Introduction
Captain Brian R. Buckner serves as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies and Operations Flight Commander for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 410, at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is responsible for recruiting, training, and educating students to become Air Force and Space Force officers through the AFROTC program at St. Thomas. Prior to his current role, Captain Buckner served as the Assistant Director of Operations at the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Captain Buckner commissioned through the Reserve Officers Training Corps program as a Combat Rescue Officer at the University of North Dakota in 2017. He has served as a Rescue Team Commander and Officer in Charge of Weapons and Tactics for the sole Guardian Angel unit in the Pacific theater. Captain Buckner led the syllabus planning team for the Air Force Special Warfare Weapons Instructor Course, and he has deployed to AFRICOM as a Squadron Commander, where his team conducted multiple personnel recovery, medical evacuation and sensitive item recovery operations.