Col Erik G. Brine is the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Strategy, Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In this capacity, he supports the director in overseeing force structure planning, programming, doctrine development, and requirements definition for the U.S. Air Force's critical airlift and air refueling capabilities.
The colonel entered the Air Force in September 1998 through ROTC at Boston University. He served on active duty for ten years in multiple flying assignments in C-21 and C-17 aircraft. Since becoming a reservist in 2009, he served in multiple Pentagon staff, operational, and command assignments. He deployed three times, flew missions in 56 countries and has over 200 combat hours over Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to this assignment Col. Brine served as the Strategic Advisor to the Director of Air Force Legislative Liaison and was mobilized as the Air Force’s Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer to Rhode Island for the COVID response. Most recently, he served as the Vice, Deputy, and Wing Commander of the 514th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
After leaving active duty in 2009, Col. Brine began his reserve career in the Pentagon with staff tours in the Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs followed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and squadron command. In his civilian capacity, he has served at the State Department as a Congressional Affairs Advisor, the U.S. Senate as Defense and Veterans Affairs Fellow, and the White House in the National Security Division of the Office of Management and Budget. He serves as an executive in multiple commercial and community support organizations, including as Co-founder and President of the Board of Directors of Operation Encore, a non-profit supporting military members and veterans with musical talent through providing professional music opportunities.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Arts in Physics with a minor in Biology, Boston University, Mass.
2003 Air Mobility Operations Course, Air Mobility Warfare Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
2003 United States Air Force Advanced Instrument School, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 LPASS, George C. Marshall European Center for International Security Studies, Garmisch, Germany
2007 Cross Cultural Communications Course, Joint Special Operations University, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2007 European Regional Intensive Seminar, Foreign Service Institute, Washington, D.C.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Eurasian Regional Intensive Seminar, Foreign Service Institute, Washington D.C.
2012 Advanced Study of Air Mobility, Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J.
2012 Master of Science in Logistics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
2012 Master of Policy Management, McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2012 Certificate in Legislative Studies, Government Affairs Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2012 AFRC Leadership Today and Tomorrow, Washington, D.C.
2013 Brookings Institution Executive Leadership Program, Inside Congress, Washington, D.C.
2014 Reserve Officer Foreign Exchange Program - Germany
2014 NATO European Security Cooperation Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2014 Presidential Management Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2018 Master of Art in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2018 Certificate in Ethics and Emerging Military Technology, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2019 Defense Technology Seminar, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
2021 Veterans Program for Politics and Civil Engagement, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2023 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2025 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Air Force Expeditionary Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. September 1998–May 1999, Executive Officer and Pilot Scheduler, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
2. June 1999–September 2000, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. September 2000–June 2004, C-21A Evaluator/Instructor Pilot, Chief of Training, 332nd Airlift Flight, Randolph AFB, Texas.
4. December 2004–February 2006, C-17 Pilot, Chief of Safety, 14th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. February 2006–December 2007, C-17 Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, 437th Operations Support Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
6. January 2008–August 2008, C-17 Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, 14th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
7. September 2008–April 2009, C-17 Pilot, Deputy Director of Wing Staff, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C.
8. April 2009–May 2011, European Country Director, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. May 2011–June 2012, Student, Advanced Study of Air Mobility, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
10. July 2012–February 2016, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director of Pentagon Press Operations, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. February 2016 – July 2017, Commander, 439th Operations Support Squadron, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass.
12. July 2017 – July 2018, Student, Naval War College and Naval Command College, Newport, R.I.
13. August 2018 – August 2019, Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer to Rhode Island, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
14. August 2019 – March 2021, Strategic Advisor, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Legislative Liaison, the Pentagon, Arlington Virginia
15. March 2021 – February 2023, Vice Wing Commander, 514th Air Mobility Wing, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
16. March 2023 – July 2023, Wing Commander, 514th Air Mobility Wing, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ.
17. August 2023 – April 2025, Deputy Commander, 514th Air Mobility Wing, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
18. April 2025 -February 2026, IMA to the Director A5, 9th Air Force, Shaw AFB, S.C.
19. February 2026 – Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Strategy, Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2012–February 2016, IMA to the Director of Pentagon Press Operations, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major
2. July 2017 – July 2018, Student, Naval War College and National Command College, Newport, R.I., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: senior pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000, including more than 200 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, C-21A, C-17, C-5 A/B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Air Force Association Award, Undergraduate Pilot Training
2011 Presidential Volunteer Service Award
2012 USAF Civilian Meritorious Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant August 28, 1998
First Lieutenant September 4, 2000
Captain September 4, 2002
Major June 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel August 15, 2013
Colonel October 1, 2018
(Current as of May 2026)