Brig. Gen. Gregory D. Buchanan is the Director, Air Force Reserve Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for planning and programming a force of 70,000 personnel and the flying hours for 17 types of aircraft in combat air forces; mobility air forces; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; tankers, training, weather reconnaissance and special operations. Plans, Programs and Requirements analyzes a $6.9 billion dollars-per-year program that recommends and presents options to senior leaders and is the Air Force Reserve conduit for coordinating change with the Chief of the Air Force Reserve to meet the needs of the Air Force.
Brig. Gen. Buchanan commissioned through the Navy ROTC program at Miami University, Ohio in 1995 and served as a Naval Supply Officer early in his career. He joined the Air Force Reserve in 2000 and held multiple leadership and staff positions in special operations, tactical airlift, strategic airlift and air refueling at all levels of command. In addition, Brig. Gen. Buchanan completed a limited active-duty tour in the Air Force Special Operations Command, including a squadron commander deployment and MAJCOM A3 staff tour. Brig. Gen. Buchanan has deployed extensively in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn and Enduring Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Buchanan was the Commander of the 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Arts, Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Cypress, Calif.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Certificate, Foundations of Neuro Leadership, Neuro Leadership Institute, New York, N.Y.
2016 Reserve Components National Security Course, Washington, D.C.
2016 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
2018 Leadership Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pa.
2021 Complexity Interactive, Santa Fe Institute, N.M.
2022 Nuclear Policy, Defense Nuclear Weapons School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2024 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2025 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Strategic Studies, Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995–March 1996, Aviation Preflight Indoctrination Support Officer and Student, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
2. April 1996–November 1996, Student, Primary Flight Training, Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla.
3. November 1996–June 1998, Student, Strike Flight Training, Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas
4. June 1998–December 1998, Student, Basic Qualification Course, Navy Supply Corps School, Athens, Ga.
5. December 1998–October 2000, Disbursing Officer, USS John Paul Jones (DDG053), Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
6. October 2000–May 2001, Student, Initial Flight Training, 5th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
7. May 2001–June 2002, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
8. July 2002–October 2002, Student, C-130E Copilot Initial Qualification, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. October 2002–April 2003, MC-130P Pilot Mission Qualification, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
10. April 2003–June 2008, MC-130P Aircraft Commander, 5th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
11. April 2004–October 2004, Wing Scheduler, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. October 2004–January 2006, Battle Staff Executive Officer, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. April 2006–September 2006, Wing Programmer, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. October 2006–June 2008, Chief of Training, 5th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
15. June 2008–March 20011, Assistant Chief of Training, 711th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
16. March 2011–July 2013, Assistant Operations Officer, 9th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. (May 2012–August 2012, Commander, 9th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan)
17. July 2013–February 2014, Chief Standardization and Evaluation MC-130P Pilot, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
18. February 2014–December 2015, Inspector General Director of Inspections, 919th Special Operation Wing, Duke Field, Fla.
19. December 2015–January 2017, Director of Operations, 758th Airlift Squadron, Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pa.
20. January 2017–July 2018, Commander, 758th Airlift Squadron, Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pa.
21. July 2018–December 2020, Commander, 911th Operations Group, Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pa.
22. December 2020–April 2023, Commander, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
23. April 2023–June 2025, Commander, 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass.
24. June 2025–present, Director, Plans Programs and Requirements, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,855 hours, including 6156 combat and 156 combat support hours
Aircraft flown: T-34C, T-45A, T-37B, T-1A, C-130E, HC-130P, MC-130E, MC-130P, C-145, C-130H, C-17A, KC-135R and C-5M
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Navy Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Action Medal
(Current as of August 2025)