QUANTICO, Va. -- Colonel Brian Stelma became deputy commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) amid evolving global threats and a renewed focus on deterrence.
With more than 20 years in AFOSI and over three decades in uniform, Stelma brings extensive investigative experience with him, and a commitment to the warfighters he serves.
“I’ve been privileged to serve alongside some of the best professionals in AFOSI,” Stelma said. “They have inspired me to be better, and I hope I’ve done the same for them. That’s what I hope to continue in this role.”
From his early days as an enlisted aircraft maintainer to leading operations across the Pentagon, North American Aerospace Defense Command, and U.S. Northern Command, Stelma’s career has been shaped by his work in criminal investigations, counterintelligence and force protection.
Now, as deputy commander, he leads AFOSI’s global force of over 3,000 personnel. But his path to AFOSI began decades earlier.
A native of Weatherly, Pennsylvania, Stelma grew up in a tight-knit Appalachian town, where he was instilled with a strong sense of duty and service, he said.
Stelma enlisted in the Air Force in 1990, starting his career as a maintainer at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, before going to college and earning his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Delaware in 1999.
With a criminal justice degree, Stelma set his sights on AFOSI early in his career but started as a maintenance officer at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, followed by a stint at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, before transitioning to AFOSI as a Special Agent in 2004.
Coincidentally, his first AFOSI assignment brought him back to Barksdale. However, in a different role -- which took some of his former colleagues by surprise.
“I’d run into old colleagues at the Commissary and the last time they saw me, I was leading a maintenance unit,” Stelma said. “Now, I was walking around in a suit as a Special Agent. Some of them weren’t sure if I had really been a maintenance officer or if I’d been in AFOSI all along.”
In the years that followed, he took on roles in criminal investigations, counterintelligence and force protection. He later commanded AFOSI detachments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Before assuming his current role, he led the AFOSI Center, where he advised senior leaders on global criminal, cyber, counterintelligence and force protection operations. His leadership philosophy has been shaped by experience, mentorship, and a focus on mission readiness.
“Watching previous AFOSI leaders in action shaped how I lead today,” Stelma said. “I consider myself someone who wants to help people because it ensures mission readiness.”
According to Stelma, this means making sure people have the right training, the support they need for their families and the recognition they’ve earned.
“You don’t just develop warriors by giving orders, you build them by ensuring they’re prepared and mission-focused,” he said.
With over three decades in uniform, Stelma said he’s deeply committed to AFOSI’s mission and the people who carry it out.
“At this stage in my career, it’s about helping the next generation,” he said. “I want to make sure they have what they need to succeed. Their readiness determines the strength of the force.”
As AFOSI continues to adapt to an evolving security landscape, Stelma said he will ensure the organization remains agile and ready to counter any challenge that comes its way.
“AFOSI’s mission will always evolve, but our standard remains the same,” Stelma said. “We will never lose sight of why we serve.”