Col Brian Stelma is the Deputy Commander, Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), headquartered in Quantico, Virginia. As the Deputy Commander, he supports the AFOSI Commander in executing the Field Operating Agency’s mission through a network of more than 3,000 total force Airmen assigned to major Air Force and Space Force installations and a variety of operating locations worldwide. AFOSI is a federal law enforcement agency with responsibility for conducting criminal investigations, counterintelligence and specialized investigative activities and operations, protective service operations and integrated force protection for the Air Force and Space Force globally. AFOSI is also a combat-ready military criminal investigative organization that provides the Department of the Air Force a wartime capability with counterintelligence support to force protection to find, fix, track and neutralize enemy threats in hostile and contested environments. AFOSI is the Department of the Air Force focal point for working with U.S. and foreign nation law enforcement and security services to provide timely and accurate threat information in all environments.
Col Stelma enlisted in the Air Force in July 1990 as an aircraft maintainer and earned his commission in 1999 through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at the University of Delaware. Col Stelma has served as an aircraft maintenance officer, an AFOSI field agent, operations officer, and on the HQ AFOSI Staff, Air Staff, and USNORTHCOM and NORAD Staff. He has served AFOSI in Wing level leadership positions as the Vice Region Commander at Joint Base (JB) San Antonio-Randolph, Texas and JB Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C. He has commanded AFOSI detachments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Col Stelma has deployed in support of operations in Africa and Southwest Asia. Prior to his current position, Col Stelma was the Commander of the AFOSI Center, headquartered in Quantico, Virginia, where he advised AFOSI senior leaders on global criminal, counterintelligence, cyber, and integrated force protection operations.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, University of Delaware, Newark
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Master of Arts, Human Resource Management, Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of Science, Strategic Intelligence (ACSC equivalent), National Intelligence University, Washington D.C.
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2019 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1990 – June 1995, Aircraft Maintainer, 436th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Del.
2. June 1995 – June 1997, Aircraft Maintainer, 512th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Dover AFB, Del. (reservist)
3. July 1999 – June 2001, Sortie Generation Flt/CC, Barksdale AFB, La.
4. June 2001 – September 2004, Maintenance OIC/Flt/CC, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. September 2004 – April 2007, AFOSI Special Agent/Chief of Counterintelligence/Operations Officer, Barksdale AFB, La.
6. April 2007 – April 2008, AFOSI Detachment Commander, AFOSI Det 243, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
7. April 2008 – March 2009, Chief of Deployment Planning, HQ AFOSI, Andrews AFB, Md.
8. March 2009 – August 2010, Executive Officer to the Commander, HQ AFOSI, Andrews AFB, Md.
9. August 2010 – August 2011, Student at National Intelligence University, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C.
10. August 2011 – April 2013, Executive Officer to the SAF/AA, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Va.
11. April 2013 – June 2014, Director of Operations, AFOSI Procurement Fraud, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C.
12. June 2014 – July 2016, Commander, AFOSI Detachment 206, Nellis AFB, Nev.
13. July 2016 – July 2018, Chief of Human Intelligence and Counterintelligence, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
14. July 2018 – June 2019, Student at National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
15. June 2019 – March 2020, Vice Commander, 4th Field Investigations Region, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
16. March 2020 – March 2021, Vice Commander, AFOSI Office of Special Projects, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C.
17. March 2021 – February 2023, Inquiry Officer, DAF/IG, Pentagon, Va.
18. February 2023 – January 2025, Commander, AFOSI ICON Center, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
19. January 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, AFOSI Headquarters, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
John W. Wrentmore Award
Distinguished Graduate AFOSI Special Investigations Academy
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 28, 1999
First Lieutenant June 28, 2001
Captain June 28, 2003
Major May 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2014
Colonel October 1, 2020
(Current as of January 2025)