Col. Michael Brandt – Air Force Profile

  • Published
  • By Deidre Ortiz
  • AEDC/PA
This is part of a series of profiles highlighting the contributions of our military and Department of Defense personnel at Arnold Air Force Base.
The Air Force profile this month focuses on Col. Michael Brandt, Individual Mobilization to the Commander at Arnold Air Force Base. See the below Q&A for more information about Brandt and his work with AEDC at Arnold AFB.

• Name: Col. Michael Brandt

• Hometown: Tough question! I’m an Army brat. Home is where the family is. I live in Dayton, Ohio (17 years now) – the “Birthplace of Aviation”

• Time at Arnold: I’ve been at Arnold since November 2017.

• Job: I serve as the adjunct commander and as the senior reservist leading the expansion of the reserve program for AEDC.

• Education/Training: I am an Auburn 1990 graduate with a degree in electrical engineering. I earned a master’s in business administration from University of Texas at San Antonio with a concentration in international business. I have over 28 years combined experience working for Air Force as an active duty officer, contractor, civilian, and as a reservist. I have worked technically challenging missions in air, space and cyber domains.

• Describe a memorable or exciting project with which you’ve been involved: It doesn’t get any better than being a part of the Wing staff. I also enjoy working in developing the next generation of reserve support for our space and hypersonic missions.

• How is your job rewarding? What is rewarding to me personally is the awesome people I have the privilege to work with. Arnold Engineering Development Complex is an amazing technological marvel. It’s a national treasure! And the people I meet and work with are not just the best in their field, they are down-home friendly. I felt welcome here the first day on the job.

• What is the team you work with like? Arnold’s Wing staff are true professionals dedicated to the growth and sustainment of the current and future workforce throughout AEDC. They have the can-do attitudes to roll-up their sleeves to get the job done; and have fun while doing it!

• Why did you choose to serve in the Air Force? Air Force ROTC scholarship and family tradition. My father served in our Army flying attack helicopters; my grandfather and great grandfather served in our Navy. My sister also serves in our Air Force.

• What is the most memorable part of your career as a whole? Flying supersonic over the Gulf of Mexico in a T-38 as a test engineer; pinching myself smiling saying, “I am getting paid for this?” And being the guest speaker at the AEDC annual awards ceremony.

• Hobbies: My family loves to travel to Spain to visit my wife Maria’s family and hang out with our friends from our Kettering Sister City in Ohio. We recently went to Costa Rica and have plans to travel to Vienna, Austria. I enjoy hiking, orienteering and geocaching with the family too. We are blessed with good kids (Sofia, Joseph and Alex) and they keep us busy with school activities and scouts.
I am also saving up for a catamaran; my dream is to sail the Caribbean and perhaps across the Atlantic to Spain.