Colonel Brent "Sword" Golden

Force Application Division Chief US Joint Staff, J8

Colonel Brent F. Golden is the Force Application Division Chief, Requirements and Capabilities Directorate in the J8. Prior to this assignment he spent a year at the National War College, Fort McNair where he received a Master of Science in National Security Strategy. He is a former Commander and Director of Operations for the 422d Test & Evaluation Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Col Golden graduated from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland in May 2004 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB and pilot training at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, he attended the F15E course at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. Col Golden’s first operational assignment was with the 492d Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom where he completed mission qualification through instructor pilot training, deploying twice in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, and once for Operations ODYSSEY DAWN and UNIFIED PROTECTOR. In 2011 he was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, deploying once more to support operations in the Horn of Africa. In 2013, Col Golden was selected to attend the USAF Weapons School. In January 2014, Col Golden moved to Nellis AFB, Nevada for F-35A transition. While at Nellis AFB, he facilitated the F-35A Weapons School stand-up and served as F-35A Division Commander in the 422 Test & Evaluation Squadron conducting operational test. In January 2016, he was assigned to Hill AFB to aide in standing-up the first 3 operational F-35A squadrons, playing a key role in the USAF F-35 Initial Operational Capability declaration in August 2016. Upon completion of his assignment at Hill AFB, Col Golden attended a one-year USAF Fellowship at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). During his time at DARPA he helped further science and technology efforts across the Department of Defense, providing subject matter expertise on USAF operational needs. Col Golden is a command pilot with over 2800 hours (~550 combat) flight time in the T-37, T-38, F-15E, and F-35A aircraft.