Colonel Brian Finnerty, USAF, joined the National War College as the National Guard Chair and military faculty in June 2024. He previously served as the Senior Executive Officer, to the Director of the Air National Guard and commanded the 129th Operations Group, Moffett ANGB, CA. Colonel Finnerty is a Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter pilot with more than 3400 hours in the HH-60G, UH-1N and HC-130J. He received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2000 and is a 2020 graduate of the National War College.
Colonel Finnerty previously commanded the 129th Rescue Squadron, and his staff experience includes assignments as a Strategic Planner on the Chief of the National Guard Bureau’s Action Group, and as the ANG/A3J Personnel Recovery and Special Operations Aviation Functional Area Manager. In addition to multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan and East Africa, Col Finnerty has supported numerous domestic operations including civil search and rescue, disaster relief, aerial firefighting and counterdrug missions and is credited with dozens of lives saved.
FUNCTIONAL EXPERTISE: National Guard and Reserve Component issues, Rescue/Personnel Recovery, Domestic Operations and Disaster Relief
REGIONAL EXPERTISE: Asia/Pacific – Korea, Southwest Asia