Colonel Bryon Buzan serves as the 18th Mission Support Group Commander, Kadena Air Base, Japan. He commands the largest Mission Support Group in the Air Force and oversees a $7 million budget, $450 million of assets, and six squadrons comprising 3,700 military and civilian members. The 18th Mission Support Group is also responsible for the operation of geographically separated Detachment, the Bellows Air Force Station Recreation Facility in Hawaii. Additionally, Col Buzan acts as the Kadena Mayor and is responsible for liaising with local Mayors of the Okinawa Prefectural Government to strengthen international relations.
Colonel Buzan enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1999 as a Satellite Systems Operator, where he operated the MILSTAR satellite constellation in support of global strategic communications. Upon earning his bachelor’s degree, he commissioned through Officer Training School in 2004 as a Distinguished Graduate and entered active duty as a Communications Officer. He commanded and led teams responsible for delivering tactical communications in support of Presidential missions, Special Operations, Joint Force operations, Combat Air Forces, non-combatant evacuations, and humanitarian relief efforts. He directed the management and operation of regional and global network architectures to provide real-time Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities to forward-deployed warfighters. He served in critical staff assignments at United States Cyber Command, United States Special Operations Command, United States Central Command, and Air Force Space Command, where he advanced joint and combined cyberspace and communications operations. He is married and has four children.
EDUCATION
2000 Basic Satellite Systems Operator Course, Vandenberg AFB, California
2004 Bachelor of Science, Colorado Christian University, Colorado
2004 Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2004 Communications Officer Basic Course, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2008 Master of Business Administration, Norwich University, Vermont
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2011 Combat Advisor School, Fort Polk, Louisiana
2016 Master of Operational Art, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama (In-Residence)
2017 Master of Philosophy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2019 Aspen Executive Leadership Seminar, Aspen, Colorado
2020 Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama (Correspondence)
2022 Basic Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia
2023 Executive Master of Business Administration Program, Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, Virgina
2024 Secretary of Defense Executive Fellowship, Air War College, Shell Oil, Houston, Texas (In-Residence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2000 - Jul 2001, Satellite Systems Operator, 4th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB,
Colorado
2. Jul 2001 - Jul 2003, Evaluator, 50th Operations Group Evaluations, Schriever AFB, Colorado
3. Jul 2003 - Sep 2004, Advanced EHF Subject Matter Expert, 4th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever
AFB, Colorado
4. Feb 2005 - Mar 2008, Officer-in-Charge, Integrated Communications Element, 1st Combat
Communications Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
5. Mar 2008 - Feb 2009, Officer-in-Charge, Intelligence Systems Support Center, 1st Air and Space
Communications Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
6. Feb 2009 - Nov 2011, Flight Commander, Advanced Programs, Plans and Implementation, 53rd
Computer Systems Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
7. Nov 2011 - May 2012, Combat Advisor Student, Fort Polk, Louisiana
8. May 2012 - May 2013, CJ6, Regional Command-North, Afghanistan
9. May 2013 - May 2014, Watch Officer, Global Command and Control System, United States Cyber
Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
10. May 2014 - Jul 2015, Special Assistant, Cyber Senior Leader Management, Headquarters, Air Fore Space
Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
11. Jul 2015 - Jun 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
12. Jun 2016 - Jul 2017, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
13. Jul 2017 - Jul 2019, Commander, 724th Special Tactics Support Squadron, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
14. Jul 2019 - Jul 2021, Branch Chief, Global Plans, Plans and Policy (J5), USCYBERCOM, Fort Meade,
Maryland
15. Jul 2021 - Jul 2023, Commander, 1st Joint Communications Squadron, Joint Communications Support
Element, MacDill AFB, Florida
16. Jul 2023 - Jul 2024, Student, Secretary of Defense Executive Fellows, Shell Oil, Houston, Texas
17. Jul 2024 - Apr 2025, Deputy Division Chief for Cybersecurity, United States Special Operations
Command, MacDill AFB, Florida
18. Apr 2025 -July 2026, Deputy Chief Information Officer, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB,
Florida
19. July 2026 - Present, Commander, 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena AB, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2013 - May 2014, Watch Officer, United States Cyber Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado, as a
Captain
2. Sep 2019 - Jul 2021, Branch Chief, United States Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland, as a
Lieutenant Colonel
3. Jul 2021 - Jul 2023, Commander, 1st Joint Communications Squadron, Joint Communications Support
Element, MacDill AFB, Florida, as a Lieutenant Colonel
4. Jul 2024 - Apr 2025, Deputy Division Chief, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB,
Florida, as a Lieutenant Colonel
5. Apr 2025- Jul 2026, Deputy Director, C4 Systems, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB,
Florida, as a Colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service with three oak leaf clusters
Medal Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, Dec 14, 2004
First Lieutenant, Dec 14, 2006
Captain, Dec 14, 2008
Major, Apr 1, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel, Sep 1, 2019
Colonel, Apr 1, 2025
(Current as of July 2026)