Col Brad Spears, Chair of the Department of Aerospace Studies, and Commander, Air Force ROTC Detachment 105 will retire from the Air Force this summer following 30 years of service.
Spears arrived at CU Boulder in June 2020 and has led the Nations鈥� sixth largest AFROTC detachment for the past four years.聽 In his current role, he is responsible for developing leaders of character for the US Air and Space Forces.聽 Together with nine cadre members he administers a commissioning program consisting of 220 cadets and oversees the implementation of the AFROTC curriculum. 聽Thanks in part to his leadership, the cadre鈥檚 dedication, and the hard work of cadets, Detachment 105 earned AFROTC Northwest Region鈥檚 Right of Line Award for the best large detachment in 2023.
鈥淚 am very grateful for the support provided to our program and our mission by Chancellor DiStefano, Provost Moore, Vice Provost Maeda, and so many faculty and staff across the campus,鈥� Spears said.聽 鈥淚t has been an honor to serve alongside so many individuals dedicated to developing knowledgeable leaders of character ready to meet the needs of humanity.鈥�
In addition to his role with AFROTC, he has served as the Communication Coordinator for the university鈥檚 Center for Leadership where he aligns communication activities to the center's Strategic Plan, coordinates the Board of Advisor's Communication Committee engagements, and liaises with 30 affiliated programs.
Prior to arriving at CU Boulder, Spears served as the Commander, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Where he led 2,150 Total Force Airmen across 21 locales in Europe and Middle East providing passenger and cargo services, maintenance, command & control, aeromedical evacuation, as well as cyber and intelligence support for en route strategic airlift missions. He is a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours, including over 300 hours of combat time.
Spears holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the US Air Force Academy, a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University, and is a distinguished graduate of the US Army War College.
Future opportunities for Spears include using his experience and education to focus on leadership development, enjoying the many opportunities for outdoor adventures in Colorado, and continuing to support his family. He is the proud father of three children. His oldest daughter works in the field of physical therapy supporting inner-city children, his middle daughter is pursuing a degree in medicine, and his son is earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in engineering.