Brent D. Brandon is a former U.S. Air Force officer and Electronic Warfare Officer who scored an air-to-air kill against an Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

i Dassault Mirage F1

Dassault Mirage F1

The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...

, in the opening minutes of the Gulf War

Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

 on January 17, 1991. During an engagement that involved aggressive, low-altitude maneuvering, the F-1 impacted the ground making Brandon's unarmed EF-111 the only F-111

General Dynamics F-111

The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, it first entered service in 1967 with the...

 to achieve an aerial victory over another aircraft.

Background

After schooling near Oxford, England, Brent graduated in 1978 from The Bahrain

Bahrain

' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

 School, an international high school in the Persian Gulf with students from 28 nations. He earned an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy

United States Air Force Academy

The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...

, graduating in 1984 as the outstanding graduate in military performance and the outstanding graduate in political science. He earned a Master of Public Policy degree in 1986 from the John F. Kennedy School of Government

John F. Kennedy School of Government

The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...

 at Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

. During his fellowship, he completed a policy analysis for the U.S. State Department's Bureau for Near East Asia, served as research assistant for the director of Harvard's Mid-East Center and performed economic policy analysis on trade for the Japanese Consulate in Boston.

As an Air Force Captain, Brent completed undergraduate flight training as a distinguished graduate and received his wings in 1988. He was assigned to the EF-111 fighter aircraft at Mountain Home Air Force Base

Mountain Home Air Force Base

Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in southwestern Idaho, United States. The base is in Elmore County, 12 miles southwest of the city of Mountain Home, which is 40 miles southeast of Boise, via Interstate 84.The host unit at Mountain Home since 1972...

, Idaho after winning the Air Force's award for Leadership, Flying and Academic Excellence and top honors in the AT-38 at Lead-In Fighter training at Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...

, New Mexico.

Brandon is a combat veteran with 28 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, including the first wave attack on January 17, 1991 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross

Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)

The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...

. Other decorations include the Air Medal

Air Medal

The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...

 with three oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon and the National Defense Medal. Upon his return from the Gulf War, Brandon was drafted to run for the congressional seat in the 1st District of Idaho, but declined.

He is the author of "The Evolution of Nuclear Deterrence" in American Defense Policy and has been the keynote speaker across the northwest, including at a state-wide banquet whose former keynote speakers included Vice President Richard B. Cheney. As spokesman for Washington Group International

Washington Group International

Washington Group International was an American corporation which provided integrated engineering, construction and management services to businesses and governments around the world. Based in Boise, Idaho, it had approximately 25,000 employees working in over 40 states and more than 30 countries...

, he has been widely quoted in media sources including the New York Times, Fortune Magazine, and major network affiliates. He is a contributing author to American Defense (Johns Hopkins Press.)