Brig. Gen. Brian S. Hartless is the Air Force Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for providing policy and oversight for the planning, development, construction, maintenance, utilities, and environmental quality of 176 Air Force bases worldwide valued at more than $420 billion. This responsibility includes housing, fire and emergency services, explosive ordnance disposal and emergency management services. He also influences resourcing for installation support functions with an annual budget of $8 billion and is the focal point for organizing, training, and equipping a 51,000-person engineer force.
Brig. Gen. Hartless is a 1996 Distinguished Graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and earned his commission as a Distinguished Graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Hartless was the Deputy Director, Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He has served in a variety of squadron level civil engineer assignments, including command at the squadron, group, and wing levels, as well as assignments on major command and Headquarters Air Force staff. His expeditionary experience includes six deployments in support of operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Distinguished Graduate, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington
2000 Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
2021 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1996–February 2000, Systems Engineer, Test and Evaluation Engineer, 311th Human Systems Wing, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas
2. February 2000–January 2003, Chief of Maintenance Engineering, 347th Civil Engineer Squadron, Moody AFB, Georgia (June2001–September 2001, Chief of Maintenance Engineering, 363rd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
3. January 2003–June 2006, Deputy Chief, Director’s Action Group, Assistant Executive Officer, Housing Program Manager, Pavement Engineer, Civil Engineer Directorate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. (February 2004–June 2004, Civil Engineer Staff Officer, Combined Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; September 2005-January 2006, Construction Engineer Staff Officer, Office of Security Cooperation, Kabul, Afghanistan)
4. June 2006–July 2009, Deputy Base Civil Engineer, Operations Flight Commander, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom (September 2006–January 2007, Commander, 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Sather Air Base, Iraq; November 2007–November 2008, Iraq Defense Affairs Program Manager, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (J7), Baghdad, Iraq)
5. July 2009–June 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. June 2010–May 2012, Executive Officer, Deputy Chief of Energy Management Branch, Office of the Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. May 2012–May 2013, Commander, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
8. July 2013–June 2015, Commander, 99th Civil Engineer Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. July 2015–June 2016, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
10. August 2016–July 2018, Commander, 86th Civil Engineer Group, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. July 2018–June 2019, Senior Military Assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Installations, Environment, and Energy, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. June 2019–June 2021, Commander, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
13. June 2021–July 2022, Deputy Director of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. July 2022–present, Air Force Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2007–November 2008, Iraq Defense Affairs Program Manager, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (J7), Baghdad, Iraq, as a major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major June 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2010
Colonel May 1, 2016
Brigadier General June 2, 2022
(Current as of July 2022)