Colonel CHRISTOPHER “BRAD” LEDFORD

Col. Christopher B. Ledford is the Commander of the 42nd Mission Support Group, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The Group provides community support and base operating services to Air University, the 42nd Air Base Wing, the 908th Airlift Wing, and 45 mission partner units at Maxwell AFB and Gunter Annex: a population of 61,399 military members, civilian employees, retirees and family members. Col. Ledford oversees 1,679 personnel in seven squadrons delivering support in the areas of civil engineering, fire protection, communications, contracting, manpower, personnel and services, deployment processing, fuels, supply, transportation, air traffic control, airfield management and base security and police services.

Col. Ledford entered the Air Force in June 2000 as a graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Louisiana Technical University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Engineering. He also received a Master’s of Science Degree in Engineering Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Col. Ledford is a career Civil Engineering officer and has developed a broad base of Air Force experience, serving in Air Combat Command, Air Force Education and Training Command, Air Mobility Command, Pacific Air Forces, Headquarters Air Force, the U.S. Navy Seabees, three Joint Task Forces and as a presidential liaison for the Commander, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan. Prior to his current position, Col. Ledford was the Deputy Director for Installation Support at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, Construction Engineering, Louisiana Technical University, Ruston, La.
2001 Civil Engineers Officer Course, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Master of Science, Engineering Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Joint Forces Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.


ASSIGNMENTS
August 2000 – August 2001, Engineer, 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
August 2001 – July 2003, Readiness Flight Commander, 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
July 2003 – December 2004, Alpha Company Commander, U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74, Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Miss.
December 2004 – May 2005, Housing Flight Commander, Keesler AFB, Miss.
May 2005 – November 2005, Military Construction Manager, Keesler AFB, Miss.
November 2005 – May 2006, Chief, Maintenance Engineering, Keesler AFB, Miss.
May 2006 – August 2007, Chief of Construction, Hurricane Katrina Port Meteorological Officer, Keesler AFB, Miss.
August 2007 – June 2009, Air Force Institute of Technology Master Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
June 2009 – June 2010, Programs Flight Commander, Kunsan AFB, South Korea
June 2010 – September 2011, Military Construction Program Manager, Directorate of The Civil Engineer, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
September 2011 – April 2012, Afghanistan–Pakistan Hand Program, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
April 2012 – April 2013, Presidential Liaison, Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan
April 2013 – June 2015, Chief, Requirements Generation Branch, Directorate of Capability Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
June 2015 – June 2017, Commander, 319th Civil Engineering Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
June 2017 – May 2021, Deputy Division Chief, Installation Engineering Division, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
May 2021 – June 2022, Deputy Director for Installation Support, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
June 2022 – Present, Commander, 42nd Mission Support Group, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters 
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal 
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal 
Humanitarian Service Medal
US Navy Expert Rifle Medal 
US Navy Expert Pistol Medal 
NATO Service Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 16, 2000
First Lieutenant June 16, 2002
Captain June 16, 2004
Major June 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 1, 2015
Colonel March 1, 2022

(Current as of July 26, 2023)