CMSgt Brian Castillo is the Command Chief, 317th Airlift Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The wing’s mission is to provide rapid global mobility and operate the Air Force’s premier power projection platform, the C-130J. The wing conducts tactical, combat, and contingency airlift to include humanitarian relief all around the world. Chief Castillo advises the Commander and senior leadership on military readiness, mission effectiveness, professional development, morale and welfare of the wing’s 1,200 combat- ready personnel, who operate, maintain, and sustain 28 C-130J aircraft. Additionally, he serves as the commander’s representative on numerous councils, committees, and civilian functions.
Chief Castillo enlisted in the Air Force on Aug. 18, 1999, in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from C-5 Loadmaster Initial Qualification training at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, in April 2000. He has held various leadership positions at the squadron, group and Number Air Force levels. His assignments include bases in Delaware, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Afghanistan, Washington and California. Chief Castillo’s operational assignments include flying various airframes and has served as an Air Advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has flown missions in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and RESOLUTE SUPPORT. Other key assignments include Manager, Combat Delivery Allocations in the Air Operations Center and Superintendent for the sole Prime Nuclear Airlift Force (PNAF) in the Department of War. Chief Castillo then led a cadre of 81 military personnel, across 32 specialties of deliberately trained Air Advisors conducting Security Force Assistance in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Prior to his current position, Chief was the Senior Enlisted Leader, 412th Operations Group, Edwards AFB, California. He advised the Commander on organizing, training and equipping 1,600 total force personnel to execute developmental ground, flight and space test.
EDUCATION
2004 Airman Leadership School, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
2007 Associate in Applied Science, Aviation Operations, Community College of the Air Force
2007 Associate in Applied Science, Instructor of Technology and Military Science, Community College of the Air Force
2010 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College by correspondence
2010 Air Advisor Basic Course-Afghanistan, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
2011 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2012 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala. by correspondence
2015 Global Mobility Air and Space Operations Track Course-Mobility Management, Scott AFB, Ill.
2015 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2019 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2020 Bachelor of Science, Logistics Management, Park University, Parkville, Mo.
2020 USAF Continuous Process Improvement Senior Leader Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. by virtual
2021 South American Air Chief and Senior Enlisted Leader Conference, Davis-Monthan AFB, N.M.
2022 Air Mobility Command PHOENIX Summit, Scott AFB, Ill
2022 Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College by correspondence
2022 Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2023 Leading Strategic Decision-Making Course, Texas Executive Education, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
2025 Pre-Command Team Training, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2026 USAF Command Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2026 Wing Command Team Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2026 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2026 Rapid Global Mobility Course III, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2000-November 2003, C-5 Loadmaster, 3rd Airlift Sq., Dover Air Force Base, Del.
2. November 2003-August 2006, C-130H Instructor Loadmaster/Unit Training Manager, 40th Airlift Sq., Dyess AFB, Texas
3. August 2006-November 2010, Operations Group Evaluator Loadmaster, 62nd Airlift Sq., Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. November 2010-September 2014, Scheduling Flight Chief/C-130J Instructor Loadmaster, 39th Airlift Sq. and 317th Operations Support Sq., Dyess AFB, Texas
5. September 2014-May 2018, Manager, Combat Delivery Allocations, 618th Air Operations Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
(December 2016-December 2017, Superintendent, North Atlantic Treaty Organization - Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air/538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Sq., Hamid-Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan)
6. May 2018-May 2020, Squadron Superintendent, 4th Airlift Sq., Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
7. May 2020-July 2021, Senior Enlisted Manager, 7th Airlift Sq., JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.
8. July 2021-June 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 571st Mobility Support Advisory Sq., Travis AFB, Calif.
9. June 2022-August 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, 40th Airlift Sq., Dyess AFB, Texas
(May 2023-September 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 40th Expeditionary Airlift Sq., Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
10. August 2024-May 2026, Senior Enlisted Leader, 412th Operations Group, Edwards AFB, Calif.
11. June 2026-Present, Command Chief, 317th Airlift Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Chief Enlisted Aircrew member, Instructor Loadmaster
Flight Hours: More than 5,900 hours including more than 1040 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: C-5 A/B, C130 E/H, C-208B, KC-46A, C-17A and C-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Airman of the Year, 3rd Airlift Squadron
2004 John L. Levitow Award recipient, Airman Leadership School
2009 Airlift/Tanker Association Young Leadership Award recipient, 314th Airlift Wing
2010 Air Education and Training Command, Master Instructor Certification
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Mobility Management Directorate, 618th Air Operations Center
2019 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 62d Operations Group
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant May 1, 2022
(Current as of June 2026)