Col Brett Comer is the Commander of the 944th Operations Group, United States Air Force Reserve, Luke AFB, Arizona. As commander, he leads and directs more than 100 permanent and part-time personnel and is responsible for the aviation actions of 100 active and reserve instructor pilots assigned to Luke, Holloman, and Eglin Air Force Bases. With his active-duty counterpart, he ensures the upgrading pilots are ready to meet the requirements of combat air forces. The 944th Operations Group and Fighter Wing is tasked to support worldwide mobility and combat employment operations in conjunction with supporting the Air Education and Training Command mission to train F-16 and F-35 pilots for the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and other participating nations.
Col Comer received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in May 1998. He began his Air Force career in 1998 as a pilot training student at Laughlin AFB, Texas. He left the active duty and transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in February 2008. Col Comer is a command pilot with more than 3,350 flying hours in the F-16 and F-35. He flew F-16 missions in support of Operation’s Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support, and Freedom’s Sentinel.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Meteorology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Air War College, by correspondence
2019 Masters of Business Administration, American Military University, Charles Town, W. Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1998 – November 1999, student, pilot training, Laughlin AFB, TX
2. May 2000 – December 2000, student, F-16 Initial Training, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. January 2001 – July 2003, F-16 Flight Lead, 55th and 79th Fighter Squadrons, Shaw AFB, SC
4. October 2003 – October 2005, Flight Commander and F-16 Instructor Pilot, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. November 2005 – January 2008, F-16 Operational Test Pilot, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
6. February 2008 – July 2021, Electronic Combat Pilot, 457 Fighter Squadron, Program Manager, 301st Fighter Wing, Chief of Current Ops, 301 Operations Support Flight, Flight Commander, 457th Fighter Squadron, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 301st Operations Group, Director of Operations, 457th Fighter Squadron, Commander, 301st Operations Support Squadron, NAS JRB Fort Worth, TX
7. August 2021 – Present, Commander, 944th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 3,350+
Combat Hours: 280+
Aircraft Flown: F-16, F-35
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two devices
Iraq Campaign Medal with one device
Korean Defense Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon Short
PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1998
First Lieutenant May 27, 2000 Captain May 27, 2002
Major September 1, 2007 Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2013 Colonel April 19, 2021
(Current as of Nov 2022)