Colonel Thomas “Brock” Lessner is the Commander to the 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock, Arkansas. Colonel Lessner organizes, trains, and equips Air Force Reserve C-130J aircrew and Agile Combat Support elements to deploy in support of worldwide combat airlift operations and other taskings by the National Command Authorities.
Colonel Lessner earned his commission in 1999 upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Humanities. He served five years of active duty before transitioning to the Air Force Reserves. He served as a Traditional Reservist for six years before becoming an Active Guard Reservist and an Air Reserve Technician comprising 23 years of military service and 27 years of Federal service. Prior to his current position, Colonel Lessner was the Commander of the 39th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas where he was responsible for the success of the Air Education and Training Command/Air Force Reserve Command Pilot Instructor Training and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Programs.
Colonel Lessner has been assigned to multiple combat and training squadrons throughout his career, flying the T-37, T-1, UH-1, MH-53, KC-10, C-5 and T-6 aircraft. He flew more than 900 combat hours from several deployed locations including Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, Djibouti, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, and Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. Selected for the Confederation International Officer Reserves, Colonel Lessner competed on the Armed Forces MILCOMP team In the Czech Republic and joined the friends of NATO alliance for several exercises.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science in Humanities, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
1999 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2014 Master of Science Degree in Joint Military Operations, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1999 - February 2000, 42nd ACCS, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
2. March 2000 - August 2000, Student Undergraduate Pilot Training, T-37, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. September 2000 - February 2001, Student Undergraduate Pilot Training, UH-1, Fort Rucker, Alabama
4. March 2001 - February 2002, MH-53 Pave Low Helicopter Weapons School, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
5. March 2002 - November 2004, MH-53M Pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
6. December 2004 - November 2009, KC-10 Pilot, 79th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, California
7. January 2005 - May 2005, MH-53 Pave Low Helicopter Pilot, Weapons School, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
8. July 2005 - December 2005, T-1 Pilot, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
9. December 2009 - October 2011, C-5 Pilot, 68th Airlift Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
10. October 2011 - March 2015, T-6 Instructor Pilot, 96th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
11. April 2015 - September 2018, T-6 Instructor Pilot, 39th Flying Training Squadron, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
12. September 2018 - August 2020, Director of Operations, 39th Flying Training Squadron, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
13. August 2020 – January 2023, Commander, 39th Flying Training Squadron, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
14. January 2023 – August 2023, Commander, 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
15. August 2023 – June 2024, Harvard Fellowship, Cambridge, Massachusetts
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 4,500 hours, including 900 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, UH-1, MH-53, KC-10, C-5, T-6
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters)
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air Medal (three oak leaf clusters)
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Squadron Officer School Top Third Graduate
Squadron Officer School Outstanding Contributor Award
KC-10 Pilot Distinguished Graduate
Bronze Medal International Reserve Military Pentathlon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1999
First Lieutenant June 2, 2001
Captain June 2, 2003
Major June 2, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel June 2, 2017
Colonel January 29, 2023
(Current as of January 2023)