Colonel Wesley P. Bradford
Colonel Wesley P. Bradford is the Commander of the United States Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa Warfare Center located at Einsiedlerhof AB, Germany. He leads approximately 250 personnel dedicated to enhancing warfighter readiness across the European and African theaters. The Warfare Center hosts joint multinational exercises and delivers an array of education and training courses to U.S. forces, allies and partners. The Warfare Center also provides decision-quality data and analysis to the Commander, United States Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa.
Col Bradford commissioned in 2001 upon completion of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Georgia. He possesses more than 3100 flight hours, 1106 combat, as a Weapons Systems Officer in the F-15E/S and deployed four times in support of Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM. Col Bradford is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School and Electronic Warfare Officer School. He also has worked extensively with operational flight test, possesses a wargaming background, and worked as an Air Liaison Officer at the United States Army’s National Training Center as the 12th Combat Training Squadron Commander, Fort Irwin, California.
Prior to his current position, Col Bradford was Chief of the Precision Engagement Division, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Saint Louis, Missouri. The Precision Engagement Division provides tailored geospatial intelligence in support of United States and coalition operational planning, as well as worldwide target coordinate mensuration program accreditation.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
2006 Electronic Warfare Officer School, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Distinguished Graduate
2009 Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership, Trident University, Cypress, Calif.
2010 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Joint Firepower Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Distinguished Graduate
2017 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2022 Massachusetts Institute of Technology A.I. Accelerator Course, Cambridge, Mass., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2001 - January 2003, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla.
2. January 2003 - May 2004, Student, 333 fighter Squadron, F-15E Formal Training, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
3. May 2004 - August 2005, Assistant Chief of Strike, 336 Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
4. August 2005 - November 2006, Chief of Mission Planning, 492 Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
5. November 2006 - November 2008, Flight commander, 492 Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
6. November 2008 - January 2010, Assistant Chief Standardization & Evaluation, 48 Operational Support Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
7. January 2010 - July 2010, Weapons Instructor Course, 17 Weapons Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
8. July 2010 - April 2011, Weapons Officer, 333 Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
9. April 2011 - January 2013, Assistant Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, 4 Operational Support Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
10. January 2013 - February 2014, Chief, Formal Training Unit, 55 Fighter Squadron, King Khaled Airbase, Saudi Arabia
11. February 2014 - August 2014, Assistant Director of Operations, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
12. August 2014 - November 2014, F-15E Division Commander, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
13. November 2014 - November 2015, Director of Operations, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
14. November 2015 - April 2016, Deputy Group Commander, 53 Test and Evaluation Group, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
15. April 2016 - June 2017, Director of Operations, 59 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
17. June 2017 - June 2019, Commander, 12 Combat Training Squadron, Fort Irwin, Calif.
18. June 2019 - July 2021, Deputy Director, Wargaming, LeMay Center, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
19. July 2021 - May 2022, Student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
20. May 2022 - July 2025, Chief, Precision Engagement, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, St. Louis, Mo.
21. July 2025 - Present, Commander United States Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa Warfare Center, Einsiedlerhof AB, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2022 – July 2025, Chief, Precision Engagement, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, St. Louis, Mo. as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
F-15 Flight Hours: 3,115
Combat Hours: 1,106
Aircraft Flown: F-15E, F-15S, T43A, and T-38C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal Combat Readiness Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Korea Defense Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant August 10, 2001
First Lieutenant July 26, 2003
Captain July 26, 2005
Major September 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2016
Colonel May 1, 2022
Current as of July 2025