Colonel Lee W. "Split" Bryant

Col Lee Bryant is the Commander of the 96th Operations Group at Eglin AFB, Florida. He is responsible for 788 personnel assigned to seven diverse squadrons performing flight and ground test operations. As part of the 96th Test Wing, the 96th Operations Group plans, executes, and reports on USAF conventional munitions tests on F-15C/E, F-15EX, A-10, F-16, UH-1, HH-60W, and MH-139 aircraft. Testing covers the entire spectrum from laboratory and in-facility ground tests to open-air flight tests. The Group also plans, directs, and executes developmental test and evaluation on multiple Air Force Special Operations Command assets, including CV-22 and MC/AC-130 aircraft, as well as provides direct oversight of the Big Safari rapid acquisition flight test programs.

In his previous assignment, he was the AFMC Chief of Test and Evaluation at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. As Chief of Test, he was responsible for the planning, programming, and budgeting of the entirety of the Air Force’s Developmental Test and Evaluation activities as well as overseeing the 11,000+ test and evaluation workforce while establishing test policy for over 400 air, space, and cyberspace weapon systems across nine locations.

Col Bryant graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He is also a graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Air Command and Staff College, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Blue Horizons Fellowship.

Col Bryant originally hails from Lynchburg, VA and is a Command Pilot with more than 2,200 flying hours in over 37 different military and civilian aircraft. He has also served in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM as well as OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.