Colonel Richard W. Branson is the Commander, 91st Maintenance Group, Minot Air
Force Base, North Dakota. He leads a 400-member workforce responsible for
maintaining, operating, and generating 150 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile systems, launch and launch control facilities, and associated equipment
providing strategic nuclear deterrence in support of U.S. national security objectives.
Colonel Branson entered the Air Force in 1997 as a graduate of the ROTC program
at the University of Georgia. He is a career aircraft and munitions maintenance
officer with expertise in UH-1N and AH-1W helicopters; C-130, C-17, C-5, and E-8C
(JSTARS) aircraft; conventional and nuclear munitions; weapon system test and
evaluation; program management; wholesale logistics; Headquarters Air Force policy and budget
programming; and Office of the Secretary of Defense policy and explosives safety.
Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region
Liaison to U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, CO.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelors of Business Administration, University of Georgia, Athens
2000 Masters of Aeronautical Science, Aviation Management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2002 Distinguished Graduate (DG), Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2009 Masters of Science, Military Operational Art, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2011 Executive Development Program, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
2012 Air War College, Correspondence
2014 Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
2016 DG, Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College
2019 National Security Management Fellow, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
2019 Dual Status Commander / Joint Task Force Commander Courses, USNC, Peterson AFB, CO
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1988 – January 1995, UH-1N and AH-1W All-Systems Quality Assurance, Crewchief and
Gunner, Various Locations, United States Marine Corps
2. August 1997 – March 2000, Munitions, Fabrication, and Propulsion Flight Commander, 86th
Maintenance Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
3. March 2000 – July 2001, Assistant Sortie Generation Flight Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron,
Ramstein AB, Germany
4. July 2001 – March 2003, Chief, Quality Assurance, 595th Space Group, Vandenberg AFB, CA
5. March 2003 – July 2004, Munitions Flight Commander, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg
AFB, CA
6. July 2004 – July 2006, USAF Logistics Career Broadening Officer, Warner Robins Air Logistics
Center, Robins AFB, GA
7. July 2006 – June 2007, Executive Officer to the Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center,
Robins AFB, GA
8. June 2007 – July 2008, Operations Officer, 116th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, GA
9. August 2008 – June 2009, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL10. July 2009 – May 2010, Commander, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
11. May 2010 – July 2012, Commander, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
12. July 2012 – May 2014, Chief, Munitions and Armament Systems, Logistics Directorate, Deputy Chief
of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters USAF, Washington, D.C.
13. May 2014 – July 2015, Chief, Combat Air Forces Programs, Strategic Plans & Programs Directorate,
Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans & Programs, Headquarters USAF, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2015 – July 2016, Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport NS, RI
15. July 2016 – July 2017, Dep. Commander, 39th Weapons System Security Group, Incirlik AB, Turkey
16. July 2017 – July 2018, Air Force Representative to DoD Explosive Safety Board, Deputy Under
Secretary Defense, Installations and Environment, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2018 – July 2020, Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region Liaison to U.S. Northern
Command, Peterson AFB, CO
18. July 2020 – Present, Commander, 91st Maintenance Group, Minot AFB, ND
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three strike device
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 5 July 1997
First Lieutenant 5 July 1999
Captain 5 July 2001
Major 1 April 2007
Lieutenant Colonel 1 July 2012
Colonel 1 December 2018
(Current as of 7 July 2020)