughout more than 30 years in our Air Force, has had an immense impact on this great institution and our Air Force and Space Force overall,” Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind said. “He led the Cadet Wing through significant transformation. He was key to resetting our warfighting culture, and he set world-class as the standard. He simply delivered excellence every single day.”
Brig. Gen. Marks introduced the Cadet Warfighter Instructor Course and reorganized cadet squadrons to prioritize leadership development over functional expertise. The changes supported the Academy’s transition from the traditional “fourth-class system” to a tiered leadership development model that increases responsibility throughout all four years of a cadet’s career.
“It has been the honor of my professional career to serve as the 31st Commandant of Cadets,” Brig. Gen. Marks said. “Together, we have made great strides in fostering a culture of standards, accountability, dignity and respect for all. Our training has become much more rigorous, much more realistic, and much more relevant, enabling you to be ready to lead, to fight and to win on day one.”
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