Colonel Matthew C. Brenner is the Deputy Commander of the 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base (ANGB), Newburgh, New York. He is responsible for the combat readiness of assigned units by providing the necessary equipment, supplies, and facilities. The 105th Airlift Wing is assigned C-17A Globemaster III aircraft and has coordinating responsibilities for a United States Marine Corps tenant unit.
Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, he graduated from the State University of New York College at Cortland in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. That same year he was commissioned in the United States Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He completed undergraduate pilot training in December 1999. In 2011, Col Brenner joined the Air National Guard at Stewart ANGB as a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft commander after serving for 10 years on Active Duty and four years in the Air Force Reserve.
Col Brenner is a Command Pilot with more than 6,400 flying hours, including over 1,100 combat hours. He supported many contingency operations including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Volant Shogun. Prior to his current assignment, Col Brenner served as the Commander, 105th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, New York.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Arts, History, SUNY Cortland, Cortland, New York
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2007 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle University
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2014 Inspector General Training Course, Lansdowne, Virginia
2019 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2021 Leader Development Course for Squadron Command, by correspondence
2024 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, New York
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1997—December 1998, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
2. May 1999—May 2002, T-1A Instructor Pilot, 86th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas.
3. December 2002—November 2004, C-130H Aircraft Commander, 517th Airlift Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.
4. November 2004---September 2007, C-130H Instructor Pilot, 517th Airlift Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.
5. September 2007—December 2011, C-130H Evaluator Pilot, 95th Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, North Carolina.
6. December 2011—July 2013, C17 Aircraft Commander, 137th Airlift Squadron, Stewart ANGB, New York.
7. July 2013—September 2014, Inspections Planner, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart ANGB, New York.
8. September 2014—November 2015, Inspector General, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart ANGB, New York.
9. November 2015—August 2016, Flight Commander, 137th Airlift Squadron, Stewart ANGB, New York.
10. August 2016—September 2017, Director of Operations, 137th Airlift Squadron, Stewart ANGB, New York.
11. September 2017—April 2019, Commander, 105th Operations Group, Stewart ANGB, New York.
12. April 2019—September 2020, Deputy Commander, 105th Operations Group, Stewart ANGB, New York.
13. September 2020—May 2024, Commander, 105th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Stewart ANGB, New York.
14. May 2024—Aug 2025, Commander, 105th Maintenance Group, Stewart ANGB, New York.
15. Aug 2025—Present, Deputy Commander, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart ANGB, New York.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 6,400
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-1, C-130, C-17
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant August 18, 1997
First Lieutenant August 18, 1999
Captain August 18, 2001
Major May 01, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2014
Colonel May 23, 2024
(Current as of Aug 2025)