Squadron Augment Unit | VT-22

Commanding Officer

LtCol Aaron P. Brunner attended the University of Miami, FL and completed Officer Candidate School (OCS) in 2004 and 2005. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies he accepted his commission and reported to The Basic School.

LtCol Brunner reported to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola for primary flight training followed by NAS Kingsville, Texas, for advanced flight training. Upon completion with VT-22 he reported to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, for fleet replacement pilot training in the AV-8B Harrier.

At VMAT-203 in Cherry Point, NC he completed the AV-8B Fleet Replacement syllabus and received orders to the VMA-214 BlackSheep in Yuma, AZ. LtCol Brunner participated in several overseas Large Force Exercises and deployed twice on Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs). In 2013 LtCol Brunner graduated from the school of Naval Aviation Safety in Pensacola, FL. Following his return to Yuma, LtCol Brunner graduated Tactical Air Control Party training as the Honor Graduate at EWTGPAC Coronado, CA and reported to 2D BN 4TH Marines.

At 2/4 LtCol Brunner attended several SOTG courses, Mountain Warfare Training and deployed on a MEU with the battalion. While overseas he participated in exercises in Korea, Philippines and Japan and then received orders back to VMA-214.

LtCol Brunner deployed on another MEU and returned to MAG-13 to take over the Department of Safety and Standardization as well as the MAG Training LSO billet. He completed Crew Resource Management Instructors Course in September 2016. LtCol Brunner was an AV-8B Demonstration Pilot for a year and then accepted orders to 3d MAW in San Diego, CA.

In June 2017 LtCol Brunner reported to 3d MAW HQ. He assumed the duties of Current Operations Officer and Fixed Wing FRAG officer. While executing those duties he augmented H&HS Miramar as a UC-35D Instructor pilot. Completing his active duty in November 2019 LtCol Brunner affiliated into the reserves.

LtCol Brunner began his reserve career as the H&HS company commander with MWSS-473 then he transferred to MARFORSOUTH in 2019 and was the Future Operations Officer and Air Officer. LtCol Brunner completed Air Command and Staff College distance education in the spring of 2021 and then completed Security Cooperation Planners Course. In summer 2021 LtCol Brunner was the Crisis Action Team representative for MARFORSOUTH and the USNAVSO (JFMCC) representative during the Haiti earthquake response in 2021. After planning and attending UNITAS 21 in Peru LtCol Brunner transferred to Training Wing 2 at NAS, Kingsville.

LtCol Brunner has accumulated over 1700 flight hours in military aircraft. His personal decorations include the Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars in lieu of third award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, and various other unit and campaign awards.