Operations
About the Director of Operations
Colonel Brian “Irish” Porter is the Director of Operations, Alaska Wing, Civil Air Patrol. He is responsible for ensuring the operational readiness of the Wing through management and oversight of the Wing's flight operations as well as related training and education. Additionally, the operations section is involved with the maintenance of aircraft and care of personnel involved in particularly stressful incidents.
Lieutenant Colonel Porter graduated from University School, Hunting Valley, OH, in 1988. He received his commission upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, in 1992 and served as a Minuteman III ICBM Combat Crew Commander at Grand Forks AFB. He attended Navigator training at Pensacola Naval Air Station and Randolph AFB in 1996 through 1998. He has served in numerous operational capacities at the squadron and wing level, served MAJCOM staff tours as Deputy Division Chief, Operations & Training, Headquarters Air Mobility Command and Director of Safety, Headquarters, Air Force District of Washington. He served as Director of Operations, 374th Operational Support Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan, and commanded the 36th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and Stars and Stripes Pacific (Office of the Secretary of the Defense), Tokyo, Japan. His combat and contingency experience includes Operations JOINT FORGE, JOINT GUARD, SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. He is a Master Navigator with more than 2,000 flying hours in the T-34, T-1, T-43, UH-1 and C-130 aircraft and is a Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument Airplane.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science in Modern History, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
1995 Master of Science in Administration, Central Michigan University, MI
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Air Force Institute for Distributed Learning, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Air War College, Air Force Institute for Distributed Learning, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2002 – July 2006, Inspections Officer, Mission Pilot, Polaris Composite Squadron, AK
2. August 2006 – April 2010, Advisor to the Commander, Group 1, Scott AFB, IL
3. March 2010 – June 2014, Deputy Commander, Commander, Yokota Cadet Squadron (Overseas)
4. July 2014 – September, 2017, Deputy Commander for Cadets, Commander, Mount Vernon Composite Squadron, NATCAP, VA
5. October 2017 – August 2023, Alaska Wing Compliance Officer, Emergency Services Training Officer, and Vice Commander
6. August 2023 – Present, Alaska Wing Director of Operations
FLIGHT INFORMATION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES QUALIFICATIONS
CAP Ratings: Pilot, Senior Mission Observer, Instructor Pilot, Check Pilot
USAF Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: 2,300 including 374 Combat hours
Air Operations Branch Director
Ground Branch Director
Ground Team Leader
Flight Line Supervisor
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak-leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak-leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak-leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak-leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak-leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant, May 27, 1994
Captain, May 27, 1996
Major, January 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel, January 1, 2008
Colonel, April 1, 2014
(Current as of September 2023)
