Colonel Brian K. Steinke serves as the Deputy Commander of the 43d Air Mobility Operations Group and Deputy Commander of Task Force Gryphon, headquartered at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Liberty, North Carolina. The 43d is a uniquely structured stand-alone Group responsible for the rapid deployment of forces in support of the nation’s Immediate Response Force and National Mission Forces, as well as providing combat training & readiness for Joint and Mobility Air Forces partners. Comprised of over 750 personnel and eight squadrons, the 43d supports more than 2,700 US Air Force Airmen from across the five Major Commands stationed at Fort Liberty. To secure national objectives, the Group is prepared to meet short-notice, humanitarian, and worldwide mobility taskings by enabling Airborne Joint Forcible Entry, combat airlift, aerial port, command and control and force support operations.
Col Steinke was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, and commissioned in the Air Force through the ROTC program in 2003 after graduating from Texas A&M University in 2002. He has served as a personnel officer and is currently a Master Navigator with more than 1,500 hours in the C-130 E/H/J, with 595 combat hours on 527 combat sorties in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN. Prior to his current position, the Col was the commander of the 42d Operations Support Squadron at Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Aviation Science in Human Factors, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2018 Air War College, by correspondence
2021 USAF Safety School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.January 2003 — May 2006, Squadron Section Commander, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron and 319th Logistics ReadinessSquadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base, NDak.
2.May 2006 — December 2007, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph Air Force Base, Tex.
3.December 2007 — July 2012, C-130 Instructor Navigator and Chief of Exercises and Inspections, 317th Airlift Group, Dyess AirForce Base, Tex.
4.July 2012 — September 2015, Formal Training Unit Evaluator Navigator, Chief Navigator, 62d Airlift Squadron, and Directorof Staff, 314th Operation Group, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
5.September 2015 — July 2019, Deputy Chief, Aircrew Operations and Training Division, Headquarters Air Mobility Command,Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
6. July 2019 — July 2021, Chief, Professional Continuing Education Division and Deputy Director, Wargaming Directorate, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
7. July 2021 – June 2022 Chief of Safety, 42d Air Base Wing, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
8. June 2022 — June 2024, Commander, 42d Operations Support Squadron, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
9. August 2024 — Present, Deputy Commander, 43d Air Mobility Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, Ft. Bragg, N.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: More than 1,500
Aircraft flown: C-130E/H/J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal w/ four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal w/ five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal w/ one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Distinguished Graduate, C-130 Qualification Training
2014 Air Education and Training Command’s Flying Training Flight Commander of the Year
(Current as of August 2024)