Colonel Clark J. Bramante is the commander of the 163d Attack Wing at March Air Reserve Base, Calif. The 163d Attack Wing is comprised of more than 950 personnel and is the California Air National Guard’s exclusive MQ-9A Reaper operations unit, providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support, as well as tactical combat support, to commanders and war fighters around the world.
Colonel Bramante began his military career in 1996, entering the Marine Corps through the Platoon Leaders Course and earning his commission in 1997. He was winged as a Naval Aviator in 2000 and assigned to the Commodore’s List. Upon completion of initial KC-130 qualification training, he was assigned to MCAS Miramar and then to the 11th Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton, Calif. After nine years of active service, he separated from active duty in 2006 and joined the Air Force Reserve at March ARB, Calif. He completed KC-135 R Initial Pilot Initial Qualification Course and supported multiple exercises, participated in Operation Noble Eagle, and deployed to Incirlik, Turkey in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. He then joined the 163d Reconnaissance Wing in 2010. He completed MQ-1 and MQ-9 Transition Courses. Colonel Bramante expanded the Wing’s Domestic Operations capabilities and streamlined processes with the Federal Aviation Administration, coordinated multiple joint pre-deployment exercises with the Army and Marine Corps, and worked closely with the Air Force Research Laboratory pushing MQ-9 innovation. Colonel Bramante then held positions as 160th Attack Squadron Commander, where he led the Active Associate/Total Force Integration with the 492d Attack Squadron to increase training capacity for the total force, and 163d Operations Group Commander. He was also assigned as the Commander of JTF-115 providing food bank support, medical support teams, and medical logistics support throughout California in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to his current position, Colonel Bramante was the Vice Commander of the 163d Attack Wing at March ARB, Calif.
Colonel Bramante and his wife have three children, two of which are in the University of California system. He serves on the Board of Elders at his local community church and has participated in the Los Angeles Marathon multiple times as a member of Team World Vision, an organization providing health and sanitation assistance to rural villages in Uganda.
EDUCATION
1996 Platoon Leaders Course (Jr.), Officer Candidate School, MCB Quantico, Va.
1997 B.A. Rhetoric and Communications, University of California Davis, Calif.
1997 Platoon Leaders Course (Sr.), Officer Candidate School, MCB Quantico, Va.
1998 The Basic School, MCB Quantico, Va.
2000 Naval Flight School, Pensacola, FL and Corpus Christi, Texas
2005 Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific, NAB Coronado, Calif.
2005 Air Officers Course, Marine Aviation Weapons Training Squadron 1, Yuma, Ariz.
2008 Squadron Officer School (non-residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air Command and Staff College (non-residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Air War College (non-residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Air National Guard Commanders Development Course, JB Andrews, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1996 – July 1996, Officer Candidate, Officer Candidate School, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
2. June 1997 – July 1997, Officer Candidate, Officer Candidate School, MCB Quantico, Va.
3. November 1997 – July 1998, Student, The Basic School, Quantico, Va.
4. August 1998 – November 1999, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Flight School, Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla.
5. December 1999 – May 2000, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Flight School, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas
6. June 2000 – Dec 2000, Student, KC-130 Initial Qualification, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C.
7. January 2001 – May 2005, KC-130 Pilot, MCAS Miramar, Calif.
8. June 2005 – July 2006, 11th Marines Regimental Air Officer, MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif.
9. February 2007 – January 2010, KC-135R Pilot, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
10. February 2010 – September 2013, MQ-1 Pilot, Chief of Training, March ARB, Calif.
11. October 2013 – June 2016, MQ-1 and MQ-9 Pilot, 163 ATKW Chief of Safety, March ARB, Calif.
12. July 2016 – July 2017, MQ-9 Formal Training Unit Instructor, Chief of Current Operations, March ARB, Calif.
13. August 2017 – November 2017, Director of Operations, 163d Operations Support Squadron, March ARB, Calif.
14. November 2017 – February 2018, Interim Commander, 196th Attack Squadron, March ARB, Calif.
15. March 2018 – June 2019, Commander, 160th Attack Squadron, March ARB, Calif.
16. June 2019 – Nov 2021, Commander, 163d Operations Group, March ARB, Calif.
17. Nov 2021 – October 2022, Vice Commander, 163d Attack Wing, March ARB, Calif.
18. October 2022 – Present, Commander, 163d Attack Wing, March ARB, Calif.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2992
Aircraft flown: KC-130, KC-135, MQ-1, MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Navy Commendation Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award
Navy Unit Commendation with two service stars
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
(CURRENT AS OF JANUARY 2023)