Col. Brian L. Desautels commands the 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The 347th RQG trains, organizes and equips combat rescue forces for rapid worldwide deployment in support of national security objectives, global personnel recovery and humanitarian relief operations. The group comprises four combat squadrons, including Guardian Angel, HH-60W Jolly Green ll aircraft and HC-130J Combat King ll aircraft, as well as dedicated rescue support, totaling 416 personnel and 22 aircraft.
Col. Desautels commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the Virginia Military Institute in 2003. Following commissioning, he served as a civil engineer at Tyndall Air Force Base before attending undergraduate pilot training. Throughout his career, he has held a variety of operational and staff positions at the squadron, group, major command and joint strategic level.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va.
2003 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Aeronautical Science degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2013 Air Command & Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Air War College, by correspondence
2024 Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS) JPME II, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2003 – June 2005, Mechanical Engineer, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2. July 2005 – February 2006, Scheduling Officer/Pilot trainee, 43d Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
3. March 2006 – October 2006, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
4. November 2006 – June 2007, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
5. July 2007 – December 2007, Student, C-130E Qualification, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
6. January 2008 – March 2008, HC-130P Qualification, Kirtland Air Force Base, NM.
7. April 2008 – June 2012, Flight Commander, 71st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
8. July 2012 – May 2013, Flight Commander, 79th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
9. June 2013 – May 2014, Flight Commander, 79th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
10. June 2014 – May 2015, Assistant Director of Operations, 79th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
11. June 2015 – June 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, 38th Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 2016 – January 2017, Deputy Branch Chief of Personnel Recovery Operations, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley Eustis, Va.
13. February 2017 – April 2018, Executive Officer to the Director of Operations, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
14. May 2018 – May 2020, Director of Operations, 347th Operations Support Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
15. May 2020 – July 2022, Commander, 71st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. (July – August 2021, Commander, Personnel Recovery Task Force, Hamid Karzai International Airport, ALLIES REFUGE)
16. August 2022 – July 2023, Director of Staff, 23d Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
17. July 2023 – June 2025, ELITE CONSTELLATION Team Chief, Deputy Directorate Joint Training, Joint Staff J7, Suffolk, Va.
18. July 2025 – Present, Commander, 347th Rescue Group, Moody AFB, Ga.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2,300
Aircraft Flown: T-6A, TC-12B, C-130E, HC-130P/N, C-130J, and HC-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Presidential Unit Citation