Lieutenant Colonel Brenda A. Oppel, United States Air Force
Lieutenant Colonel Brenda A. Oppel is the Deputy Branch Chief, Conventional Plans, Nuclear Mission Planning Division, J5 Plans and Policy Directorate, United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. She leads a team of twenty-six military and civilian full spectrum, multi-domain conventional planners responsible for kinetic and non-kinetic effects in support of National and Theater strategic objectives. Her branch supports USSTRATCOM Operational Plans by building executable Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations and Special Access Program targeting packages as well as conducting Advanced Target Development and weaponeering of non-nuclear National-level objectives. Furthermore, she conducts thorough doctrine and document development and is an active member of the Command’s various Boards, Bureaus, Centers, Cells, and Working Groups.
Lieutenant Colonel Oppel graduated from Mississippi State University and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in May 1998 as a communications and information officer. Lieutenant Colonel Oppel has held a variety of positions to include squadron commander, deployed detachment commander, flight commander, executive officer, software analyst, intermediate developmental education instructor, and combined-joint communications directorate plans lead. Lieutenant Colonel Oppel has performed deployed communications and information, and cyberspace operations in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, JOINT GUARDIAN, and NEW DAWN.
EDUCATION:
1998 Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Mississippi State University at Starkville MS
2004 Squadron Officers School, Residence, Maxwell AFB AL
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science, Specialization in Aviation/Aerospace Management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus, Holloman AFB NM
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence, Maxwell AFB AL
2010 Chief Information Officer Certificate, National Defense University, iCollege, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Residence, Maxwell AFB AL
2013 Air War College, Correspondence, Maxwell AFB AL
2015 Joint Information Operations Planners’ Course, Residence, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk NAS, VA
2016 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Professional Military Education Level II, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University Satellite, Omaha, NE
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. May 98 – Mar 00, communication & information service advocate, deputy commander, Information Systems Flight; 92d Communications Squadron, Fairchild AFB WA
2. Mar 00 – May 03, deputy for software evaluation, chief, Software Analysis Division; Detachment 2 Air Force Operational Test & Evaluation Center, Eglin AFB FL
3. May 03 – Jun 04, group executive officer, 96th Mission Support Group, Eglin AFB FL
4. Jul 03 – Nov 03, group executive officer, 506th Air Expeditionary Group, Kirkuk, Iraq
5. Jun 04 – Dec 04, flight commander, information systems, 49th Communications Squadron, Holloman AFB NM
6. Dec 04 – Sep 05, wing executive officer, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB NM
7. Sep 05 – Jan 06, wing executive officer, 401st Air Expeditionary Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy
8. Jan 06 – Apr 07, flight commander, support flight, 49th Communications Squadron, Holloman AFB NM
9. Apr 07- Oct 08, chief F-22A communications integration, 49th Fighter Wing Advanced Programs Office, Holloman AFB NM
10. May 08 – Sep 08, commander, Detachment 1, 401st Air Expeditionary Group & chief, communications and information support branch, Headquarters North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Combined-Joint Communications Directorate, Camp Butmir, Bosnia-Herzegovina
11. Oct 08 – Aug 10, information technology consultant Chief Information Officer Support Branch, chief, plans and policy branch; Plans and Requirements Division, Directorate of Communications, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB IL
12. Aug 10 – Nov 10, officer in charge, enterprise network operations, C4 Systems Directorate, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB FL
13. Dec 10 – Feb 11, officer in charge, C4 Systems Directorate-Forward, US Central Command Combined Forward Headquarters, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
14. Feb 11 – Aug 11, chief information officer strategic planner, Plans, Policy, and Resources Division; chief, director’s action group and Air Mobility Command 17D functional area manager, Directorate of Communications, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB IL
15. Aug 11 – Jun 12, Intermediate Developmental Education student, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB AL
16. Jun 12 – Jun 13, academic instructor, advisor; Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB AL
17. Jun 13 – Jul 15, commander, 88th Communications Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB OH
18. Jul 15 – Jun 18, branch chief, operations and assessments, deputy chief, division chief, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Joint Force Component Command Global Strike; deputy chief, Conventional Plans Branch, Nuclear Mission Planning Division, J5 Plans and Policy Directorate, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB NE
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Jul 15 – Jun 16, branch chief, operations and assessments, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Joint Force Component Command Global Strike, Offutt AFB NE
2. Jun 16 – Jan 17, deputy chief, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Joint Force Component Command Global Strike, Offutt AFB NE
3. Jan 17 – Sep 17, division chief, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Joint Force Component Command Global Strike, Offutt AFB NE
4. Oct 17 – Jun 18, deputy chief, Conventional Plans Branch, Nuclear Mission Planning Division, J5 Plans and Policy Directorate, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB NE
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with Oak Leaf Cluster
Iraqi Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air and Space Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon w/Gold Border with three Oak Leaf Clusters
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Non-Article 5 Medal, Bosnia
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant, May 1998
First Lieutenant, May 2000
Captain, May 2002
Major, Sep 2007
Lieutenant Colonel, Feb 2013
(Current as of 2 Jul 2018)